Which Aedes species breed in snow pools?

Which Aedes species breed in snow pools?

• A. Ae. tahoensis
• B. Ae. melanimon
• C. Ae. taeniorynchus
• D. Ae. notoscriptus

Answer: (A)

Breeding in snow pools is a habitat specialization seen in Aedes mosquitoes that occupy cold, ephemeral water sources formed by snowmelt in high elevations. This niche requires eggs that can survive freezing and larvae that develop quickly in cool, nutrient-poor water. Ae. tahoensis is the species known for breeding specifically in snow pools in the Sierra Nevada/Lake Tahoe region, aligning exactly with that alpine, snow-melt habitat. The other listed species are generally associated with more typical larval habitats—standard freshwater pools, streams, or man-made containers—and do not have the documented association with snow pools, so they don’t fit this particular ecological niche as well.

Breeding in snow pools is a habitat specialization seen in Aedes mosquitoes that occupy cold, ephemeral water sources formed by snowmelt in high elevations. This niche requires eggs that can survive freezing and larvae that develop quickly in cool, nutrient-poor water. Ae. tahoensis is the species known for breeding specifically in snow pools in the Sierra Nevada/Lake Tahoe region, aligning exactly with that alpine, snow-melt habitat. The other listed species are generally associated with more typical larval habitats—standard freshwater pools, streams, or man-made containers—and do not have the documented association with snow pools, so they don’t fit this particular ecological niche as well.