Male size does not affect mating success (of Anopheles gambiae in São Tomé)

• Published in: Medical and veterinary entomology Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 109 - 111
• Main Authors: Charlwood, J. D., Pinto, J., Sousa, C. A., Ferreira, C., Rosário, V. E. Do
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01-03-2002
• Subjects: Animals; Anopheles - anatomy & histology; Anopheles - physiology; Anopheles gambiae; Body Constitution - physiology; Culicidae; genetic control; Insect Vectors - physiology; larval competition; malaria vectors; Male; mating success; Plasmodium; Reproduction - physiology; sexual selection; São Tomé; wing size; Wings, Animal; Sao Tome and Principe
• ISSN: 0269-283X; 1365-2915
• DOI: 10.1046/j.0269-283x.2002.00342.x

For malaria control, the utility of transgenic vector Anopheles mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) refractory to Plasmodium transmission, will depend on their interbreeding with the wild vector population. In many species, larger males are more successful in obtaining mates. In São Tomé island, we determined that size did not affect mating success of male Anopheles gambiae Giles sensu stricto, the main malaria vector in tropical Africa. Also we showed that larval intraspecific competition is probably insignificant in this population of An. gambiae. Thus, the potential success of transgenic An. gambiae is unlikely to be affected by size selection under field conditions.