Changes in Pigmentation in Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Response to Color of Environment

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Abstract
In laboratory experiments, coloration of larvae of two species of anopheline mosquitoes was modified significantly by color of the rearing background. Larvae of Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann, Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say, Culex quinquefasciatus Say, Culex salinarius Coquillett, Aedes aegypti (L.), and Aedes taeniorhynchus Wiedemann were reared in darkness and on either black, white, or green backgrounds, illuminated by either fluorescent lighting or sunlight. Normal strains of Anopheles and Culex larvae reared in black containers developed darker larval pigmentation than larvae reared on the other backgrounds or in darkness. Response of anophelines was more intense than that of culicines. Larval body-color mutants of A. albimanus responded similarly to wild-type on black background, but eye-color mutants of A. albimanus and A. quadrimaculatus did not respond to color of the rearing container. No changes in pigmentation were noted in either Aedes species under any of the test conditions. When normal fourth-instar A. albimanus were introduced into a bicolored (half white, half black) container, a significant majority of larvae selectively moved onto the color, either black or white, of their original rearing container.

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