title: Laboratory colonization of Anopheles pseudopunctipennis (Diptera: Culicidae) without forced mating.
abstract: Anopheles pseudopunctipennis is one of the main malaria vectors in the Andean regions of South America. Few experimental data exist on this species because it is not very available in laboratories due to its eurygamic status that makes colony maintenance difficult. Indeed, individuals do not mate in the confined space of insectary cages. To avoid this problem, forced artificial mating can be used. However, this technique is time consuming, requires a well-trained technician, and is inadequate for easy mass production, which is sometimes necessary for certain experimental works. This study presents a technique based on exposure of adult mosquitoes to a blue stroboscopic light for 20 min during several nights, which encourages them to copulate naturally under laboratory conditions. After some generations, a self-free-mating strain was obtained. The technique is simple, inexpensive and is probably effective whatever the An. pseudopunctipennis strain considered.
authors.affiliation: Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), UR Caractérisation et contrôle des populations de vecteurs, C.P. 9214, La Paz, Bolivia. lardeux@ird.fr
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lardeux
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Quispe
authors.forename: Rosenka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tejerina
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Libia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Torrez
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bouchité
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chávez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory; D000852:Anopheles / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D010058:Oviposition; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal