Seasonality, prevalence and pathogenicity of the gregarine Ascogregarina taiwanensis (Apicomplexa: Lecudinidae) in mosquitoes from Florida.
Aedes albopictus larvae collected in Gainesville, FL, were infected with the gregarine Ascogregarina taiwanensis. Natural prevalence varied from 68 to 100%. Eight mosquito species were tested in the laboratory for susceptibility to A. taiwanensis isolated from field-collected Ae. albopictus. Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, and Aedes taeniorhynchus became 100% infected in the larval stage, whereas Aedes triseriatus was less susceptible; Culex quinquefasciatus, Culex nigripalpus, Culex territans, and Anopheles quadrimaculatus were not susceptible. Viable A. taiwanensis oocysts from adults were recovered from Ae. taeniorhynchus (30%) and Ae. albopictus (100%); no oocysts were produced in the other exposed hosts. Mortality induced by A. taiwanensis infection was low in all mosquitoes except Ae. taeniorhynchus. We conclude that A. taiwanensis has little short-term impact on the mortality of the 3 most common container-inhabiting mosquito species in Florida; however, the long-term impact on overall host population regulation has yet to be determined.
Garcia
J J
JJ
U.S.D.A. Medical and Veterinary Entomology Research Laboratory, Gainesville, FL 32604.
Fukuda
T
T
Becnel
J J
JJ
D000330:Aedes / Q000469:parasitology*; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000469:parasitology*; D016782:Apicomplexa / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D003465:Culex / Q000469:parasitology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D005431:Florida; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007814:Larva / Q000469:parasitology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D013045:Species Specificity