Life-table attributes of Anopheles albimanus (Wiedemann) under controlled laboratory conditions

Abstract

The life-table attributes of a laboratory-colonized strain of Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann from El Salvador were investigated under controlled environmental conditions (26 +/- 2 degrees C, 60 +/- 2% RH, and 16:8 L:D photoperiod). Larvae pupated seven days after eclosion and the adults emerged on day eight. Adult emergence success was 91% and sex ratio was not significantly different from 1:1. Females took a blood meal one day after emergence and laid eggs two days later. The mean time of reproduction was 10.8 days and the expectation of life at emergence was 18.8 and 14.1 days for females and males, respectively. The daily survivorship of females at emergence was 0.97, and their net reproductive rate, age at mean cohort reproduction, instantaneous rate of increase, and mean generation time was 309.2, 10.8 days, 0.319, and 18 days, respectively. The life expectancy of females 10 days after emergence was 13.4 days, and they were capable of taking four to six additional blood meals.