Dormancy
Temporarily unfavorable environmental conditions could be overcome through dormancy—the interruption or reduction of metabolic activity through diapause or quiescence—a response that has been demonstrated in all major vector species (reviewed in Diniz et al. 2017). Dry-season dormancy (i.e., aestivation) is likely one mechanism enabling An. gambiae and An. coluzzi to persist during the three- to six-month long dry season in the Sahel, as evidenced by very low population sizes during the dry season followed by rapid increases after the first rain (Lehmann et al. 2010, 2014, Adamou et al. 2011, Yaro et al. 2012, Dao et al. 2014). However, there are no known examples of dormancy mechanisms in ectotherms that respond solely to high temperatures, thus this may be an unlikely response for mosquitoes, particularly tropical species facing warming temperatures in humid environments.