Predation on peridomestic mosquitoes by hylid tadpoles on Grand Bahama Island
Spielman, A.; Sullivan, J.J.
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 23(4): 704-709
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9637 PMID: 4847046 Document Number: 80912
In order to determine whether tadpoles of the giant tree frog Hyla septentrionalis from the Bahamas are effective predators of larval peridomestic mosquitos, larvae of Culex pipiens fatigans Wied. (pipiens quinquefasciatus auct.) were exposed to tadpoles, and the association between larvae and tadpoles in nature was recorded. Tadpoles consumed egg-masses of their own species as well as a variety of material of both plant and animal origin. Tadpoles captured and ate more than 13 larvae of C. p. fatigans per day. In natural breeding sites on Grand Bahama I., larvae of C. p. fatigans were never abundant in sites that contained tadpoles, and when tadpoles were introduced into vessels that contained mosquito larvae these containers soon became free from larvae. The habitat of tadpoles of H. septentrionalis in the study area seemed identical to that of larvae of C. p. fatigans, and more than half of apparently suitable sites contained tadpoles. Thus, the presence of these frogs appeared to limit the abundance of C. p. fatigans.