Effects of the Predator Dugesia dorotocephala (Tricladida: Turbellaria) on Selected Nontarget Aquatic Organisms: Laboratory Bioassay.

摘要

The effects of Dugesia dorotocephala (Woodworth), a proven predator of aquatic Diptera, on 17 species of nontarget aquatic organisms were determined under controlled laboratory conditions. Only 3 of the nontarget organisms, Aeolosoma sp., Cyclops sp. and Toxorhynchites amboinensis (Doleschall), were significantly affected by D. dorotocephala. No significant difference in prey preference was found when planaria were maintained together with the target organism, Aedes aegypti, and the 3 adversely affected nontarget organisms. Results of this initial evaluation indicate that D. dorotocephala is potentially safe to integrate as a biological control with most nontarget aquatic organisms tested. Keywords: Dugesia dorotocephala, Planaria, Biocontrol, Nontarget organisms, Mosquito larvae, Reprints, Biological control. (kt)