First record of mermithid larva (Nematoda: Mermithidae) in Anopheles maculipennis complex (Diptera: Culicidae) imago in Central-Europe

Between 2012 and 2014, in the sub-regions of Lake Balaton (Hungary) and the adjacent swamp called Kis-Balaton having stocks of biting mosquito species with large number of specimens, we regularly performed imago collections. In the pooled samples which were collected by aspirator and contained 6,906 adult insects, a nematode infected specimen was detected. The only worm in the abdomen of the female Anopheles maculipennis complex was proved to be a larval mermithid by its morphology but in consequence of the weak morphological characters more detailed identification was not possible. To avoid destroying this evidentiary specimen no DNA extraction has been performed from it so far. This finding proves that it is worth to inspect not only the larvae but also the adult mosquitoes for the presence of mermithids. In Europe, parasites belonging to the Mermithidae family have been found in biting mosquitoes only in Northern Europe. These larvae were detected in Finland, Norway, Sweden and in Denmark. This is the first mosquito-parasitic mermithid recorded from Central Europe.