title: Diel oviposition periodicity of anopheline mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from the Americas: Anopheles albimanus Wieldemann and Anopheles freeborni Aitken.
abstract: The diel oviposition patterns of Anopheles albimanus and An. freeborni derived from Panama and California, U.S.A., respectively, were studied in the laboratory by recording the egg-laying of individuals and colonies at 2-h intervals. Anopheles freeborni oviposition patterns were almost exclusively nocturnal, with 80% of eggs being laid during the scotophase. A large, well-defined peak of oviposition, comprising about 70% of eggs laid, occurred 4-6 h before sunrise. Anopheles albimanus oviposition patterns were bimodal with crepuscular and nocturnal components, 68% of eggs being laid shortly before lights went 'off' or 'on' and 32% during the scotophase. A small, well-defined peak of oviposition, comprising about 42% of eggs laid, occurred immediately following lights off (i.e. 18.00-20.00 hours). Nulliparous females allowed to engorge on human blood matured, on average, 104 follicles (range 80-142) for An. albimanus and 114 follicles (range 31-201) for An. freeborni.
authors.affiliation: Insect Vector Control Division, Ministry of Health, St. Joseph, Trinidad, W.I.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Chadee
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mendis
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Beier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002140:California; D005260:Female; D010058:Oviposition / Q000502:physiology*; D010176:Panama; D010507:Periodicity; D013997:Time Factors