Salinity tolerance of Anopheles farauti Laveran sensu stricto.
To assess the salt tolerance of the malaria vector Anopheles farauti sensu stricto, larvae were collected from a freshwater environment on the outskirts of Honiara, Solomon Islands and placed in trays containing water with salinity varying from freshwater to seawater. Dead larvae and pupae and emerged adults were recorded and preserved. Most adults and nearly half of the larvae and pupae were then subjected to DNA analysis for species identification. No adult An. farauti emerged after prolonged immersion of larvae in undiluted seawater (3.5% salinity), although temporary immersion before pupation was compatible with survival. Salinities of up to 2.2% to 2.5% were compatible with good survival and adult emergence, at least from fourth instars. The results suggest that higher salinities may slow larval development and show that mortality at a given salinity is not uniform.
Bell
D
D
Tropical Health Program, Australian Centre for International and Tropical Health and Nutrition, University of Queensland Medical School, Herston, Australia.
Bryan
J
J
Cameron
A
A
Foley
D
D
Pholsyna
K
K
D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D007303:Insect Vectors; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012623:Seawater; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*
D012965:Sodium Chloride; D004247:DNA