Inter- and intraspecific variation in resistance to desiccation by adult Aedes (Stegomyia) spp. (Diptera: Culicidae) from Indonesia

Desiccation survival times of adult mosquitoes were studied for yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (L.) (6 strains), Asian tiger mosquito, Ae. albopictus (Skuse) (5 strains), and Ae. paullusi Stone & Farmer (1 strain) colonized from South Sulawesi, Indonesia. At both 90 and 70% RH, Ae. aegypti males and females outlived the other species. The forest species Ae. paullusi was least resistant to desiccation. Strains of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus from urban areas were more resistant to desiccation than conspecific strains from rural villages. When water was accessible, Ae. albopictus females outlived Ae. aegypti females, indicating that death from deprivation of water was not a result of energy depletion. Ae. aegypti was largest in body size, followed by Ae. albopictus and Ae. paullusi. Among strains within species, the relationship between body size and survival time was significant only for Ae. aegypti females at 70% RH. Adult desiccation resistance may be a factor that influences distribution and abundance of Aedes (Stegomyia) species