Variation of Aedes
aegypti Larvae Predation by Toxorhynchites violaceus
Larvae (Diptera: Culicidae) According to Habitats Dimensions
Daniel Albeny Simões, Cassiano Sousa Rosa, Rodrigo
Ferreira Krüger, Lívia Maria Silva
Ataíde, Evaldo Ferreira Vilela
Abstract
Non-biodegradable containers that accumulate water are commonly found
in urban environment, and make ease the larval development of Aedes
aegypti mosquito, which can make chemical control very difficult and
less effective. Biological control is an alternative method, and the
predators larvae of the genre Toxorhynchites (Diptera: Culicidae) are a
model widely used. In this article we check the effect of habitat
heterogeneity on Ae. aegypti larvae predation by larvae of
Toxorhynchites violaceus. The predation model defines that the habitat
heterogeneity has a significant effect on predation level. Larvae
suffers a higher predation in containers with 1.8 centimeters
in high of the water column than in containers with 4 and 13.4
centimeters high. In large containers, the predation of Ae. aegypti
larvae by Tx. violaceus larvae may not be efficient. However, in
containers that accumulate small water volume, as in the majority of
the non-biodegradable containers, the model may be efficient.
Key
words
- Toxorhynchites,
containers, heterogeneity, Ae.
aegypti.
Resumo: Resumo
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