Susceptibility of the floodwater mosquito Aedes albifasciatus from eggs of different dormancy times to the nematode parasite Strelkovimermis spiculatus

DI BATTISTA, C. M.; FISCHER, S.; CAMPOS, R. E.

MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2020

0269-283X

This study aimed toevaluate the effects of egg dormancy times on susceptibility of larvae of thefloodwater mosquito Aedes albifasciatus(Diptera: Culicidae) to parasitism by their natural enemy Strelkovimermis spiculatus (Nematoda: Mermithidae) and on theirlife history traits. Aedes albifasciatuseggs stored for 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 months were hatched, and the larvae either exposedto S. spiculatus (treatment group) ornot exposed (control group). Eggdormancy time had a negative effect on the retention of parasites, but noeffect on the prevalence and intensity of parasitism or the melanization ofnematodes. The survival to adulthood of control individuals decreased as dormancytime increased, whereas that of exposed individuals that remained uninfectedwas constant and low. Atrend towards increasing development times with longer dormancy times wasdetected in the control group, but not in the exposed non-infected group. The results suggest non-consumptive effects ofparasites in exposed but not infected larvae from eggs with short dormancytimes. In contrast, the relatively low fitness of larvae from eggs with longdormancy times regardless of their contact with the nematodes may be the resultof the nutritional deprivation during the egg stage.