Diversity of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in an Atlantic Forest Urban Park, Salvador, Brazil

Abstract

We identified mosquito species (Diptera: Culicidae) in an Atlantic Forest fragment located in a large urban park in Salvador, Brazil, one year after a citywide epizootic of yellow fever virus (YFV). Between May 2 and August 2, 2018, adult mosquitoes were collected using the human attraction method, followed by trapping with hand-nets, and CO2-baited light traps placed at ground level and in the canopy. We collected a total of 11,914 mosquitoes, which belonged to three tribes, five genera, and at least seven species. The most abundant taxa captured by CO2-baited light traps were Culex quinquefasciatus (Say, Diptera: Culicidae) Limatus spp. (Diptera: Culicidae), and Wyeomyia spp. (Diptera: Culicidae), while by human attraction, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Wyeomyia spp., and Aedes albopictus (Skuse, Diptera: Culicidae) were captured most often. The diversity of mosquitoes by species was greater in the park area with restinga vegetation compared to the area with dense rainforest. Although vectors commonly associated with sylvatic YFV transmission were not captured, we collected several species capable of transmission of other arboviruses. Given the high likelihood of encounters between mosquitoes and human visitors in environments, such as the one studied, periodic entomological surveys to determine the risk of arbovirus transmission in these settings are warranted.

Keywords: Brazil; arbovirus; entomological survey; mosquito.