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Enhancements to the mass‐rearing cage for the malaria vector, A nopheles arabiensis for improved adult longevity and egg production
Author(s) -
Maïga Hamidou,
BimbiléSomda Nanwintoum Séverin,
Yamada Hanano,
Wood Oliver,
Damiens David,
Mamai Wadaka,
Balestrino Fabrizio,
Lees Rosemary S.,
Dabiré Roch K.,
Diabaté Abdoulaye,
Gilles J.R.L.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1111/eea.12614
Subject(s) - biology , sterile insect technique , longevity , larva , cage , vector (molecular biology) , toxicology , zoology , ecology , pest analysis , botany , biochemistry , genetics , mathematics , combinatorics , gene , recombinant dna
Innovations in mosquito mass‐rearing techniques are essential in the quest to develop SIT (sterile insect technique) methods to fight mosquito vectors of disease. This study reports modifications to the Food and Agriculture Organisation/International Atomic Energy Agency ( FAO / IAEA ) mass‐rearing cage ( MRC ) for mosquitoes to support the behaviour of adult A nopheles arabiensis Patton ( D iptera: C ulicidae) and to maximize egg production. The effects of an improved sugar‐feeding device, and the addition of resting sites and a black cloth shroud to create an artificial horizon (visual contrast of light vs. dark at the edge) were assessed for their effect on adult longevity and egg production. Egg production of adults resulting from larvae reared in individual free‐standing trays vs. those reared in the same trays in the FAO / IAEA larval rearing rack was also compared. Finally, the effect of blood feeding and frequency of egg collection from the MRC on average egg production per batch was investigated. Overall, the modifications to the MRC enhanced adult longevity, and the improved cage prototype allowed the collection of more eggs overall from a cohort of adults than was possible using the original and previous cage prototypes. These stepwise improvements are important for the development of economical and logistically efficient mass‐rearing systems for the malaria vector A n. arabiensis .