Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association (2007) 23, 166-171

Javier Pernía, Evelyn Zoppi De Roa and Mario Palacios-Cáceres (2007)
Prey-predator relationship between the cyclopoids Mesocyclops longisetus and Mesocyclops meridianus with Anopheles aquasalis larvae
Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 23 (2), 166-171
Abstract: Copepods from the genus Mesocyclops are considered predators and potential biological control for mosquito larvae. Two copepod species M. meridianus and M. longisetus were found in natural developmental habitat for malaria vector Anopheles aquasalis in Paria, Venezuela. Predatory potential on 1st-stage mosquito larvae An. aquasalis was evaluated under laboratory conditions for the 2 species of copepod. Further records of both copepod life cycle and body size were taken. A 2 × 3 factorial design was used, consisting of 1:1 and 10:1 prey-predator ratios with and without interspecific interactions. Despite significant body-size differences, M. longisetus and M. meridianus reached maturity 17 days after hatching with no significant differences. Life cycle span of both copepod species are described for the first time. The 2 species showed the same predatory potential despite larval (prey) abundance variation.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Anopheles aquasalis		Venezuela
Mesocyclops longisetus (predator)	Anopheles aquasalis		Venezuela
Mesocyclops meridianus (predator)	Anopheles aquasalis		Venezuela