Effects of larval competitors and predators on oviposition site selection of Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto

Abstract

We examined whether predators and competitors influence selection of oviposition sites by Anopheles gambiae Giles. Mosquitoes in cages laid significantly fewer eggs in rainwater conditioned with a predator (backswimmers, Notonecta sp.) than in unconditioned rainwater. Rainwater conditioned with a putative competitor (tadpoles, Xenopus sp.) also had fewer eggs than unconditioned rainwater. Similarly, mosquitoes laid significantly fewer eggs in rainwater conditioned with five and 50 An. gambiae larvae than in unconditioned rainwater. When larvae were present, significantly more eggs were laid in containers with five larvae than in containers with higher densities, but the differences in number of eggs laid were not significant among the densities of 40, 70, and 100 larvae. This study demonstrated that caged An. gambiae females avoid oviposition in habitats with supposed competitors and predators.