Entomologia Generalis (2014) 35, 77-86

Jamal M. Khaled, Fahd A. Al-Mekhlafi, Ashraf M.A. Mashaly, Mohamed A. Wadaan, Abdulla S. Khalel and Nael M. Abutaha (2014)
Efficacy of entomopathogenic fungi isolated from the nest of the samsum ant, Pachycondyla sennaarensis against larvae of the mosquitoes Aedes caspius and Culex pipiens
Entomologia Generalis 35 (2), 77-86
Abstract: The use of entomopathogenic fungi is a promising alternative to chemical control against mosquitoes. In February 2013, two fungi were isolated from the Samsum ant, Pachycondyla sennaarensis, Mayr, (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) collected in Riyadh, KSA. One of these fungi, identified as Fusarium solani was highly pathogenic against larvae of the mosquito, Aedes caspius (Diptera: Culicidae). F. solani killed 100% of Ae. caspius within 5 days of exposure to the concentration of 5 × 10⁷ cfu/ml. Also, results indicated that F. solani was more virulent to the mosquito larvae than F. chlamydosporum at the concentration of 8 × 10⁷ cfu/ml. The histopathological examination indicated that spores of F. solani are invasive to the wall of Ae. caspius larvae. These results suggested that F. solani could be an effective tool to manage Ae. caspius proliferation and hence diseases transmission.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Nael Abutaha, Ashraf Mashaly

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
evaluation - screening - selection

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Aedes caspius		Saudi Arabia
	Pachycondyla sennaarensis		Saudi Arabia
Neocosmospora solani (entomopathogen)	Aedes caspius		Saudi Arabia