CARACTERIZACIÓN MORFOLÓGICA DE CUATRO ESPECIES DE NEMATODOS PARÁSITOS DE LARVAS DE MOSQUITOS.

Abstract

ABSTRACT A morphological and morphometric characterization was performed for four Mermithidae species (Romanomermis culicivorax Ross and Smith 1976, R. iyengari WELCH 1964, R. wuchangensis BAO 1985 and Strelkovimermis spiculatus POINAR and CAMINO 1986) in order to determine differences between egg, juvenile J2 and adult stages. These nematodes are parasites of mosquitoe larvae and are mass reared using Culex quinquefasciatus in México for biological control programs. All mermithids stages were observed using optical and scanning electron microscopy techniques. It was possible to establish differences at the genus level for the egg phase; for the juvenile J2 phases it was possible to distinguish all species; however, to identify the adults, it was necessary to make several measurements of body length and width; adults results very affected on lengths and width compared with the original description, for distinguishing species was only possible with selected parameters. We also described all four nematode for the 3 stages analyzed.