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Science 9 June 1961:
Vol. 133. no. 3467, p. 1830
DOI: 10.1126/science.133.3467.1830
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Articles

Suppression of Male Characteristics of Mosquitoes by Thermal Means

William R. Horsfall 1 and John F. Anderson 1

1 Department of Entomology, University of Illinois, Urbana

Dimorphism in Aedes stimulans, a northern floodwater mosquito, may be decreased possibly to obliteration by exposing larvae for most of their lives to abnormally high temperature. Determiners for maleness fail to express themselves when larvae are exposed to a temperature of 29°C throughout their lives. Not only are male characteristics eliminated, but normal female ones such as ovaries, spermathecae, and cerci develop. The resultant adult is structurally a female. Forms showing characteristics of both sexes occur when the number of days of exposure to 29°C is lessened.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Thermally Induced Genital Appendages on Mosquitoes.
W. R. Horsfall and J. F. Anderson (1963)
Science 141, 1183-1184
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