Carnaghi, Manuela ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4595-082X, Senevirathna, Kithmali Gayathri, Young, Stephen and Hawkes, Frances Madeline ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0964-3702 (2026) Age-dependent mating success, body size, and sex ratio in a laboratory colony of Anopheles coluzzii. Current Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases:100431. ISSN 2667-114X (Online) (doi:10.1016/j.crpvbd.2026.100431)

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Abstract

Malaria is a serious life-threatening disease transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. Knowledge of physiological parameters associated with mosquito fitness is essential to understand mating dynamics, population structure, and the effectiveness of vector control interventions. This study investigated key biological parameters, including body size and insemination rate in relation to adult age, as well as sex ratio, in a laboratory reared Anopheles coluzzii colony. A total of 1,526 female mosquitoes were dissected, of which 1,494 were included in the analysis; a significant non-linear relationship was found between age and insemination status (Quasibinomial GLM, F=265.3, d.f.=1, 48, P<0.001). Insemination rates of one-day-old females were low but not absent (mean ± SEM=6.00% ± 2.5%), at three days insemination rates were highly variable, ranging from 13.33% to 86.67%, suggesting inconsistent mating success, while the highest insemination rates were observed in older females. Morphometric analyses indicated that females presented significantly longer wings (mean ± SEM=3.16 ± 0.01 mm) than males (mean ± SEM=2.91 ± 0.01 mm), and that mosquitoes sampled at older ages had larger average wing lengths (d.f.=1, 57, F=5.60, P=0.02). Moreover, a significant male-biased sex ratio was found, with males representing on average 52.0% (95% CI= 50.54% - 53.66%) of the emerged adults. Together, these findings provide detailed baseline data on age-dependent mating success, body size variation, and sex ratio structure in laboratory-reared An. coluzzii.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	We are thankful to Dr Fiona Teltscher and Natalie Morley for their assistance with mosquito rearing. This research was supported by internal funding from the Behavioural Ecology Research Group, University of Greenwich, and further supported by Vice Chancellor's PhD Scholarship Landing behaviour of the host-seeking malaria vector, Anopheles coluzzii, in response to host-associated cues."
Uncontrolled Keywords:	mosquitoes, insemination, wing length, body weight, malaria vector, laboratory colony
Subjects:	Q Science > Q Science (General) Q Science > QL Zoology Q Science > QR Microbiology > QR355 Virology
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Centre for Sustainable Agriculture 4 One Health Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Centre for Sustainable Agriculture 4 One Health > Behavioural Ecology
Last Modified:	07 Sep 2026 14:24
URI:	https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/54355

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