Investigating Fungi as Modulators of Mosquito Larval Growth and Development

Abstract

As vectors of many arboviruses and diseases, mosquitoes greatly affect human and animal health. Mosquitoes’ growth and development are influenced by their symbiotic microbes. Understanding the effects of these symbionts on mosquito growth and development, as well as mosquito microbiome dynamics as a whole, can inform studies and programs aimed at controlling mosquito populations. Here, I investigated the fungal communities present in Aedes albopictus mosquito larvae and their water environments. Microbe-free, lab-reared mosquitoes were given microbiota treatments from wild mosquito-associated or environmental sources, or both, along with one of two diet types (a lab diet or a more natural bamboo diet). I collected samples of the microbiota inocula, as well as water and late-stage mosquito larvae 5-8 days after inoculation, for DNA sequencing of the 18S SSU region, a molecular marker of eukaryotic communities. The remaining treated larvae were allowed to pupate for 40 days, and the total pupal biomass was collected. Consistent in water and larvae samples, fungal communities were more diverse in the bamboo diet than the lab diet, but community compositions differed by both diet and microbiota sources. No significant correlation between water or larvae fungal diversity and mosquito pupae biomass was found, indicating variation in biomass across treatments may be better explained by fungal community compositions or other unexamined microorganisms (e.g. bacteria). These findings highlight the importance of nutritional context when investigating the ecology of mosquito-fungi interactions.