New Records and Updated Checklist of Mosquito Species in Quintana Roo, Mexico, Using DNA-Barcoding

ABSTRACT Collections of mosquitoes were conducted as part of the entomological vector surveillance in Quintana Roo State, Mexico, during September 2015. Species collected included Anopheles gabaldoni, An. darlingi, Psorophora columbiae, Culex inflictus, Cx. trifidus, Cx. lactator, and Wyeomyia guatemala s.l. All the specimens were identified by morphological and molecular characters (DNA-barcoding). This is the 1st time these species are reported in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. This research updates and increases the list of species of mosquitoes in Quintana Roo from 79 to 86.

Texas Mosquito Control Response Following Hurricane Harvey

ABSTRACT Hurricane Harvey has been recorded as the wettest cyclone in United States history, resulting in devastating and catastrophic flooding for the Texas Gulf Coast. The nature of the path of the hurricane, with multiple landfalls along the Texas Gulf Coast, resulted in the largest aerial mosquito control effort for one single storm. Two mosquito control contractors and the Air Force Aerial Spray Unit of the US Air Force Reserve were used to aerial treat 6,765,971 acres (3,075,441 ha) in 29 of the 60 disaster-declared counties in Texas. During the response, 101,253 liters of Dibrom® (active ingredient [AI]: naled) and 48,735 liters of Duet™ (AI: 1% prallethrin and 5% sumithrin) were used. In 23/29 counties requesting aerial spraying, mosquito control contractors were used to conduct pre- and postaerial application mosquito surveillance. The remaining 6 counties conducted their own surveillance during the response. A total of 105,153 mosquitoes in 7 genera and 35 species were collected during this response with the major floodwater nuisance mosquito being Psorophora columbiae. The most abundant vector mosquito collected was Culex nigripalpus. Duet at the 0.8% and 1% application rates resulted in 49% and 69% control of Ps. columbiae, respectively. Dibrom application resulted in 95% and 93% control of Ps. Columbia and Cx. nigripalpus populations, respectively.

Psorophora columbiae (Dyar & Knab), Dark rice field mosquito

Organism fact sheet for the mosquito, Psorophora columbiae (Dyar & Knab). Fact sheet includes a general overview of the organism, synonymy in nomenclature, current known US distribution, descriptions, life cycle, biology, medical/veterinary importance, and management. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1265 Also available on the Featured Creatures website: http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/AQUATIC/Psorophora_columbiae.html

DIEL PERIODICITY OF OVIPOSITION AND SOIL MOISTURE PREFERENCE OF PSOROPHORA COLUMBIAE1,2

The ovipositional cycle of Psorophora columbiae was bimodal when gravid females were exposed to natural climatic conditions over three separate 24 hr periods. Peak egg deposition (49.8 eggs/cage) occurred during the first 24 hr period after sunset. Other cages of Ps. columbiae females were exposed to aliquots of soil with various moisture levels by weight. Average numbers of eggs deposited per cage in soil at 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80% moisture by weight differed significantly (P < 0.001) with 2.2, 30.2, 89.8, 28.3 and 14.0 eggs, respectively. When the intervals between moisture levels were reduced to 10% and caged mosquitoes were exposed to soil at 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80% moisture, significant differences (P < 0.008) occurred among the mean numbers of eggs per moisture level (125.8, 188.6, 176.9, 39.6, 46.3, and 31.5, respectively).