Gonoactivity of Culex (Culex) mosquitoes during winter in temperate Argentina

BRANDA, MARÍA F.; LAURITO, MAGDALENA; ANDRÉS M. VISINTIN; ALMIRÓN, WALTER RICARDO

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC AMER

Lugar: Lanham; Año: 2021

0022-2585

The subgenus Culex includes species involved in summer-autumn arbovirustransmission but studies during winter are scarce in temperate Argentina. Female specimenswere collected host-seeking at dry ice baited traps during autumn-winter-spring at two sitesin Córdoba City during 2016 and 2017. The specimens were morphologically identified anddissected to determine the follicular developmental stage (gonotrophic activity). Femaleswith advanced follicular stages (>III) were subjected to molecular procedures to confirm orre-identify previous morphological identification. Five species (Culex apicinus Philippi,Culex dolosus (Lynch-Arribálzaga), Culex maxi Dyar, Culex pipiens pipiens L. and Culexquinquefasciatus Say) were collected and found gonoactive during winter; showing that ahigh proportion of Culex (Culex) females remain reproductively active during theunfavorable season for mosquito populations. Among them, it is worth noting the collectionof Cx. quinquefasciatus, vector of the St. Louis encephalitis virus (endemic in the city), aspecimen of Cx. p. pipiens and a hybrid of Cx. p. pipiens/Cx. quinquefasciatus (duringautumn). The study of this community during winter should continue because a highgonoactive female proportion with advanced follicular stages was found: 29.12% and13.07% in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Local studies such as this one provide evidenceabout ornithophilic Culex species with active year-round life cycles, species that couldfavor arbovirus overwintering.