Susceptibility of neotropical mosquito larvae (Diptera: Culicidae) and non-target aquatic organisms to the entomopathogenic nematode Strelkovimermis spiculatus Poinar & Camino 1986 (Nemata: Mermithidae)

MARIA F. ACHINELLY; MARIA V MICIELI; GERARDO A MARTI; JUAN J GARCIA

NEMATOLOGY

Brill Academic Publisher

Año: 2004 vol. 6 p. 299 - 302

1388-5545

Fourteen species of mosquitoes and several species of non-target aquatic organisms were tested for susceptibility to the neotropical mermithid nematode, Strelkovimermis spiculatus. All species of Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, Isostomyia, and Ochlerotatus and one of the two Psorophora species exposed to S. spiculatus preparasites were parasitized. None of the non-target aquatic organisms exposed to S. spiculatus were infected with the exception of Chironomidae larvae in which nematode penetration was observed although host reaction as form of nematode melanization was determined at 24-48 hours post-infection producing dead of the nematods within the host.