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Like
other mosquito larvas, A. aegypti has a 9-segmented abdomen. The anal segment of
the abdomen has 4-lobed gills and a short air tube or siphon for breathing. Two prominent
lateral spines are seen on each side of the thorax with a dissecting microscope. Resting
at the water’s surface, this mosquito hangs vertically. Larvas swim smoothly like a
snake. When disturbed by light or other, they will go to the bottom of the container. The first instar feeds a day or 2, then moults to the second
instar. Head parts harden and darken. After the second stage, the thorax and abdomen will
grow without the head and siphon increasing size. Hatching to pupation could be 7-14 days
or even less depending on conditions. The fourth instar is a long stage. Under starvation
the emergence of pupas can take several weeks. Also, male larvas and pupas develop more
rapidly than females. |