Diurnal Reciprocal Cross Between Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae): Special Emphasize on Mating Behaviors

Diurnal Reciprocal Cross Between Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae): Special Emphasize on Mating Behaviors

1Marcela, P., 1Abu Hassan, A., 1Hamdan, A. and 1Dieng, H.

1School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia. Email: marcela.fun@gmail.com

Abstract

Mating behaviors between Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus were examined under a laboratory condition. Thirty male adults were aspirated into a standard-rearing cage. Twenty heterospecific females were then introduced into the respective cage. The mating experiment was carried out in the morning and late evening for five consecutive days. Mean frequency of attempted copulation, female insemination and number of eggs produced by the mated females were recorded for these five consecutive days. The mean frequency of Ae. aegypti males mated with Ae. albopictus females were higher than Ae. albopictus males mated with the Ae. aegypti females (31.75 ± 10.27; 0.95 ± 0.42). Aedes albopictus females mated with the heterospecific Ae. aegypti males laid more eggs as compared to Ae. aegypti females mated with the Ae. albopictus males (352.5 ± 67.67; 155.5 ± 54.46). The current result showed that Ae. aegypti males were more readily to mate with the heterospecific females as compared to the Ae. albopictus males. However, none of the eggs produced from the interspecific mating hatched even though the spermatozoa were found in the females’ spermathecae. This result emphasized the mating behaviors as the primary barrier for the interspecific mating to occur.

Keywords: Heterospecific, spermathecae, mosquito