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
Repository Citation
Soghigian, John and Livdahl, Todd, "Field Evidence of Mosquito Population Regulation by a Gregarine Parasite" (2021). Biology. 399.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_biology/399