REPRODUCTIVE CONSEQUENCES OF DENSITY-DEPENDENT SIZE VARIATION IN THE PITCHERPLANT MOSQUITO, WYEOMYIA-SMITHII (DIPTERA, CULICIDAE)

Cohort fitness and individual female pupal weight in a northern (40-degrees-N) U.S. population of Wyeomyia smithii (Coquillett) were inversely proportional to larval density on a fixed resource. Larger females lived longer and realized higher absolute and weight-specific fecundity than did smaller individuals. Females produced a large initial batch of eggs early during their reproductive period and several smaller batches later. Early fecundity was correlated with pupal weight but not longevity. Late fecundity increased with both pupal weight and longevity but there was no significant tradeoff between late and early weight-specific fecundity. Fertility (percent hatch) was higher in earlier than later batches of eggs but there were no significant trade-offs between late fertility and either early fertility or early weight-specific fecundity. Variation in larval density results in reduced weight at pupation which, in turn, results in reduced fecundity and longevity. Consequences of increased larval density thus persist into adulthood as unrealized reproductive potential.