[The prospects for using Romanomermis culicivorax and R. iyengari (Nematoda: Mermithidae) for mosquito control in Azerbaijan].

The parasitic nematodes Romanomermis culicivorax and R. iyengari, were evaluated as a means of bloodsucking mosquito larvae control in Apsheron Peninsula (the city of Baku) and Lenkoran Lowland (Masally District) in Azerbaijan. Being once brought, mermithids got acclimatized in 12 shallow freshwater nonpolluted pools with aquatic flora and inhibited the emergence of 13-97% of mosquitoes during the summer period. R. culicivorax successfully survived the temporary drying (up to 2 weeks) in 3 and spent a winter in 2 water reservoirs. The possibility of R. iyengari settling via transmission of infected mosquito larvae from a "nursery" pool to a mermithid free water pool was proved. The larvae Cx. modestus, Cx. theileri, Ae. caspius and Ur. unguiculata are first registered as hosts of R. culicivorax and An. sacharovi, Cx. theileri and that of R. iyengari. Both mermithid species may be considered as a means of prolonged inhibition of mosquito emergence in the shallow nonpolluted fresh-water reservoirs in the Azerbaijan SSR.