Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T19:47:33.238Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Observations on the biology and taxonomy of the eggs of Anopheles mosquitos

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

H. E. Hinton
H. E. Hinton
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Bristol
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

A study of the egg shells of 11 species of Anopheles was made with the stereoscan electron microscope. A number of structures have been found that are useful in distinguishing between eggs of different species; all of them can also be seen with the light microscope. A list is given of these structures, together with others already known to be of taxonomic importance.

The functional significance of the network of the outer layer of the chorion of Anopheles eggs is discussed. It is suggested that the film of gas held by the network is of selective advantage in that it contributes to the buoyancy of the egg, provides it with a part of its protective coloration, and functions as a plastron when the egg is submerged. The plastron of A. labranchiae atroparvus Van Thiel resisted wetting at an excess pressure of more than half an atmosphere.

The relation of Anopheles eggs to the surface film is discussed. A highly stable line of contact with the water is formed, such that the water surface is depressed along the sides of the egg and raised at each end. Because like menisci are attracted and unlike ones repelled, eggs make contact with each other end to end or side to side, never end to side. Water spreads on most natural objects, forming menisci like those at the ends of the egg, which is thus provided with anautomatic trapping device that tends to attach the egg endwise to an object projecting from the water. The selective advantage of endwise over sideways attachment is not known, but it may facilitate hatching.

The structure of the egg of A. pseudopunctipennis Theobald has been disputed, and it is therefore described in some detail.

Type
Research Paper
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 57 , Issue 4 , June 1968 , pp. 495 - 508
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1968

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bates, M. (1941). Field studies of the anopheline mosquitos of Albania.—Proc. ent. Soc. Wash. 43 pp. 37–58.Google Scholar
Bates, M. & Hackett, L. W. (1939). The distinguishing characteristics of the populations of Anopheles maculipennis found in southern Europe.—Proc. Seventh int. Congr. Ent. 1938 3 pp. 1555–1569.Google Scholar
Christophers, S. R. & Barraud, P. J. (1931). The eggs of Indian Anopheles, with descriptions of the hitherto undescribed eggs of a number of species.—Rec. Malar. Surv. India. 2 pp. 161–192.Google Scholar
Deane, M. P. & Causey, O. R. (1943). Viability of Anopheles gambiae eggs and morphology of unusual types found in Brazil.—Am. J. trop. Med. 23 pp. 95–103.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gillies, M. T. (1955). Notes on the eggs of some East African Anopheles.—Ann. trop. Med. Parasit. 49 pp. 158–160.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Herms, W. B. & Freeborn, S. B. (1920). The egg laying habits of Californian anophelines.—J. Parasit. 7 pp. 69–79.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Herms, W. B. & Frost, F. M. (1932). A comparative study of the eggs of Californian anophelines.—J. Parasit. 18 pp. 240–244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hinton, H. E. (1959). Plastron respiration in the eggs of Drosophila and other flies.—Nature, Lond. 184 no. 4682 pp. 280–281.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hinton, H. E. (1960 a). The structure and function of the respiratory horns of the eggs of some flies.—Phil. Trans. R. Soc. (B) 243 no. 699 pp. 45–73.Google Scholar
Hinton, H. E. (1960 b). The chorionic plastron and its role in the eggs of the Muscinae (Diptera).—Q. Jl. microsc. Sci. 101 pp. 313–332.Google Scholar
Hinton, H. E. (1962). The fine structure and biology of the eggshell of the wheat bulb fly, Leptohylemyia coarctata.—Q. Jl. microsc. Sci. 103 pp. 243–251.Google Scholar
Hinton, H. E. (1963). The respiratory system of the egg-shell of the blowfly, Calliphora erythrocephala Meig., as seen with the electron microscope.—J. Insect Physiol. 9 pp. 121–129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hinton, H. E. (1968). Structure and protective devices of the egg of the mosquito Culex pipiens.—J. Insect Physiol. 14 pp. 145–161.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hurlbut, H. S. (1938). Further notes on the overwintering of the eggs of Anopheles walkeri Theobald with a description of the eggs.—J. Parasit. 24 pp. 521–526.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marshall, J. F. (1938). The British mosquitos.—341 pp. London, Br. Mus.Google Scholar
Mer, G. (1931). Notes on the bionomics of Anopheles elutus, Edw. (Dipt., Cilic.).—Bull. ent. Res. 22 pp. 137–145.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Otsuru, M. & Ohmori, Y. (1960). Malaria studies in Japan after World War II. Part II. The research for Anopheles sinensis sibling species group.—Jap. J. exp. Med. 30 pp. 33–65.Google ScholarPubMed
Pantlel, J. (1913). Recherches sur les Diptères à larves entombies II. Les enveloppes de l'oeuf avec leurs dépendances, les dégâts indirects du parasitisme.—Cellule 29 pp. 7–289.Google Scholar
Peus, F. (1942). Die Stechmücken und ihre Bekämpfung. Teil I. Die Fiebermücken des Mittelmeergebietes.—Hyg. Zool., Lpz. 8, 150 pp.Google Scholar
Reid, J. A. (1962). The Anopheles barbirostris group (Diptera, Culicidae).—Bull. ent. Res. 53 pp. 1–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rozeboom, L. E. (1937). The egg of Anopheles pseudopunctipennis in Panama.—J. Parasit. 23 pp. 538–539.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rozeboom, L. E. (1942). Subspecific variations among neotropical Anopheles mosquitos, and their importance in the transmission of malaria.—Am. J. trop. Med. 22 pp. 235–255.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saliternik, Z. (1957). Anopheles sacharovi Favr in Israel.—Riv. Parasit. 18 pp. 249–265.Google Scholar
Trensz, F. (1933). Etude expérimentale sur la fonction des chambres à air de l'oeuf d’Anopheles maculipennis.—Archs. Inst. Pasteur Algér. 11 pp. 192–197.Google Scholar
Urbino, C. M. (1936). The eggs of some Philippine Anopheles.—Mon. Bull. Bur. Hlth. Philipp. 16 pp. 261–273.Google Scholar
Walch, E. W. & Walch-Sorgdrager, G. B. (1935). De eieren van eenige Anophelinen in Ned.-Indië.—Geneesk. Tijdschr. Ned.-Indië 75 pp. 1700–1730.Google Scholar
Weyer, F. (1939). Eistruktur und Rassen bei Anopheles maculipenn'is.—Proc. Seventh int. Congr. Ent. 1938 3 pp. 1715–1722.Google Scholar