Medical and Veterinary Entomology (2006) 20, 300-307

S. Wiwatanaratanabutr and P. Kittayapong (2006)
Effects of temephos and temperature on Wolbachia load and life history traits of Aedes albopictus
Medical and Veterinary Entomology 20 (3), 300-307
Abstract: Maternally inherited Wolbachia (gram-negative bacteria) often affect the reproductive fitness of their arthropod hosts and may cause cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). Comparing Wolbachia-infected and uninfected strains of the mosquito Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae), we assessed the effects on fitness of two stressors: temperature elevation (25°C vs. 37°C) and exposure to temephos insecticide (concentration range 0.0017−0.0167 mg/L) during larval development. Fitness was measured in terms of life history traits: percentage survival, development time and wing size. Insecticide treatment was associated with reduction in survival rates and wing size in both sexes, but did not affect development time or Wolbachia load. Temperature elevation by 12°C significantly reduced all four bionomic parameters observed in both sexes. Wolbachia density within individual adult mosquitoes was determined by using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on the wsp gene. Both male and female adults had significantly lower densities of Wolbachia after larval rearing at the higher temperature.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Pattamaporn Kittayapong

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
control - general
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Aedes albopictus
Wolbachia (genus - entomopathogens)	Aedes albopictus