Passive Dispersal of Viable Algae and Protozoa By Certain Craneflies and Midges

Four species of aquatic Diptera, Tipula triplex Walker (Tipulidae), Bittacomorpha clavipes (F.) (Ptychopteridae), Chaoborus punctipennis (Say) (Culicidae), and Tendipes sp. (Tendipedidae), were collected aseptically and used to inoculate sterile soil—water extract. Twenty—one genera of algae, five Protozoa, a moss protonema and Alternaria were identified in the 51 cultured washings. Comparisons by "Student's t" showed that B. clavipes carried significantly more algae and Protozoa than the other three insect species, and T. triplex carried more than the midges. Found in over 18% of the cultures were the blue—green algae Anabaena, Anacystis, Chroococcus and Phormidium, and the green algae Chlamydomonas, Chlorella, Chlorococcum and Protococcus. The protozoans were found at lower frequencies. It is suggested that these viable algae and Protozoa are carried by these four insect species across land barriers. See full-text article at JSTOR