Molecular Bases of Reproductive and Vectorial Fitness of Culex pipiens pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquito populations, for the transmission of filariasis in North Central Nigeria.

Abstract

The spatial heterogeneity of larval teneral reserves and their influence on wing attribute indices of adult vectorial fitness of Culex pipiens pipiens mosquitoes in North central Nigeria were elucidated in this study. Late 4th ins tar larvae of the mosquito were collected from four different populations in the area and analysed for nutritional reserves following standard procedures. Also, emerging adults mosquitoes, from same habitats as larval collections, had their wings measured for length as well as symmetry. The results indicated significant (p<0.05) variations in larval nutritional reserves among the four sites. Crude protein, in the fresh and dry larval samples, ranged from 15.06-19.00 and 51.86-70.37%, respectively; while lipids ranged from 0.09-1.91 and 0.13-10.65%, respectively. While, wing length differed significantly, wing symmetry varied only within narrow limits among the mosquito populations. The adult Cx. p. pipiens mosquitoes in the area are relatively large (wing length ranging between 3.45±0.55 and 4.05±0.62 mm). The ratio of the left and right wings ranged between 1.00: 0.99 and 1.00: 1.07 among the mosquito populations. Also, significant correlations (i.e., r>0.70) were established between larval nutritional components and wing symmetry in particular. These results were discussed from the perspective of fitness of Cx. p. pipiens populations for disease transmission in North central Nigeria. It is hoped that the findings of this study will go a long way in facilitating the development of informed complementary anti-larval strategies for integration into current mosquito vector control programs.