Do field collected immature stages of Aedes mosquitoes exhibit correspondence of the life-history traits? Observations from Kolkata, India

Entomological monitoring of dengue vectors Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) and Ae. albopictus (Skuse, 1894) (Diptera: Culicidae) provides crucial information on the life-history traits (LHTs). An assessment of the LHTs of Aedes mosquitoes was accomplished using randomly collected immature stages from various larval habitats of Kolkata, India. Out of 104 larval habitats similar to 43% were exclusive for Ae. aegypti, similar to 31% were exclusive for Ae. albopictus and similar to 26% were common for both the species. Both female and male Ae. aegypti were bigger than the equivalents of Ae. albopictus in terms of pupal weight, adult weight and wing length. All the LHTs were significantly (P < 0.05) correlated, and the sexual dimorphism was evident for both Aedes mosquitoes. In both the species, the fecundity (In-transformed value; y) increased with the wing length (x) [for Ae. aegypti y = 1.012x+1.023, R-2 = 0.455, and for Ae. albopictus y = 1.022x+1.083, R-2 = 0.154]. A correspondence of the larval development and the adult traits was evident for both the Aedes mosquitoes. Incorporation of the life-history trait data with pupal productivity in the surveillance of the dengue vectors will enable precise predictions about the population abundance and possibility of disease transmission.

Automated summary

This study assessed the life-history traits of Aedes mosquitoes by collecting samples from different larval habitats in Kolkata, India. The study found that Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were larger than Ae. albopictus mosquitoes in terms of size and weight. The fecundity of both species was positively correlated with wing length. The study also revealed a correspondence between larval development and adult traits. Incorporating life-history trait data into dengue vector surveillance can help predict population abundance and disease transmission.