African Journals Online
Tropical Freshwater Biology

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Volume 10. 2001
ABSTRACTS

Tropical Freshwater Biology, 10 (2001) 1 – 8 1

INFLUENCE OF LARVAL DIET AND POPULATION DENSITY ON PRE-ADULT DEVELOPMENTAL RATE OF LABORATORY POPULATIONS OF CULEX QUINQUEFASCIATUS (DIPTERA; CULICIDAE)

F.I. Aigbodion and C.E. Okaka

Zoology Department, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

The influence of larval diet and population density on pre-adult developmental rate, adult population sizes, pre-adult survival and sex ratio was investigated. Mean developmental period varied significantly with low larval densities. Similarly, there were significant variations of developmental periods with different diets. A comparison of the survival rate of larvae fed with the three types of diets showed significant variations (P<0.05). Sex ratio varied significantly from 1:1 ratio in adult raised from larvae fed with milk powder while those raised from liver and liver/milk powder varied non significantly. Mean pre-adult developmental period of larvae fed with milk, liver and milk/liver powder were 15.55±0.76, 9.54±0.32 and 9.68±0.14 days respectively and those for densities of 30L/300ml, 60L/300ml, 150L/300ml and 300L/300ml were 10.60 ±1.36, 11.68 ±2.10, 11.70 ±2.30 and 12.39 ±2.17 days re