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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 59(9)

Potential of three aquatic predators to control mosquitoes in the presence of alternative prey: a comparative experimental assessment

R. Kumar A B , P. Muhid C , H.-U. Dahms B , L.-C. Tseng B and J.-S. Hwang B D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Ecosystem Research Lab, Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi, Govindpuri, Kalkaji, New Delhi, 110019, India.

B Institute of Marine Biology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 202, Taiwan.

C Present address: Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld 4111, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: Jshwang@mail.ntou.edu.tw

Marine and Freshwater Research 59(9) 817-835 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF07143
Submitted: 7 August 2007  Accepted: 1 July 2008   Published: 7 October 2008

Abstract

Predator-induced control of pests depends on the predator’s preference for the target pest over naturally co-occurring prey species. We compared the larvivorous efficiency of three common freshwater predators: mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis; Baird and Girard, 1854), dragonfly naiads (Zyxomma petiolatum; Rambur, 1842) and copepods (Mesocyclops aspericornis; Daday, 1906) on different instars and the relative abundances of the mosquito Anopheles stephensi (Liston, 1901) in the presence of alternative cladoceran prey, either Moina macrocopa (Straus, 1820) or Daphnia similoides (Hudec, 1991). Larval removal rate decreased with increasing larval size and instar stage. The maximum consumption rate was by mosquitofish, followed by dragonfly naiads and copepods. The presence of either of the alternative prey significantly reduced larval consumption by all three predators, except in the D. similoides–mosquito larvae combination for naiads. Mosquitofish and copepods preferred early instars of the mosquito. Prey selectivity indices for early mosquito instars against D. similoides did not differ between mosquitofish and copepods, whereas naiads had significantly lower index values than the other two predators. Considering the negative impacts of mosquitofish on native assemblages, that is, its invasiveness and its lower selectivity for mosquito larvae, our results suggest that the feasibility of using copepods in large-scale control programs needs to be evaluated.

Additional keywords: biocontrol, foraging, preference, prey selection, vector control.


Acknowledgements

We thank four anonymous referees whose comments and suggestions substantially improved the quality of the manuscript. R. Kumar acknowledges the National Science Council, Taiwan, for a postdoctoral fellowship (0940020949Dt 2005/03/10). We acknowledge the support of the Taiwan nuclear power plant to J.-S. Hwang. Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi, is acknowledged for providing leave to the first author and the Indian Council of Medical Research is acknowledged for granting a Project Ref. No. 5/8-7(179)/2002-ECD-II to R. Kumar. We thank Catherine Leigh for her suggestions on a previous version of the manuscript. The study was permitted by the institutional ethics committee (Animal House Ethics Committee) of the University of Delhi.


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