Automontage microscopy of four sympatric container-inhabiting mosquitoes and the first images and differentiation of Aedes albopictus diapause eggs

The eggs of Aedes triseriatus (Say), Aedes japonicus (Theobald), Aedes albopictus (Skuse), and Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) are described with the aid of color images obtained from an automontage camera system. All eggs are cigar shaped. The egg of Ae. triseriatus is light grey in color with distinct chorionic cells. Ae. japonicas is dark grey in color with distinct irregular chorionic cells. Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti are both jet black in color and are differentiated by the presence of a distinct micropylar collar in Ae. aegypti. Color images may be useful in identifying field-collected eggs where these species are sympatric. The first images of Ae. albopictus diapause eggs are also described.