Host Associations of Culex (Melanoconion) atratus (Diptera: Culicidae) and Culex (Melanoconion) pilosus from Florida, USA

Abstract

Characterizing the host-use patterns of mosquitoes is an essential component of understanding the transmission dynamics of mosquito-vectored pathogens. The host associations of two species of the medically important Culex subgenus Melanoconion, Culex atratus, and Culex pilosus are unknown or unclear, respectively. Both species have wide neotropical distributions. In the United States of America (USA), Culex pilosus occurs throughout the southeastern coastal plain, while Culex atratus is restricted to the southern Florida Peninsula. Using PCR-based blood meal analysis, we investigated the host associations of Culex atratus and Culex pilosus that were collected from Everglades National Park, Florida, USA We identified the host species of 208 Culex atratus and 168 Culex pilosus. Both species were narrowly associated with reptilian host species, particularly native and non-native lizards of the genus Anolis. Sampled Culex atratus exclusively fed on reptilian hosts, with >99% of blood meals derived from Anolis lizards. Culex pilosus fed predominantly from reptiles, but avian and mammalian blood meals were also detected. Of these, 92% of blood meals were derived from Anolis species. For both species, Anolis sagrei, an invasive exotic lizard in Florida, was the most frequently detected host species. These data indicate that Culex atratus and Culex pilosus are specialists of reptilian hosts, particularly Anolis lizards.

Key to the Adult Females of Species ofCulexSubgenusMelanoconionin Florida, USA

“…Culex atratus s.l., in Florida, are known to feed predominantly from reptiles, particularly Anolis spp. lizards (Reeves et al 2019).…”

“…The Melanoconion Section is more diverse, with 144 recognized species classified in 13 groups and 20 subgroups (Sirivanakarn 1983). Host associations of relatively few species of the Melanoconion Section are well documented, although many species feed mainly upon reptiles (Tempelis and Galindo 1975, Christensen et al 1996, Burkett-Cadena et al 2008, Reeves et al 2019. A few species within the Melanoconion Section are generalists and feed upon birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians (Bingham et al 2014, Blosser et al 2016.…”

Interactions between the imperiled West Indian manatee, Trichechus manatus, and mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Everglades National Park, Florida, USA

“…The visible characters, dark coloration and overall proportions of the mosquito suggest that it is a species of the Culex subgenus Melanoconion. Six Melanoconion species have been documented in Everglades National Park 25,26 , of which two specialize on reptilian hosts, particularly Anolis lizards 27 , and one, Culex mulrennani, seems to be exceptionally rare 25,26 . Based on the host associations and abundance patterns of these species, the photographed mosquito is likely to be Culex iolambdis ( Fig.…”

Identifying individual and spatial drivers of heterogeneous transmission and virulence of malaria in Caribbean anoles

“…The vector species of Plasmodium in both the Floridian and Puerto Rican systems are yet to be identified, but the working hypotheses are that the vectors are species of Culex mosquito. For P. floridense in Florida, the species are presumed to be either C. erraticus (Klein et al, 1987), C. atratus , or C. pilosus (Burkett‐Cadena et al, 2008; Cohen et al, 2009; Cupp et al, 2004; Edman, 1979; Reeves et al, 2019). In Puerto Rico, Culex is the most common mosquito genus at the site and there is evidence of the presence of multiple Plasmodium species in this mosquito genus (M. Acevedo, unpublished).…”