Field Evidence of Mosquito Population Regulation by a Gregarine Parasite. Issue 3 (11th February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Soghigian, John; Livdahl, Todd
• Editors: Scaraffia, Patricia
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical entomology. Volume 58:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 1188
• Page End: 1196
• Publication Date: 2021-02-11
• Subjects: parasite -- host -- population regulation -- mosquito -- Aedes; Insects as carriers of disease -- Periodicals; 616.968
• DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-2585

Abstract

Abstract: Although parasites are by definition costly to their host, demonstrating that a parasite is regulating its host abundance in the field can be difficult. Here we present an example of a gregarine parasite, Ascogregarina taiwanensis Lien and Levine (Apicomplexa: Lecudinidae), regulating its mosquito host, Aedes albopictus Skuse (Diptera: Culicidae), in Bermuda. We sampled larvae from container habitats over 2 yr, assessed parasite prevalence, and estimated host abundance from egg counts obtained in neighboring ovitraps. We regressed change in average egg count from 1 yr to the next on parasite prevalence and found a significant negative effect of parasite prevalence. We found no evidence of host density affecting parasite prevalence. Our results demonstrate that even for a parasite with moderate virulence, host regulation can occur in the field.