Kivuyo H.S., Mbazi P.H., Kisika D.S., Munga S., Rumisha S.F., Urasa F.M., Kweka E.J.
Department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Dar-Es-Salaam, Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania; Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya; National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Tropical Pesticides Research Institute, Division of Livestock and Human Diseases Vector Control, Mosquito Section, Arusha, Tanzania; Department of Medical Parasitology and Entomology, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania
Kivuyo, H.S., Department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Dar-Es-Salaam, Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania; Mbazi, P.H., Department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Dar-Es-Salaam, Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania; Kisika, D.S., Department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Dar-Es-Salaam, Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania; Munga, S., Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya; Rumisha, S.F., National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Urasa, F.M., Department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Dar-Es-Salaam, Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania; Kweka, E.J., Tropical Pesticides Research Institute, Division of Livestock and Human Diseases Vector Control, Mosquito Section, Arusha, Tanzania, Department of Medical Parasitology and Entomology, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania
Background: Rearing of Anopheles gambiae s.s mosquitoes in insectary with quality cheap food sources is of paramount importance for better and healthy colony. This study evaluated larval survival and the development rate of aquatic stages of An.gambiae s.s under five food regimes; tetramin fish food (a standard insectary larval food), maize pollen, Cerelac, green filamentous algae and dry powdered filamentous algae.Methods: Food materials were obtained from different sources, cerelac was made locally, fresh filamentous algae was taken from water bodies, dry filamentous algae was ground to powder after it was dried under shade, and maize pollen was collected from the flowering maize. Each food source type was used to feed three densities of mosquito larvae 20, 60, and 100 in six replicates each. Larval age structure was monitored daily until pupation and subsequently adult emergence. Tetramin was used and taken as a standard food source for An. gambiae s.s. larvae feeding in Insectary.Results: Larval survivorship using maize pollen and Tetramin fish food was statistically insignificant (P = 0.564). However when compared to other food regime survivorship was significantly different with Tetramin fish food performing better than cerelac (P<0.001), dry algae (P<0.001) and fresh algae (P<0.001). The pupation rates and sex ratio of emerging adults had significant differences among the food regimes.Conclusion: The findings of this study have shown that maize pollen had closely similar nutritional value for larval survivorship to tetramin fish food, a standard larvae food in insectary. Further studies are required to assess the effect of food sources on various life traits of the emerged adults. © 2014 Kivuyo et al.
adult; animal experiment; animal food; Anopheles gambiae; aquatic stage; arthropod larva; arthropod life cycle stage; Article; cerelac; controlled study; density; dry powder; female; filamentous alga; food quality; imago; insect development; larval development; maize; male; nonhuman; nutritional value; organism colony; pollen; pupation; rearing; sex ratio; survival rate; tetramin fish food; animal; Anopheles gambiae; diet; food; growth, development and aging; larva; pupa; survival; Animals; Anopheles gambiae; Diet; Female; Food; Larva; Male; Pupa; Sex Ratio; Survival Analysis; Zea mays