Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Biodiversity Associated with Anopheles coluzzii (Diptera: Culicidae) in São Tomé and Príncipe, a Site Selected for Field Trial of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes

Addressing rising malaria cases requires the development of innovative technologies such as genetically engineered mosquitoes (GEM). Anopheles coluzzii, a primary malaria vector in sub-Saharan Africa, has been modified with effector genes which prevent Plasmodium falciparum parasite transmission. The technology is ready for field trials and São Tomé and Príncipe (STP) islands are being considered for the first experimental releases. Here, we evaluate the diversity of macroinvertebrates in An. coluzzii larval habitats in STP throughout the wet and dry seasons. We collected over 5,000 macroinvertebrates belong-ing to eight classes, 15 orders and 51 families. These included insects, crustaceans, spi-ders, annelid worms, springtails, and mollusks, with insects and crustaceans dominating sample collections. Diversity remained stable across the wet and dry season, but higher diversity was found in permanent breeding sites when compared to temporary sites. We found 10 families (13% abundance in the sample) that included potential larval predators of An. coluzzii. An ecological assessment has been conducted to understand how predator species interact with the GEM, the results of which will be published elsewhere. Here we show that mosquito larvae are part of a diverse and interactive aquatic macroinvertebrate community. Consequently, population modification, rather than population suppression, should have less of an impact on the ecosystem.