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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
immunology and microbiology
Effect of larval crowding on mating competitiveness of Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes
Malaria Journal, Volume 4, Article 49, Year 2005
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Description
Background: The success of sterile or transgenic Anopheles for malaria control depends on their mating competitiveness within wild populations. Current evidence suggests that transgenic mosquitoes have reduced fitness. One means of compensating for this fitness deficit would be to identify environmental conditions that increase their mating competitiveness, and incorporate them into laboratory rearing regimes. Methods: Anopheles gambiae larvae were allocated to three crowding treatments with the same food input per larva. Emerged males were competed against one another for access to females, and their corresponding longevity and energetic reserves measured. Results: Males from the low-crowding treatment were much more likely to acquire the first mating. They won the first female approximately 11 times more often than those from the highcrowding treatment (Odds ratio = 11.17) and four times more often than those from the mediumcrowding treatment (Odds ratio = 3.51). However, there was no overall difference in the total number of matings acquired by males from different treatments (p = 0.08). The survival of males from the low crowding treatment was lower than those from other treatments. The body size and teneral reserves of adult males did not differ between crowding treatments, but larger males were more likely to acquire mates than small individuals. Conclusion: Larval crowding and body size have strong, independent effects on the mating competitiveness of adult male An. gambiae. Thus manipulation of larval crowding during mass rearing could provide a simple technique for boosting the competitiveness of sterile or transgenic male mosquitoes prior to release. © 2005 Ng'habi et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Authors & Co-Authors
Ng'Habi, Kija R.N.
Unknown Affiliation
John, Bernadette
Unknown Affiliation
Nkwengulila, Gamba
Unknown Affiliation
Knols, Bart G. J.
Unknown Affiliation
Killeen, Gerry Francis
Unknown Affiliation
Ferguson, Heather M.
Unknown Affiliation
Statistics
Citations: 85
Authors: 6
Affiliations: 6
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1186/1475-2875-4-49
ISSN:
14752875
e-ISSN:
14752875
Research Areas
Food Security
Health System And Policy
Infectious Diseases
Study Design
Case-Control Study
Participants Gender
Male
Female