A mosquito faunal survey was conducted from October 2010 to February 2011 in the municipal parks of São Paulo City, Brazil. A total of 7,015 specimens of 53 taxonomic categories grouped into 12 genera (Aedes, Anopheles, Coquilletidia, Culex, Limatus, Lutzia, Mansonia, Psorophora, Toxorhynchites, Trichoprosopon, Uranotaenia, and Wyeomyia) were collected. The largest and most peripheral parks showed greater species richness compared to smaller and more centralized parks.

Given the scarcity of information on mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the city of São Paulo, led the authors to propose a project to investigate this group of insects in some of the green areas, represented by municipal parks. The captures were undertaken in 35 municipal parks in the south, north and central-west of the city, between October 2010 and February 2011, during daylight. Immature forms were collected from breeding places with entomological ladles and suction pumps and adults from resting places with electric aspirators (12V battery). The identification of the specimens was undertaken in the Culicid laboratory of the Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo. In this first phase of the project, a total of 5,129 specimens distributed in 11 genera and 41 taxonomic categories were captured. Culex (Cux) quinquefasciatus was the most abundant species. The genus Aedes was represented mainly by Ae. (Och) fluviatilis and Ae. (Ste) albopictus. Ae. (Ste) aegypti and Ae. (Och) scapularis were frequent in some parks. Other genera were less abundant. Of the parks investigated, 25.7% presented more than ten groups of species, notably the Anhanguera with 26; on the other hand, 57.1% had five or fewer groups. Despite the anthropic pressure on these environments, several culicid species make use of these habitats as refuges. It is recommended that these environments be kept under constant epidemiological surveillance as some of the species collected constitute public health threats as pathogen vectors to the human population. Keywords: biodiversity, culicids, mosquitoes, parks. Resumo: Diante da escassez de informações sobre mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) na cidade de São Paulo, foi proposto um projeto para estudar esse grupo de insetos nas áreas verdes representadas pelos parques municipais da cidade. Foram investigados 35 desses parques distribuídos nas regiões sul, norte e centro-oeste da cidade, entre outubro de 2010 e fevereiro de 2011 em período diurno. Os imaturos foram coletados dos criadouros por meio de conchas entomológicas e bomba de sucção e os adultos foram capturados em seus abrigos por aspirador elétrico (bateria de 12V). A identificação e catalogação de espécimes foram feitas no Laboratório de Entomologia da Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo. Nesta primeira fase do projeto, coletou-se um total de 5.129 espécimes distribuídos em 11 gêneros e 41 categorias taxonômicas. Culex (Cux.) MEDEIROS

A total of 2,582 specimens of mosquitoes of 16 taxonomic categories grouped into 5 genera (Aedes, Culex, Mansonia, Toxorhynchites, and Wyeomyia) were collected in a central park of São Paulo City, Brazil. It is crucial to include such an area in official entomological surveillance programs since this park has all the epidemiological characteristics needed to maintain an enzootic cycle of arboviruses.

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Achatina fulica snails cause environmental problems and represent a public health hazard since it is a host in the life cycles of various parasites, among them, Angiostrongylus cantonensis and, less frequently, Ancylostoma caninum. We report the occurrence of Angistrongylus cantonensis, as well as the unexpected finding of Ancylostoma caninum, in a total of 936 specimens of Achatina fulica snails from different regions of São Paulo city, Brazil. Samples were divided into 492 pools which were screened for nematodes. If present, larvae were submitted to DNA extraction and PCR protocol targeting, the ITS-2 gene junction. From the 183 positive pools for larvae presence, 97 showed specific 650 bp band at electrophoresis and 21 presented bands nearly 300 bp. Two amplicons from each size were and sequenced. A BLAST/n of 650 bp sequences presented identity with Angistrongylus cantonensis, while the two of 300 bp, showed identity with Ancylostoma caninum, also supported by phylogenetic analysis. This is the second report of Ancylostoma caninum found in these snails in the world, therefore, this study allows a better understanding about these diseases and highlights the need of continue systematically mapping sites that can be infested with the mollusc.