Temperature-Dependent Development of the Fungal Pathogen Lagenidium giganteum (Oomycetes: Lagenidiales) in Larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)

Abstract

The rates of development of Lagenidium giganteum were determined in the four larval instars of Culex quinquefasciatus Say held at 15, 20, 25, 27, 30, and 34 degrees C. The fastest development was in second instars held at 34 degrees; vesicles and oospores occurred in 50% of the larvae (the median development time) 19.7 and 25.0 h, respectively, after infection. The greatest median time to the formation of vesicles was in third instars at 15 degrees C (185.6 h) and for oospores was in second instars at 15 degrees C (152.3 h). The fungus did not form oospores in fourth instars at 15 degrees C. The median developmental rates of vesicles and oospores in each instar were fit to the Sharpe & DeMichele model, which may be used to predict the effects of different temperatures on the in-vivo developmental rate of the fungus.