Journal article
Thermal sensitivity of Aedes aegypti from Australia: Empirical data and prediction of effects on distribution
K Richardson, AA Hoffmann, P Johnson, S Ritchie, MR Kearney
Journal of Medical Entomology | Published : 2011
DOI: 10.1603/ME10204
Abstract
An understanding of physiological sensitivity to temperature and its variability is important for predicting habitat suitability for disease vectors under different climatic regimes. In this study, we characterized the thermal sensitivity of larval developmental rates and survival in several Australian mainland populations of the dengue virus vector Aedes aegypti. Males developed more rapidly than females, but there were no differences among populations for development time or survival despite previously demonstrated genetic differentiation for neutral markers. Optimal development and survival temperatures were 37°Â°C and 25°Â°C, respectively. The values for maximal development and survival ..
View full abstractGrants
Funding Acknowledgements
We thank Peter Ryan, Craig Williams, and Andrew Weeks for discussion, and Clare Doig for laboratory assistance. This work was supported by a Commonwealth Environmental Research Fund Significant Project grant to A. A. H., M. K., and S. R., and an Australian Research Council Fellowship to A. A. H. This research was also supported by funding from the CSIRO Climate Adaptation Flagship Urbanism, Climate Adaptation and Health Cluster.