Evaluation of Costa Rican copepods (Crustacea: Eudecapoda) for larval Aedes aegypti control with special reference to Mesocyclops thermocyclopoides.

This study attempted to find organisms for the biological control of the mosquito Aedes aegypti in Costa Rica. Copepods of the genera Arctodiaptomus, Eucylops, Mesocyclops, Megacyclops, and Thermocyclops were collected in several parts of the country and cultured for laboratory evaluations. Mesocyclops thermocyclopoides was the most successful species in reducing the number of larval Ae. aegypti (7.3 larvae in 24 h at a density of 200 Aedes/liter). Arctodiaptomus dorsalis, Eucyclops cf. bondi, Eucyclops leptacanthus, Megacyclops sp., and Thermocyclops decipens were not effective predators. In cage simulation trials, M. thermocyclopoides showed 100% larval reduction after 4 wk and adult mosquitoes disappeared after 7 wk. The copepod was able to survive in Aechmea sp. bromeliads under laboratory conditions. In field trials under 3 different climatic conditions M. thermocyclopoides survived 2-5 months in bromeliad leaf axils and 3-6 months in used car tires. In tires, this species reduced the number of larval Ae. aegypti 79, 90, and 99% in tropical dry, moderate, and humid climates, respectively. An El Niño phenomenon affected the results by drought, which apparently also caused a decline in the population of the predatory mosquito Toxorhynchites haemorrhoidalis superbus. Considering these severe test conditions, M. thermocyclopoides might be a promising predator for mosquito control in Costa Rica.