The first morphological identification of Vorticella campanula (Sessilida: Vorticellidae) from mosquitos larval habitat in Kashan County, central Iran

Background: Mosquitoes, are responsible for spreading devastating parasites and pathogens causing diseases, such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue, filariasis and, more recently Zika virus. Ectoparasites are widely used as alternative sources of pest management tools. Vorticella campanula, an endemic protozoa of Fauna Iranian, belongs to Vorticellidae family.Objectives: The aim of this study was to isolate and identify the major aquatic protozoan flagellate associated with mosquitoes larvae in Kashan area, central Iran.Materials and Methods: This investigation was carried out in Kashan area, from May to September 2019.The morphological characteristics of mosquitos larvae and their ectoparasites infection were investigated using live observations at Dengue vectors Laboratory, Medical Entomology and vector control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences.Results: A total of 4311 mosquitos larvae were collected from the Qamsar, Khoncheh and Moslemabad areas and under three genera were identified. The recorded genera were Anopheles (An.), Culex (Cx.) and Culiseta (Cs.). The collected species were An. (Ano).maculipennis, An (Cel.) superpictus, Cx. hortensis, Cx. deserticola, Cx. mimeticus, Cx. theileri, Cx. perexigus and Cs. longiareolata. The peristome, yestibule, cilia, pellicle and stalk of Vorticella campanula were identified specific .This species, a freshwater peritrich ciliate, was isolated and found associated with An. (Ano).maculipennis, An (Cel.) superpictus, Cx. hortensis, Cx. deserticola, Cx. mimeticus and Cx. perexigus. Specimens from the population showed identical arrangement of the infraciliature and identical. The zooids were bell-shaped, 40–58 μm wide and 47–70 μm in long in vivo. The food vacuole was variable in shape and is located in the middle of the cell.Conclusion: This investigation provides insights for mosquito larvicidal action of ectoparasits Vorticella campanula on different larval stages of An. (Ano).maculipennis, An (Cel.) superpictus, Cx. hortensis, Cx. deserticola, Cx. mimeticus and Cx. perexigus. It could be suggested as a potential candidate in mosquitos biocontrol programs.

Keywords:

Mosquitoes larvae , Vorticella campanula , Biological control