Gómez C, Osborn F. 2002. Effects of different saline concentrations on the development of larvae and pupae of
Anopheles aquasalis
Curry, 1932 (Diptera: Culicidae) under laboratory conditions. Entomotropica 17(2):121-127.
Anopheles aquasalis
is the main malaria vector in Sucre state, Venezuela. The larvae of this species are salt water tolerant. The effects of different concentrations of salt on the survival and development time of larvae and pupae were studied under laboratory conditions. The larvae were maintained in salt concentrations of 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 20 %, 30 % and 40 % in bottled water and daily recordings of larval mortality were made as well as the dates of change of instar. The proportion of larval survival and initial life expectancy were higher in larvae raised in 10 % - 40 % of salt compared with larvae raised in 0 ,cfinvoke,cfargument,cfwddx,mm:delete,mm:insert,mm:dataset,mm:pagebind,mm:update,jsp:getProperty,MM_CALLRESSET,MM_CALL2, with larvae raised in 10 % and 20 % of salt showing the most rapid development. We conclude that the larvae are physiologically adapted to salt water conditions, especially water containing between 10 % and 20 % of salt. This information could be useful for predicting which breeding grounds are most likely to support large populations of A. aquasalis.
