Preferência por local de oviposição de Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera, Culicidae), em relação à presença de imaturos da própria espécie, sob condições de laboratório

Abstract

Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse, 1894) is an exotic Culicidae species in Brazil. Since its first report in this country, the mosquito has been increasing its geographic distribution. This mosquito is a natural dengue and Japanese Encephalitis virus vector in Asia. The females preference for oviposition sites related with homospecific immature presence was assessed. The experiment was performed with Aedes albopictus from laboratory colony since March ]999, in the Laboratório de Entomologia Médica e Veterinária, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná. The preferred container was the one that kept pupae for 24 hours, with 643 eggs, 30,6% at total. The eggs recipients received 11,45% from total set by the females, and the following numbers to the others: larva 1 (15,79%), larva 2 (14,69%), pupa 1 (20,74%), pupa 2 (30,58%), control (6,75%). Although the ANOVA did not detect significant difference among the treatments, the data possibly indicate that Aedes albopictus prefer laying eggs in containers previously colonized by immature.