A. Diop et al., COLONIZATION IN INSECTARIUM OF A STRAIN OF ANOPHELES ARABIENSIS (DIPTERA, CULICIDAE), Bulletin de la Societe de pathologie exotique et de ses filiales, 91(4), 1998, pp. 340-343
For the first time in Dakar (Senegal), we managed to establish a local
colony of Anopheles arabiensis (Diptera: Culicidae) in insectarium. T
he observations on the productivity of the colony showed a gradual ada
ptation of the preimaginal stages to insectarium conditions. The estim
ated duration of the development of the various preimaginal stages sho
wed an interval of 24 hours for egg hatching, 48 h for stage I, 24 h f
or stage II, 24 h for stage III and 36 h for the pupal stage. Stage IV
which makes the difference in the duration of the adult-egg cycle, va
ried from 1 to 13 days. Pupal moulting occurred mainly between 1 I h a
nd 19 h, with a peak between 14 h and 15 h. The duration of the preima
ginal cycle in insectarium was from 8 to 11 days. This fits with the d
uration shown in natural breeding places during the rainy season (the
best period for the development) which was from 9.5 to 13.3 days. Emer
gence, faster in males, occurred in the evening around 6.30-7 p.m. The
emergence rate was higher in insectarium (92.9%) compared with that s
hown in the field (6 to 20%) (the natural breeding places are subject
to biological and biochemical variations and to predators's action). T
he sex-ratio is equal to I. The studies in insectarium showed that the
gonotrophic cycle is 3 days in neonate blood fed after day 2 and also
in parous ones. This cycle is 5 days in nulliparous with pregravid st
age. The average longevity is 16 days with a maximum of 26 days in fem
ales and 43 days in males.