Physiological bases of mosquito ecology

The research carried out during more than 30 years in the author's laboratory is briefly reviewed. Quantitative analyses of basic physiological processes, such as growth and development, digestion and excretion, oogenesis and fecundity, reserve synthesis and resulting flight-potentials of Aedes aegypti were summarized and compared with several other mosquito species, particularly with Anopheles. These studies led to the recognition of distinctly different physiological strategies, for which the term "physiotype" has been coined, providing a basis for understanding the different ecotypes.