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Ovipositional preferences and larval cannibalism in the Neotropical mosquito Trichoprosopon digitatum (Diptera: Culicidae)

1994; Elsevier BV; Volume: 48; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1006/anbe.1994.1284

1095-8282

Thomas N. Sherratt, Stuart C. Church,

Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences

Abstract. The effects of age, size, food availability and relatedness on larval cannibalism in the Neotropical mosquito Trichoprosopon digitatum were investigated. The eggs of this mosquito are laid in small water receptacles and guarded by females until they hatch. No significant differences in the median level of cannibalism were detected between larvae of the same age derived from the same and from different clutches. Only 4-day-old larvae showed a significantly higher median level of cannibalism at low than at high food levels. When larvae of different ages were placed together, cannibalism was highly size-dependent. A parallel series of experiments was conducted in the field to determine the ovipositional preferences of T. digitatum for pots that contained particular developmental stages of the mosquito. Adult females preferentially laid their eggs in (1) pots that contained high levels of food and (2) pots that already contained an adult female guarding its clutch. Adult females avoided laying into pots that contained 8-day-old larvae. The data suggest that the oviposition decisions of the mosquito reduce the chances of its offspring being consumed by conspecifics. It is unclear precisely why ovipositing females should prefer to lay where there are other recently laid eggs although there appears to be little fitness cost in terms of cannibalism.