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The thermal constant of the onchocerciasis vector Simulium damnosum s.l. in West Africa

The thermal constant of the onchocerciasis vector Simulium damnosum s.l. in West Africa

Cheke, R.A. ORCID: 0000-0002-7437-1934 (2012) The thermal constant of the onchocerciasis vector Simulium damnosum s.l. in West Africa. Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 26 (2). pp. 236-238. ISSN 1365-2915 (doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2915.2011.00980.x)

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Abstract

The minimum water temperature for development (t0) and the thermal constant (K) for the development of immature stages of Simulium damnosum s.l. (Diptera: Simuliidae) in West Africa were estimated as 20.1 ◦C and 93 day-degrees, respectively, based on analyses of published data on development rates of eggs, larvae and pupae at different water temperatures (24.0 ◦C and 31.5 ◦C). Thus, at a constant water temperature of 30.0 ◦C (approximately 10 ◦C above t0), adult flies would emerge about 9 days after oviposition. Analysis of a dataset probably restricted to S. damnosum s.s., but for which the temperature for the egg stage varied, revealed a much lower t0 (16.3 ◦C) and a much higher K (181 day-degrees), suggesting that the insects’ thermal relations may be cytoform-specific. The results will aid control decisions and predictions of possible effects of climate change on sizes and geographic distributions of populations of onchocerciasis vectors in West Africa.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: [1] First available online: 12 October 2011.
Uncontrolled Keywords: Simulium damnosum, climate change, control, development rates, onchocerciasis, temperature
Subjects: Q Science > QL Zoology
S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group: Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute
Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Agriculture, Health & Environment Department
Related URLs:
Last Modified: 11 Jan 2013 12:37
URI: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/6964

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