Laboratory colonization of Anopheles sinensis (Wiedemann, 1828)

Abstract

After a strain of A. sinensis from Kanoya, Kyushu (Japan) was established by induced copulation with a human blood source for its first 26 generations, it has been further colonized for 19 generations in a small cage (30X30X30 cm) by free mating at 25+/-1':'C, 70-80% R. H. Larval stages were mass reared on the pulverized food consistng of equal weights of wheat germ, dry yeast and oatmeal. The mating ability of males during induced copulation was investigated 3 day-old males were completely successful at mating but the quantity of sperm in the spermathecae was very low. The insemination rates were about 16 % in the 31st generation, 41% in the 41st generation. A. lesteri has also been maintained mainly with a mouse blood source in a small cage for 15 generations without induced copulation. The insemination rate of this species was about 8 % at the 11 th generation. The tolerance of the eggs of A. sinensis to desiccation was tested and it was found that the eggs hatched normally after 2 days of desiccation but the hatchability decreased down to 29 % after 4 days.