Variable expressions of autogeny in three mosquito species

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Abstract
Patterns of autogeny were compared in 3 mosquito species from a coastal site in Indian River County, Florida. Both autogenous and anautogenous females were found in Aedes taeniorhynchus (Wiedemann) and Wyeomyia vanduzeei Dyar and Knab populations. Mating was a prerequisite for autogeny in certain females of both species (see Tables I and II). All of the Deinocerites cancer Theobald females were autogenous, whether mated or not. The expression of autogeny in A. taeniorhynchus depended upon environmental conditions during the larval stages and the geographical origin of the population. For some A. taeniorhynchus females, mating was needed for autogenous ovarian maturation under all experimental conditions, whereas for others mating became a requirement for autogeny only when the mosquitoes encountered the less favorable larval conditions. In nature, the dominant form of autogeny in A. taeniorhynchus appeared to be the male-induced type. Among W. vanduzeei and A. taeniorhynchus populations, the male-induced form of autogeny was associated with relatively low levels of autogenous fecundity. However, females that possess the capacity for male-induced autogeny have a greater potential for enhancing the size of their initial egg batch by blood-feeding than do females that can express autogeny independent of mating.