RESUMO
Aedes albopictus (Skuse 1894) is prevalent in the urban/peri-urban Port Blair, posing a public health threat, during past outbreaks of chikungunya (2006) and dengue (2010). Despite its vector potential, information on the biology is scanty. Therefore, impact of temperature on survival of immature stages, under laboratory conditions, was studied on F1 population of Andamans. Ae. albopictus larvae were exposed to static temperatures viz. 37°C, 39°C, 41°C, 43°C and 45°C, and the lethal time to cause 50% (LT50) and 90% mortality (LT90) was computed. To assess adaptive thermotolerance, larvae exposed (37°C and 39°C) were re-exposed to higher temperatures (43°C and 45°C). All larvae survived at 37°C and 39°C for the entire exposure period of 420 min, while variable mortality was observed at 41°C, 43°C and 45°C. Larvae re-exposed to 43°C and 45°C showed an increase in thermotolerance with respect to non-adapted larvae. The results are discussed in the context of survival, development and distribution.