"Field Evidence of Mosquito Population Regulation by a Gregarine Parasi" by John Soghigian and Todd Livdahl
 

Biology

Field Evidence of Mosquito Population Regulation by a Gregarine Parasite

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Although parasites are by definition costly to their host, demonstrating that a parasite is regulating its host abundance in the field can be difficult. Here we present an example of a gregarine parasite, Ascogregarina taiwanensis Lien and Levine (Apicomplexa: Lecudinidae), regulating its mosquito host, Aedes albopictus Skuse (Diptera: Culicidae), in Bermuda. We sampled larvae from container habitats over 2 yr, assessed parasite prevalence, and estimated host abundance from egg counts obtained in neighboring ovitraps. We regressed change in average egg count from 1 yr to the next on parasite prevalence and found a significant negative effect of parasite prevalence. We found no evidence of host density affecting parasite prevalence. Our results demonstrate that even for a parasite with moderate virulence, host regulation can occur in the field.

Publication Title

Journal of Medical Entomology

Publication Date

5-2021

Volume

58

Issue

3

First Page

1188

Last Page

1196

ISSN

0022-2585

DOI

10.1093/jme/tjab009

Keywords

Aedes, host, mosquito, parasite, population regulation

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