Environmental and Genetic Factors Determine Whether the Mosquito Aedes aegypti Lays Eggs without a Blood Meal
Autor(es): Ariani, Cristina V.; Smith, Sophia C. L.; Osei-Poku, Jewelna; Short, Katherine; Juneja, Punita; Jiggins, Francis M.
Resumo: Some mosquito strains or species are able to lay eggs without taking a blood meal, a trait named autogeny. This may allow populations to persist through times or places where vertebrate hosts are scarce. Autogenous egg production is highly dependent on the environment in some species, but the ideal conditions for its expression in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are unknown. We found that 3.2% of females in a population of Ae. aegypti from Kenya were autogenous. Autogeny was strongly influenced by temperature, with many more eggs laid at 28 degrees C compared with 22 degrees C. Good nutrition in larval stages and feeding on higher concentrations of sugar solution during the adult stage both result in more autogenous eggs being produced. The trait also has a genetic basis, as not all Ae. aegypti genotypes can lay autogenously. We conclude that Ae. aegypti requires a favorable environment and a suitable genotype to be able to lay eggs without a blood meal.
Palavras-Chave: Culex-Tarsalis diptera; Juvenile-hormone; Pipiens complex; Life-history; Wing length; Autogeny; Culicidae; Nutrition; Togoi; Taeniorhynchus
Imprenta: American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, v. 92, n. 4, p. 715-721, 2015
Identificador do objeto digital: 10.4269/ajtmh.14-0471
Descritores: Aedes aegypti - Public health
Data de publicação: 2015
