Effect of larval rearing temperature on adult female morphology of Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albimanus (Diptera: Culicidae)

Summary

Time to pupation, percent survival to pupation, and percent adult emergence of Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann decreased at higher larval rearing temperature. Mosquitoes reared at 30°C experienced higher mortality during the pupal stage than did mosquitoes reared at 22°C. Analysis of variance revealed that wing length and costal wing spot patterns of adult female A. albimanus were affected by larval rearing temperature. Female A. albimanus reared at 22°C had longer wings, and larger basal pale + prehumeral pale, prehumeral dark, and humeral pale costal wing spots than did female siblings reared at 30°C. Female A. albimanus reared at 30°C had larger subcostal pale spots than did female siblings reared at 22°C. Analyses of 2x2 contingency tables indicated that sex ratio was independent of larval rearing temperature, whereas survival to the adult stage and coalescence of wing spots were not independent of rearing temperature. The need to examine stability of morphological characters under differing environmental conditions is discussed.

Key words:

• Anopheles
• morphology
• taxonomy
• systematics