User:Slozano/Sella's stages

Sella’s stages, which indicate blood-digestion intervals. They are useful to record blood digestion status for each female mosquito, as well as readiness for egg laying.

Sella’s stages comprise:

Stage I (unfed), the abdomen is collapsed, and the ovaries occupy one third of the abdomen;

Stage II (freshly fed), stomach with red blood, ovaries occupying 2–3 segments ventrally and 4 dorsally;

Stage III–IV (half gravid), blood is dark red, ovaries occupying 4–5 segments ventrally and 6 dorsally;

Stage V (subgravid), blood greatly reduced and dark in color, ovaries occupying most of abdomen;

Stage VI–VII (gravid), blood only a black trace, a narrow blackish line or completely digested.