Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Culex pipiens sensu lato and Culex torrentium (Diptera: Culicidae) Breeding Sites in Germany.
Culex pipiens sensu lato (L.) and Culex torrentium Martini, 1925 are two widely distributed mosquito species in Europe. Due to difficulties in morphological discrimination, the current knowledge on differences in the breeding ecology is fragmentary. Therefore, this study evaluated the relation between the presence-absence of both species at various types of breeding habitats in response to physico-chemical parameters, using a recently developed molecular assay that allows reliable species-specific typing of larvae and pupae. The results revealed that the two species often occur in sympatry at the studied breeding sites, and there were no substantial differences concerning presence-absence of the two species with regard to the various environmental parameters investigated.
Research group Aquatic Ecology and Nature Conservation, Carl von Ossietzky University, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany. Corresponding author, e-mail: renke.luehken@uni-oldenburg.de.
Renke
R
Lühken
Research group Aquatic Ecology and Nature Conservation, Carl von Ossietzky University, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany.
Sonja
S
Steinke
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany.
Mayke
M
Leggewie
Corresponding author, e-mail: renke.luehken@uni-oldenburg.de. German Centre for Infection Research, partner site Hamburg-Luebeck-Borstel, HamburgBernhard-Nocht-Straße 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany.
Egbert
E
Tannich
Bundeswehr Hospital Hamburg, Lesserstraße 180, 22049 Hamburg, Germany. Okavango Research Institute, Maun, 4775 Notwane Rd. Gaborone, Botswana.
Andreas
A
Krüger
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany. Institute for Infectiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Am Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
Stefanie
S
Becker
Research group Aquatic Ecology and Nature Conservation, Carl von Ossietzky University, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany.
Ellen
E
Kiel
D000818:Animals; D003465:Culex / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D005858:Germany; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D011679:Pupa / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D012098:Reproduction
Culex pipiens s.l.; Culex torrentium; breeding ecology; physico-chemical