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

Abstract

Fourteen species of mosquito 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, plus one of the two Psorophora species exposed to S. spiculatus preparasites, were parasitised. 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 in the form of nematode melanisation occurred 24-48 h post-infection, the nematodes dying within the host.