The Effects of Protozoans on Larval Container Mosquito Performance

Abstract

ABSTRACT Most research examining mosquito larval nutrition has focused on fungi, bacteria, and particulate organic matter. Fungi and bacteria, however, may be nutritionally insufficient to support larval growth. We predicted that the presence of protozoans would have a positive additive effect on larval growth and survival compared with when they were absent. We conducted a laboratory experiment where larval performance (Experiment 1) of two species of container mosquitoes [Culex coronator (Dyar and Knab), Aedes albopictus (Skuse)] was compared under two food environments (bacteria and bacteria with protozoans, each with an artificial diet). We also conducted a laboratory experiment where larval survival (Experiment 2) of three species [C. coronator, Culex quinquefasciatus (Say), and A. albopictus) was compared between the same two food environments without the addition of the artificial diet. In Experiment 1, survival was significantly different between species, with no significant difference between foo...