Scanning Electron Microscopy of the Egg of <I>Ochlerotatus albifasciatus</I> (Diptera: Culicidae)

Abstract

Ochlerotatus albifasciatus (Macquart) (Diptera: Culicidae) is a mosquito species of medical and veterinary importance, usually associated with temporary groundwater habitats. Eggs obtained from females collected in Córdoba city, in the center of Argentina, were studied using scanning electron microscopy. The eggs are elliptical in outline, measuring approximately 615.7 +/- 37.24 microm in length (1) and 180.7 +/- 22.87 microm in width (w), with an egg index (l/w ratio) of 2.9-3.7. The outer chorionic sculpture has racquet-shaped and wristwatch-shaped cells consisting of a small central tubercle surrounded by larger tubercles and followed by a row of smaller tubercles on one or both sides, respectively, although variations between regions of the egg were observed. The micropylar apparatus has a collar with evident molding and edges of determined length, albeit irregular, with defined margins for the transition area and a thickness of approximately 10.7 microm. The margins of the micropylar disc are raised and the disc measures approximately 21.1 microm in diameter. The micropyle is distinct.

The fowl tick, Argas (Persicargas) persicus (Ixodoidea: Argasidae): Description of the egg and redescription of the larva by Scanning Electron Microscopy

“…The present study also resonates observations of Balashov (1983) in Hyalomma asiaticum and El Shoura et al (1989) in Argas arboreus who presumed the above hole might represent the micropyle. The micropyle was a common feature in eggs of many insect species (Dominguez and Cuezzo 2002;Alencar et al 2003;Poprawa and Rost 2004;Dos Santos-Mallet et al 2009). Kaiser et al (1964) used different criteria to differentiate between adults of A. persicus and the closely related A. arboreus.…”

“…Description of eggs of other insects did however massively utilize SEM (Burkhart et al 2000;Castro et al 2002;Dominguez and Cuezzo 2002;Nickles et al 2002;Fenoglio and Rosciszewska 2003;Alencar et al 2003Alencar et al , 2005Wolf et al 2003;Junkum et al 2004;Poprawa and Rost 2004;Sukontason et al 2004Sukontason et al , 2005Dos Santos-Mallet et al 2009). Rare studies were concerned with the morphology of acarine eggs and almost none utilized SEM techniques.…”

Scanning Electron Microscopy of the Eggs of Aedes scapularis from Southern South America

“…The ventral and dorsal surfaces of the egg of Ae. scapularis showed relatively little differentiation, as was observed in other floodwater mosquitoes such as Aedes albifasciatus Macquart, recently described (Santos-Mallet et al 2009). Otherwise, the egg of Ae.…”

Taxocenose e morfologia de mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) com ênfase na tribo Mansoniini em áreas de aproveitamento hidrelétrico na Amazônia, Estado de Rondônia - Brasil

“…As informações sobre a morfologia externa dos ovos de mosquitos são importantes para identificar espécies em habitats aquáticos e aumentar o conhecimento da biologia e sistemática dos mosquitos. No entanto, descrições e ilustrações de ovos foram publicadas apenas para algumas espécies de Coquillettidia (33,3% das espécies conhecidas) (SANTOS-MALLET et al, 2009;.…”