Data for "<i>Wolbachia</i> strain <i>w</i>MelM disrupts egg retention<i> </i>by <i>Aedes aegypti</i> females prevented from ovipositing"

<i>Aedes aegypti</i> mosquitoes are adapted to dry climates and can retain their eggs for extended periods in the absence of suitable habitat. <i>Wolbachia </i>strains transferred to mosquitoes can be released to combat dengue transmission by blocking virus replication and spreading through populations, but host fitness costs imposed by <i>Wolbachia</i>, particularly under some environments, can impede spread. We assessed the impact of two <i>Wolbachia</i> strains being released for dengue control (<i>w</i>AlbB and <i>w</i>MelM) on fecundity and egg viability following extended egg retention (12 or 18 d) under laboratory conditions. Egg viability decreased to a greater extent in females carrying <i>w</i>MelM compared to uninfected or <i>w</i>AlbB females. Fertility fully recovered in uninfected females following a second blood meal after laying retained eggs, while <i>w</i>MelM females experienced only partial recovery. Effects of <i>w</i>MelM on egg retention were similar regardless of whether females were crossed to uninfected or <i>w</i>MelM males, suggesting that fitness costs were triggered by <i>Wolbachia</i> presence in females. The fertility of <i>w</i>MelM females declined with age, regardless of whether females used stored sperm or were recently inseminated. Costs of some <i>Wolbachia</i> strains during egg retention may affect the invasion and persistence of <i>Wolbachia</i> in release sites where larval habitats are intermittent.