Prior research has demonstrated a strong association between the species of predators that co-occur with guppies and the evolution of guppy life histories. The evolution of these differences in life histories has been attributed to the higher mortality rates experienced by guppies in high-predation environments. Here, we evaluate whether there might be indirect effects of predation on the evolu...

Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of two cyanobacterial toxins (microcystin and nodularin) against the different larval instars, pupal and adult stages of Anopheles multicolor. Experiments were carried out in plastic cups, and the two toxins were tested at four concentrations, where the LC10, LC25, LC50 and LC90 for the first instar larvae under laboratory conditio...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Culex quinquefasciatus is the principal vector of lymphatic filariasis (LF). Application of alternative vector control methodologies are aimed at reduction of mosquito breeding sites and biting activity through the use of biological control methods. In the present study, functional response of aquatic Hemipteran backswimmer, Anisops sardea was assessed against Cx. quinqu...

Increased perceived predation risk can cause behavioral and physiological responses to reduce direct predation mortality, but these responses can also cause demographic costs through reduced reproductive output. Such indirect costs of predation risk have received increased attention in recent years, but the relative importance of direct vs. indirect predation costs to population growth (λ) acro...

Aquatic organisms often detect predators via water-borne chemical cues, and respond by showing reduced activity. Prey responses may be correlated with the concentration of predation cues, which would result in graded antipredator behavioral responses that adjust potentially costly behavioral changes to levels that are commensurate with the risk of predation. Larvae of the predatory mosquito Tox...

The generalist feeding strategy of larvae of the western tree hole mosquito, Aedes sierrensis, is central to understanding the community-level effects of the tritrophic interactions among mosquito larvae, midsized organisms (such as protozoa), and lowerlevel organisms (such as bacteria and fungi) in west coast phytotelmata. Laboratory microcosm experiments were conducted to characterize the fee...

Interaction of aquatic stages of coexisting mosquito species may have significant influence on resulting adult mosquito populations. We used two coexisting species, Anopheles gambiae s.s. and Culex quinquefasciatus to investigate whether third instars of one species consumed first instars of the other. First instars of one species were readily consumed by a third instar of the other species irr...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES The predatory potential of the larvivorous fishes can be affected by the presence of alternative preys. In the present study the predation pattern of the sewage dwelling Poecilia reticulata (Peters 1872) on the larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus Say 1823 (Diptera: Culicidae) was evaluated in the presence of alternative preys. METHODS The predation of Cx. quinquefasciatus...

background: dengue is amongst the most serious mosquito-borne infectious disease with hot spots in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. unfortunately, no licensed vaccine for the disease is currently available in medicine markets. the only option available is the management of dengue vector mosquito, aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae). method: predatory potential of five odonate nymphs ...