Combined autogenous and anautogenous ovarian development in individual Culex tarsalis Coq. (Dipt., Culicidae)

Abstract

The ability to mature eggs without feeding on blood (autogeny), occurring in most populations of Culex tarsalis Coq., approaches an incidence of 50% in the Bakersfield, California strain. Females that were not allowed to lay eggs matured autogenously would occasionally feed on blood but much less readily than anautogenous females. When such females did feed on blood, additional eggs started maturing in other follicles. This produced a heterogeneous assemblage of eggs, some matured autogenously in primary follicles interleaved with others in secondary follicles (on other ovarioles) that matured following the blood-meal. During or soon after autogenous maturation of eggs in some primary follicles, the contemporary primary follicles were resorbed, forming ovariolar dilatations, a condition commonly interpreted as signifying a parous condition.