Evaluation of Mesocyclops annulatus (Copepoda: Cyclopoidea) as a Control Agent of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in Argentina

We evaluated the potential of Mesocyclops annulatus as a control agent of Aedes aegypti in La Plata city (Argentina). Mosquito larval survivorship due to predation by these copepods was estimated at weekly intervals during the oviposition period of A. aegypti. Mean weekly A. aegypti larval survivors...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 2004-08, Vol.99 (5), p.535-540
Main Authors: Marti, Gerardo A, Micieli, Maria V, Scorsetti, Ana C, Liljesthröm, Gerardo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aedes
Aedes aegypti
Aedes aegypti - Culicidae - Mesocyclops annulatus - copepoda - larval predation - biological control - Argentina
Animals
Argentina
biological control
copepoda
Copepoda - physiology
Culicidae
Female
Insect Vectors
Larva
larval predation
Mesocyclops annulatus
PARASITOLOGY
Pest Control, Biological - methods
Predatory Behavior
Seasons
TROPICAL MEDICINE
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Summary:We evaluated the potential of Mesocyclops annulatus as a control agent of Aedes aegypti in La Plata city (Argentina). Mosquito larval survivorship due to predation by these copepods was estimated at weekly intervals during the oviposition period of A. aegypti. Mean weekly A. aegypti larval survivorship in cylindrical plastic containers (12 cm height and 11 cm diameter) with copepods was significantly lower than in control containers. Furthermore, weekly larval survival was negatively correlated with M. annulatus adult density, and approximately 23 adult copepods/container would be a threshold density over which the weekly mosquito larval survivorship approached zero. The copepods were able to persist in all containers during approximately 100 days (in three of them until the end of the experiment: 155 days) without the resource represented by A. aegypti larvae. The predation and persistence observed suggest that M. annulatus is a potential control agent to be considered in biological control programs.
ISSN:1678-8060
0074-0276
0074-0276
1678-8060
DOI:10.1590/S0074-02762004000500014