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Environmental sex determination and density-dependent population regulation in the entomogenous nematode Romanomermis culicivorax

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

G. A. Tingley  and
R. M. Anderson
G. A. Tingley
Affiliation:
Department of Pure and Applied Biology, Imperial College, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BB
R. M. Anderson
Affiliation:
Department of Pure and Applied Biology, Imperial College, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BB
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Summary

Environmental sex determination in the mermithid nematode Romanomermis culicivorax is examined in the context of parasite reproductive success and population regulation. Experimental results show that the sex ratio of the nematode within its mosquito host (Culex quinquefasciatus) is dependent on parasite density. Sex ratios are biased to females at low parasite burdens and to males at high parasite burdens. Low temperature further enhances female-biased ratios. The net effect of density-dependent sex determination on parasite and host population growth is shown to be critically dependent on the frequency distribution of parasite numbers/host. Mermithid parasite distributions within natural host populations show low degrees of aggregation relative to other helminth species. The population regulation of the parasite is examined with respect to environmental sex determination and parasite-induced host mortalities by means of simple mathematical models of the dynamics of parasite transmission via its life-cycle. The significance of regulatory constraints on population growth are discussed in relation to the use of mermithids as biological control agents of insect pests or disease vectors.

Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 92 , Issue 2 , April 1986 , pp. 431 - 449
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

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