Aedes atropalpus

Despite the hypothesis that the evolutionary significance of phototoxic secondary substances may be linked to their ability to discourage Insect herbivores, most research has been directed toward their effects on human skin and range animals (42). In an attempt to extend our knowledge of insect photosensitizers we have screened a number of plant secondary substances (TABLE TI) for their photosensitizing activity to 4th instar mosquito larvae Aedes atropalpus under solar simulating lamps. 

Fig. 1.6. Insecticidal synergism of binary, ternary, and quaternary mixtures of piperamides from Piper tuberculatum tested against Aedes atropalpus mosquito larvae.

M. domestica oostatic hormone seems to Inhibit the release or synthesis of egg development neurosecretory hormone (EDNH) (12), but in mosquitoes the hormone seems to act directly on the ovary (6). R, prolixus oostatic hormone, which has been partially purified (13), is a small peptide of M, 1,411 as determined on Sephadex G-50. Kelly et al. (5) prepared a crude extract of oostatic hormone from M, domestica, injected it into the autogenous mosquito Aedes atropalpus, and demonstrated inhibition of both egg development and ecdysteroid biosynthesis. They suggested that oostatic hormone functions at a point subsequent to release of EDNH. They were unable, however, to exclude the possibility that release of EDNH, itself, was inhibited. 

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