Haemagogus spegazzinii Brèthes, 1912 (Diptera: Culicidae) in Brazilian semiarid: resistance in eggs and scale color variation in adults

ABSTRACT

Although aedine eggs are resistant to desiccation, little is known about this trait in Haemagogus species. In this study, we assessed the desiccation resistance of Hg. spegazzinii eggs. The eggs were collected using ovitraps over a period of one week in March 2020. The positive pallets were stored until experimentation and immersed in a solution of water and yeast for larval hatching and subsequent species identification. The emerged adults were morphologically identified as Hg. spegazzinii. Because of color variations, adults were classified into three groups. The desiccation resistance of the eggs collected was measured for 380 days. Desiccation resistance is likely the result of selection mechanisms responsible for maintaining populations of the species in the seasonally dry tropical forest (Caatinga) in the Brazilian semiarid region. Variations in scale coloration can represent either individual variations or new species.

Keywords:
Desiccation resistance; Haemagogus; Color variation