Antimidgut antibodies inhibit peritrophic membrane formation in the posterior midgut of Anopheles tessellatus (Diptera: Culicidae).

The effect on midgut structure of feeding rabbit antibodies in a blood meal was investigated in Anopheles tessellatus Theobald. No detectable ultrastructural changes in midgut cells were observed. However, antimidgut antibodies inhibited formation of the peritrophic membrane in the posterior midgut. The results indicate that a peritrophic membrane in the posterior midgut is not essential for survival of the mosquito after a blood meal or for establishing a Plasmodium vivax Grassi infection.