Population Analysis of Culex Pipiens Fatigans Wied. (Diptera: Culicidae) Under Laboratory Conditions

Abstract

A laboratory experiment using 4 cohorts of Culex pipiens fatigans was set up to obtain age-specific mortality and fecundity information, and to derive statistical estimates of some population parameters. Figures for developmental times, survival, reproduction and sex ratio are provided. Life expectancy is calculated for both males and females. The following population parameters were estimated: intrinsic rate of natural increase (r = 0.01), instantaneous birth and death rates, net replacement rate (R_o = 161.4), finite rate of increase (λ = 1.17), generation time (T = 44.7 days), reproductive value and stable age distribution. The colonizing features of Cx. p. fatigans are compared with the ones of Aedes aegypti as the result of applying 2 colonization models, and it is concluded that although Ae. aegypti is a better colonizer, Cx. p. fatigans is an excellent r-strategist that can be classified as an opportunistic species.