Journal Article
Mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) de lagunas temporales de Costa Rica y Nicaragua
Rueda, Juan
|
Alarcón-Elbal, Pedro María
| Fecha de publicación | Revista | DOI |
2020 |
Resumen
[English] Among aquatic macroinvertebrates, mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) have a worldwide interest for their ability to transmit pathogens that can cause diseases of great medical and veterinary importance. In Central America there is great concern today about mosquito-borne diseases, particularly arboviral diseases such as dengue and, more recently, chikungunya and Zika, but also viral encephalitis such as West Nile fever, and parasitosis of great importance such as malaria. Frequently, some mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) breeding sites are known and monitored regularly to achieve the corresponding integrated management, especially in urban and peri-urban environments, but not in natural environments, usually less studied. In the context of a study on the limnological characterization of different temporary ponds in the dry tropical forest of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, a total of 7172 mosquito larvae were collected during two sampling periods (2010-2011 and 2017-2018). Sample collection was done by means of a hand net with a mesh of 250 μm of pore size. In the laboratory, 22 species were identified using a stereomicroscope, microscope, and specific keys, belonging to the genera Aedeomyia, Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, Mansonia, Psorophora and Uranotaenia. Aedes pertinax and Aedes tortilis are reported for the first time for Costa Rica. The possible implications in the transmission of pathogens by these culicids were discussed. This information will allow to update aspects about the diversity of mosquitoes in both countries and provide a useful entomological surveillance tool in the future.