Evaluation of the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) as alternative hosts for laboratory mass-rearing of Strelkovimermis spiculatus (Nematoda: Mermithidae)

The effect of the number of pre-parasitic juveniles of Strelkovimermis spiculatus on infection rate in larvae of the culicid mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens, and the susceptibility of different larval instars of the culicids to the parasite, was studied in order to facilitate laboratory mass production of the nematode. The infection rate in each mosquito species varied between 72 and 100% for the different concentrations of pre-parasites used per host. Infection percentages in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th instar larvae exposed to S. spiculatus varied from 11 to 98%. Significant differences in percentage infection were observed between 4th instar larvae and the earlier instars. The results obtained in this study demonstrate the feasibility of mass-rearing S. spiculatus in A. aegypti and C. pipiens under laboratory conditions.