Arachidonic acid requirement for two species of Culiseta reared on synthetic diet

Abstract

C. incidens and C. inornata larvae were successfully reared under aseptic conditions on a completely defined chemical medium. Arachidonic acid is an essential nutrient for both species. Larvae of C. incidens would develop and pupate in the absence of this fatty acid but emergence was impaired and none of the resulting adults could fly. None of the C. inornata larvae reared on diets lacking arachidonic acid became adult. Many of the C. inornata adults that emerged from diets containing this fatty acid could fly. Amino acid concentrations in the diet of 0.9% were superior to 1.4% for C. inornata. Asparagine was an essential nutrient for C. incidens; its nutritional effects were not tested on C. inornata.