Survey of cyclopids (Crustacea, Copepoda) in Brazil and preliminary screening of their potential as dengue vector predators

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Cyclopid copepods are known to be good mosquito controllers, specially as regards the larvae of the dengue vectors Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The objective of the study was to survey the local copepod fauna and search for new strains of M. longisetus var. longisetus, comparing the potential of the samples found with the current strain ML-01 against Ae. albopictus larvae, under laboratory conditions. Eleven bodies of water in Campinas, SP, Brazil, were screened for copepods by collecting 1.5 l of water from each of then. The predatory potential of adults copepods was evaluated over 24 h, in the laboratory, for groups of 5 individuals preying upon 30 first instar Ae. albopictus larvae. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The following cyclopid species were found: Metacyclops mendocinus, Tropocyclops prasinus, Eucyclops sp, Eucyclops serrulatus, Eucyclops solitarius, Eucyclops ensifer, Macrocyclops albidus var. albidus and Mesocyclops longisetus var. longisetus. The predatory potential of these copepods ranged from nil to 97.3%. A sample collected in the field containing only M. longisetus var. longisetus showed the best control efficiency with no significant difference from a three-year old laboratory culture (ML-01) of the same species evaluated for comparison. The sample with few M. albidus var. albidus was ranked in second place showing an average 25.9% efficiency. The use of copepods in trap tires as dengue vector controllers is discussed.

Comparison of the predation rate of freshwater cyclopoid copepod species on larvae of the mosquito Culex pipiens

“…longisetus and Ma. albidus have been identified as able to develop high predation rates (Marten et al ., 1994; Santos et al ., 1996; Santos & Andrade, 1997). Predation rates of Me.…”

Effect of algal and animal diets on life history of the freshwater copepod Eucyclops serrulatus (Fischer, 1851)

“…However, few workers have dealt with the ecology and demography of cyclopoid copepods such as Eucyclops. This copepod can graze on phytoplankton (Williamson and Reid 2001) as well as predate on larval mosquitoes (Dos Santos and De Andrade 1997). It forms prey for larval fishes (Williamson and Reid 2001) and is an intermediate hosts for several nematode worms in aquaculture ponds (Kumazawa 2000;Oronsaye and Okaka 2000).…”

A simulation model for the control of the Aedes aegypti, the mosquito vector of dengue and yellow fever, by the crustacean Mesocyclops spp.

“…Ya intentando entender el fenómeno de una manera más real, tomando en cuenta resultados de trabajos en campo, vemos que se encuentran también tasas de mortalidades altas (26,20). Sin embargo, no dejan claro a través del tiempo como reaccionan los depredadores en periodos de tiempo más largos, donde eventualmente puedan entrar en competencia específica e ínter específica por recurso, esto sabiendo de antemano que en un cuerpo de agua con condiciones para cría de mosquitos existen otros organismos.…”