Variability in the relationship between weight and wing length of Anopheles gambiae (Diptera: Culicidae).
The relationship between wing length and body weight of female Anopheles gambiae Giles reared at 3 densities and at 3 temperatures was examined. Although overall, weight was proportional to wing length raised to the 4th power, the relationship within treatments was linear. The slope of the regression line varied significantly among treatments. Therefore, wing length of mosquitoes caught from field populations may not be an adequate measure of body weight if the conditions under which the mosquitoes have developed are not known.
Koella
J C
JC
Experimental Ecology, ETH Zentrum NW, Zürich, Switzerland.
Lyimo
E O
EO
D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D011156:Population Density; D013696:Temperature; D014921:Wings, Animal