Production of the mosquito-parasitic fungus,Coelomomyces dodgei,through synchronized infection and growth of the intermediate copepod host,Cyclops vernalis

High yields of the copepodCyclops vernalis infected with the mosquito-parasitic fungusCoelomomyces dodgei Couch & Dodge were obtained by infecting nauplii in large synchronously developing populations. Exposure of 2000 48 or 72 h old nauplii to 6×10³ sporangia at the time of meiospore release yielded ca. 1500 infected copepods. Based on yields of infected copepods, susceptibility ofC. vernalis toC. dodgei decreased as copepods developed. Infection rates were 75% for copepods exposed as 48 or 72 h old nauplii but declined to 32 and 9.6%, respectively, for those exposed as copepodids or adults. The relevance of these results for domestication of other species ofCoelomomyces and studies on non-target organisms is discussed, and improved procedures for routine production ofC. dodgei are described.