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The first sentence of the second paragraph of the same subsection should read: The final path model for Aedes albopictus contained paths between independent variables and most dependent variables (Fig 4B). Reference 1 Yee DA, Glasgow WC, Ezeakacha NF (2020) Quantifying species traits related to oviposition behavior and offspring survival in two important disease vectors. [Extracted from the article]

Animals with complex life cycles have traits related to oviposition and juvenile survival that can respond to environmental factors in similar or dissimilar ways. We examined the preference-performance hypothesis (PPH), which states that females lacking parental care select juvenile habitats that maximize fitness, for two ubiquitous mosquito species, Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus. Specifically, we examined if environmental factors known to affect larval abundance patterns in the field played a role in the PPH for these species. We first identified important environmental factors from a field survey that predicted larvae across different spatial scales. We then performed two experiments, the first testing the independent responses of oviposition and larval survival to these environmental factors, followed by a combined experiment where initial oviposition decisions were allowed to affect larval life history measures. We used path analysis for this last experiment to determine important links among factors in explaining egg numbers, larval mass, development time, and survival. For separate trials, Aedes albopictus displayed congruence between oviposition and larval survival, however C. quinquefasciatus did not. For the combined experiment path analysis suggested neither species completely fit predictions of the PPH, with density dependent effects of initial egg number on juvenile performance in A. albopictus. For these species the consequences of female oviposition choices on larval performance do not appear to fit expectations of the PPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allocation patterns of carbon and nitrogen in animals are influenced by food quality and quantity, as well as by inherent metabolic and physiological constraints within organisms. Whole body stoichiometry also may vary between the sexes who differ in development rates and reproductive allocation patterns. In aquatic containers, such as tree holes and tires, detrital inputs, which vary in amounts of carbon and nitrogen, form the basis of the mosquito-dominated food web. Differences in development times and mass between male and female mosquitoes may be the result of different reproductive constraints, which could also influence patterns of nutrient allocation. We examined development time, survival, and adult mass for males and females of three co-occurring species, Aedes albopictus, Ae. aegypti, and Culex quinquefasciatus, across environments with different ratios of animal and leaf detritus. We quantified the contribution of detritus to biomass using stable isotope analysis and measured tissue carbon and nitrogen concentrations among species and between the sexes. Development times were shorter and adults were heavier for Aedes in animal versus leaf-only environments, whereas Culex development times were invariant across detritus types. Aedes displayed similar survival across detritus types whereas C. quinquefasciatus showed decreased survival with increasing leaf detritus. All species had lower values of 15N and 13C in leaf-only detritus compared to animal, however, Aedes generally had lower tissue nitrogen compared to C. quinquefasciatus. There were no differences in the C:N ratio between male and female Aedes, however, Aedes were different than C. quinquefasciatus adults, with male C. quinquefasciatus significantly higher than females. Culex quinquefasciatus was homeostatic across detrital environments. These results allow us to hypothesize an underlying stoichiometric explanation for the variation in performance of different container species under similar detrital environments, and if supported may assist in explaining the production of vector populations in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single and mixed species densities of adult Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus were manipulated to determine if different combinations affected their egg laying preference or mortality rates. Oviposition was measured in environments that contained containers of different surface areas (small cups vs. larger bowls), and the number of eggs (Aedes) and egg rafts or larvae (Culex) deposited by each species was examined with respect to intra- and interspecific density treatment levels. Mixed species densities did not have an effect on survivorship, but single species densities did affect longevity, with higher densities leading to shorter life spans in Cx. quinquefasciatus: Cx. quinquefasciatus lived longer than Ae. albopictus overall. There was no significant effect of density combinations on oviposition patterns in either species, but Cx. quinquefasciatus laid more rafts in bowls compared with cups. There is little evidence of adult interactions between these species; however, future experimental work is necessary to more fully characterize the possible effects of adult interactions on these species.