Predation of aquatic stages of Anopheles gambiae by the Louisiana red swamp crawfish (Procambarus clarkii)

Abstract Laboratory experiments lasting 1-3 days were conducted in 10-liter glass aquaria to evaluate the ability of the Louisiana red swamp crawfish (Procambarus clarkii [Decapoda: Cambaridae]) to consume the aquatic forms of mosquitoes. With Anopheles gambiae as the target species, significantly fewer mosquito larvae or pupae survived in the presence of either juvenile or adult crawfish, relative to conditions without crawfish, regardless of whether crawfish had alternative food or not. When alternative food was excluded, juvenile and adult crawfish had a comparable ability to consume mosquito larvae. However, when alternative food was available, adult crawfish consumed significantly fewer mosquito larvae than did juveniles. In the case of pupae, juvenile crawfish consumed significantly more mosquito pupae than did the adults when alternative food was excluded. No significant difference, relative to controls, was found in the proportion of mosquito pupae surviving when adult crawfish had alternative food. Results of the present study show that P. clarkii has the ability to consume the aquatic forms of anopheline mosquitoes and, therefore, may have an impact on populations of pathogen-transmitting mosquitoes in an area of Kenya where the crawfish has become common.