Gregarines in the genus Ascogregarina are not known to develop in sabethine mosquitoes, but we successfully infected larvae of Wyeomyia smithii with Ascogregarina taiwanensis in the laboratory. Ascogregarina taiwanensis is a natural parasite of the exotic Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus. Only 18--70% of the W. smithii larvae had visible trophozoites, with a range of 1--92 per larva. Trophozoites persisted in the midgut for more than 37 days, and one adult female W. smithii had gametocysts in its Malphigian tubules, which indicated that A. taiwanensis might fully develop in W. smithii. After 50 days, gregarines were not found in W. smithii larvae. Ascogregarina taiwanensis is a potential pathogen of Aedes aegypti. Gregarine infections are associated with reduced host size and mortality. We present laboratory bioassay information on the affects of Ascogregarina taiwanensis on Aedes aegypti larvae.
Species 1: Diptera Culicidae Wyeomia
Species 2: Diptera Culicidae Aedes aegypti and albopictus (Yellow fever mosquito, Asian tiger mosquito)
Species 3: Gregarina Lecudinidae Ascogregarina taiwanensis
Keywords: protozoa, parasites
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