No Evolutionary Response to Four Generations of Laboratory Selection on Antipredator Behavior of Aedes albopictus: Potential Implications for Biotic Resistance to Invasion

Aedes albopictus (Skuse) is an invasive container-dwelling mosquito and an important disease vector that co-occurs with the native mosquito, Aedes triseriatus (Say), and the predatory midge, Corethrella appandiculata (Grabham). Larval Ae. triseriatus show significantly greater antipredatory responses when compared to larval Ae. albopictus in the presence of predation cues from C. appendiculata. The potential for evolution of antipredatory behavioral responses to C. appendiculata in Ae. albopictus is unknown. We used a controlled laboratory selection experiment to test whether Ae. albopictus could evolve antipredatory behavioral responses to C. appendiculata predation. We subjected replicate Ae. albopictus populations to four generations of predation by C. appendiculata or a predator-free control treatment and compared the behavior and life history of Ae. albopictus in the two treatments in each generation. There were no differences in Ae. albopictus behavioral responses between predation and control lines in any of the four generations. There was also no evidence of differences in life histories between predation and control lines. Ae. albopictus is superior as a competitor compared with Ae. triseriatus, which it has replaced in areas where C. appendiculata are rare. Our results suggest limited potential for Ae. albopictus to evolve stronger antipredatory behavioral responses to C. appendiculata predation and imply that C. appendiculata will continue to act as an impediment to invasion by Ae. albopictus and replacement of Ae. triseriatus and to promote coexistence of these competitors.