Turkish Journal of Biology

Biological Control of Vector Mosquitoes by Some Common Exotic Fish Predators
Anupam GHOSH, Samir MANDAL, Indranil BHATTACHARJEE, Goutam CHANDRA
Mosquito Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Burdwan University, West Bengal, India

Abstract: Predation experiments using Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus (1758), Ctenopharyngodon idella (Valenciennes 1844), Oreochromis niloticus niloticus (Linnaeus 1758) and Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822) were conducted against fourth instar Anopheles stephensi Liston (1901) larvae and pupae at varying prey and predator densities. The relative prey consumption rates of the four fish species for An. stephensi larvae and pupae during 24-hour experiments under laboratory conditions were C. gariepinus > C. idella > C. carpio > O. n. niloticus. Predatory efficacy was positively related with prey density and inversely related with water volume (search area). A significant decrease in larval abundance in dipper samples was observed at 30 and 45 days after introduction of fishes (30 individuals each) in field conditions. The efficacy of the fish under field conditions was also indicated by significant increases of larval mosquito abundance at 30 and 45 days after removal of fishes.

Key Words: Biological control, larvivorous fish, Anopheles stephensi, immature mosquitoes

Turk. J. Biol., 29, (2005), 167-171.
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Other articles published in the same issue: Turk. J. Biol.,vol.29,iss.3.