Laboratory evaluation of the freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium borellii, as a predator of mosquito larvae

Abstract

Mortality of Culex pipiens s.l. mosquito larvae due to a natural enemy, Macrobrachium borellii, was studied under laboratory conditions. Prawns were divided into three groups (Cephalothorax length: ≤5 mm; 5-15 mm and ≥15 mm). The mosquito larvae were put together with the prawns in various ratios for per capita predation after 24 hs and 72 hs. Predation on C. pipiens s.l. increased with the predator size and the rates were constant in each group. Although predation of C. pipiens in laboratory trials alone is insufficient to prove that M. borellii controls mosquito larvae in the field, results suggest that this prawn may be an important natural enemy, being a possible biocontrol agent for its abundance in lentic environment.