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

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2020

0269-283X

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of egg dormancy times onsusceptibility of larvae of the floodwater mosquito Aedes albifasciatus (Diptera:Culicidae) to parasitism by their natural enemy Strelkovimermis spiculatus (Nematoda:Mermithidae) and on their life history traits. Aedes albifasciatus eggs stored for 2,4, 6, 8 and 10 months were hatched, and the larvae either exposed to S. spiculatus(treatment group) or not exposed (control group). Egg dormancy time had a negativeeffect on the retention of parasites, but no effect on the prevalence and intensity ofparasitism or the melanization of nematodes. The survival to adulthood of controlindividuals decreased as dormancy time increased, whereas that of exposed individualsthat remained uninfected was constant and low. A trend towards increasing developmenttimes with longer dormancy times was detected in the control group, but not in theexposed noninfected group. The results suggest nonconsumptive effects of parasites inexposed but not infected larvae from eggs with short dormancy times. In contrast, therelatively low fitness of larvae from eggs with long dormancy times regardless of theircontact with the nematodes may be the result of the nutritional deprivation during theegg stage.