Larval diet and temperature alter mosquito immunity and development: using body size and developmental traits to track carry-over effects on longevity

Background: Estimating arbovirus transmission potential requires a mechanistic understanding of how environmental factors influence the expression of adult mosquito traits. While preimaginal exposure to environmental factors can have profound effects on adult traits, tracking and predicting these effects remains challenging.
Methods: Using Aedes albopictus and a structural equation modelling approach, we explored how larval nutrition and temperature jointly affect development rate and success, body size, and whether these metrics capture carry-over effects on adult longevity. Additionally, we investigated how larval diet and temperature affect the baseline expression of ten immune genes.
Results: We found that larval development success was primarily determined by diet, while temperature and diet both affected development rate, pupal wet weight, and wing length. Effects of diet on both morphometric measures and their relationships to adult longevity were asymmetrical, with wing length..., , , **Mackay, A.J., J. Yan, C.H. Kim, A.M.G. Barreaux, C.M. Stone.** Larval diet and temperature alter mosquito immunity and development: using body size and developmental traits to track carry-over effects on longevity. *Parasites and Vectors*

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**Mackay_etal_2023_data_code_files**

This zip directory contains the data files and r codes required to reproduce analyses in the associated paper evaluating effects of larval diet and temperature on *Aedes albopictus* juvenile development and survival, and female body size (pupal wet weight, wing length),longevity and immune gene expression.

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**Authors**

Andrew J. Mackay
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Prairie Research Institute, Illinois Natural History Survey
1902 Griffith Drive, Champaign, IL 61820

Jiayue Yan
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Prairie Research Institute, Illinois Natural History Survey
1902 Griffith Drive, Champaign, IL 61820

Chang-Hyun Kim
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Prairie ...