Mortality of Dipetalogaster maximus (uhler) in response to temperature and humidity

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Colin E. Johnson, Elaine F. Oakley, Philip D. Marsden
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 1984
• Subjects: Dipetalogaster maximus; Mortalidade; Umidade; Temperatura; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86821984000100004; https://doaj.org/article/9c1c27edd5464a38942550f9e9431e3c

Observations were made on the mortality of Dipetalogaster maximus in relation to humidity and temperature in controlled conditions. The bugs survived longer at higher relative humidities and at lower temperatures, but when these results were plotted against vapour pressure déficit, no independent temperature effect was seen. The results may be explained by thefaster depletion of water reserves at higher vapour pressure deficits. D. maximus did not increase its resistance to water vapour transferat higher vapour pressure deficits. In orderto increase survival rates when D. maximus is used for xenodiagnosis in field conditions it should be protected against high temperatures and low humidities.