Abstract

LOETTI, María Verónica; BURRONI, Nora E.; PRUNELLA, Paula  and  SCHWEIGMANN, Nicolás. Effect of temperature on the development time and survival of preimaginal Culex hepperi (Diptera: Culicidae). Rev. Soc. Entomol. Argent. [online]. 2008, vol.67, n.3-4, pp.79-85. ISSN 0373-5680.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of temperature on the development time and survival of Culex (Culex) hepperi Casal and García, 1967. Individuals were reared in the laboratory, from the first larval stage to adult emergence, at five constant temperatures: 15, 20, 25, 30, and 33°C. The total development time was inversely related to temperature between 15 and 25°C. No differences were observed in the development time between sexes and no adults emerged at 33°C. In the larval stages III and IV, the time required for molting to the next stage increased at 30°C. The highest survival was recorded at 20°C. The more developed stages were less resistant to temperatures above and below 20°C. According to the nonlinear model of Briére, the lower and upper development thresholds were 2.6 and 33°C, respectively. Our results suggest that the effect of temperature depends upon the stage of development of C. hepperi.

Keywords : Mosquito; Phytotelmata; Constant temperature.

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