Laboratory colonization of Anopheles aquasalis (Diptera: Culicidae) in Belém, Pará, Brazil

Abstract

Anopheles aquasalis Curry, a coastal malaria vector with a Neotropical distribution, was collected from Bele´m, Para´ state, Brazil, and 500 adults per cage were maintained at the Instituto Evandro Chagasinsectary at 26 Ð30 C and 80 Ð90% RH, where they fed on a 10% domestic sugar solution and blood from white mice. Oviposition of the parental generation (P) occurred in fresh water in dark cups introduced into mosquito cages. After eclosion, 100 larvae per pan were reared in artesian well water (salinity 0.04 g liter1 ) and fed ground Þsh food until pupation. After force mating in the F1 generation, the eight subsequent generations were free mating. Mean larval mortality was 1%, and the mean developmental time from eclosion to emergence was 7.7 d (F1), 7.6 d (F2), 8 d (F3), and 7.5 d (F4). The maximum daily production of pupae (from the fourth generation on) occurred on day 6 postoviposition.