from West Central Iran (Omrani et al. 2017). Role of this microsporidium as natural
population regulator and its potential in biocontrol of Anophelines are still obscure.
16.2.1.2.5 Entomopathogenic Oomycetes
Lagenidium giganteum (Lagenidiaceae) was tested against An. stephensi and
C. pipiens. LC 50 of 1.57 Â 10
5 and 1.78 Â 10
5 spores/ml were obtained for An.
stephensi and C. pipiens, respectively (Vatandoost et al. 1995). But, commercial
strains of L. giganteum are currently unregistered and no longer available due to
public health concern (Vilela et al. 2015).
16.2.1.2.6 Parasitic Mites
Parasitic mites of mosquitoes also known as water mites (Hydrachnidia) belong to
the order Trombidiformes. They follow parasitengona life cycle. Their larvae are
parasites while their nymph and adults are predators of insect eggs and larvae
(Proctor et al. 2015).
The larvae of the parasitic mites attach to the different parts of the host mostly
pre-abdominal regions (Kirkhoff et al. 2013). Parasitic mites can affect longevity and
fertility of mosquitoes but not the rate of fecundity. Thus, parasitic mites are not
suggested candidate for biological control of mosquitoes (Rajendran and Prasad
1992).
Water mites of the genus Arrenurus (Arrenuridae) have been reported as parasites
of three species of anopheline, An. maculipennis, An. pseudopictus and An.
hyrcanus, from North of Iran (Karami et al. 2019). However, recommending water
mites in biological control of mosquitoes is still in doubt.
16.2.1.3 Symbiotic Bacteria
Characterization of Wolbachia (Anaplasmataceae) as master manipulator in mosquitoes of Northwest, Southwest, Northern, Central, and Southern Iran is limited to a
couple of studies (Bozorg-Omid et al. 2019; Behbahani 2012; Karami et al. 2016). In
determination of Wolbachia infection in probable arbovirus vectors in northwest
Iran, results of semi-nested PCR using Wolbachia surface protein gene) showed that
Wolbachia infection was present in Aedes caspius (Diptera: Culicidae), Cx. pipiens,
Culex theileri and Culiseta longiareolata (Diptera: Culicidae), where the highest
infection rate was observed in Cx. pipiens. The infection rates of mosquitoes with
Wolbachia in Cx. pipiens, Cs. longiareolata, Cx. theileri, and Ae. caspius were
96.9%, 11.5%, 5.2% and 0%, respectively. The Wolbachia strain found in this study
belonged to supergroup B. Among the 17 supergroups of Wolbachia, supergroups A
and B have been described to frequently cause changes in the reproductive system of
the host and are ubiquitous bacteria occurring in many arthropods (Bozorg-Omid
586
H. H. Allahverdipour and K. Akbarzadeh
population regulator and its potential in biocontrol of Anophelines are still obscure.
16.2.1.2.5 Entomopathogenic Oomycetes
Lagenidium giganteum (Lagenidiaceae) was tested against An. stephensi and
C. pipiens. LC 50 of 1.57 Â 10
5 and 1.78 Â 10
5 spores/ml were obtained for An.
stephensi and C. pipiens, respectively (Vatandoost et al. 1995). But, commercial
strains of L. giganteum are currently unregistered and no longer available due to
public health concern (Vilela et al. 2015).
16.2.1.2.6 Parasitic Mites
Parasitic mites of mosquitoes also known as water mites (Hydrachnidia) belong to
the order Trombidiformes. They follow parasitengona life cycle. Their larvae are
parasites while their nymph and adults are predators of insect eggs and larvae
(Proctor et al. 2015).
The larvae of the parasitic mites attach to the different parts of the host mostly
pre-abdominal regions (Kirkhoff et al. 2013). Parasitic mites can affect longevity and
fertility of mosquitoes but not the rate of fecundity. Thus, parasitic mites are not
suggested candidate for biological control of mosquitoes (Rajendran and Prasad
1992).
Water mites of the genus Arrenurus (Arrenuridae) have been reported as parasites
of three species of anopheline, An. maculipennis, An. pseudopictus and An.
hyrcanus, from North of Iran (Karami et al. 2019). However, recommending water
mites in biological control of mosquitoes is still in doubt.
16.2.1.3 Symbiotic Bacteria
Characterization of Wolbachia (Anaplasmataceae) as master manipulator in mosquitoes of Northwest, Southwest, Northern, Central, and Southern Iran is limited to a
couple of studies (Bozorg-Omid et al. 2019; Behbahani 2012; Karami et al. 2016). In
determination of Wolbachia infection in probable arbovirus vectors in northwest
Iran, results of semi-nested PCR using Wolbachia surface protein gene) showed that
Wolbachia infection was present in Aedes caspius (Diptera: Culicidae), Cx. pipiens,
Culex theileri and Culiseta longiareolata (Diptera: Culicidae), where the highest
infection rate was observed in Cx. pipiens. The infection rates of mosquitoes with
Wolbachia in Cx. pipiens, Cs. longiareolata, Cx. theileri, and Ae. caspius were
96.9%, 11.5%, 5.2% and 0%, respectively. The Wolbachia strain found in this study
belonged to supergroup B. Among the 17 supergroups of Wolbachia, supergroups A
and B have been described to frequently cause changes in the reproductive system of
the host and are ubiquitous bacteria occurring in many arthropods (Bozorg-Omid
586
H. H. Allahverdipour and K. Akbarzadeh