Bruce A. Harrison

NOTES ON THE ECOLOGY OF CULEX CORONATOR DYAR AND KNAB, IN MISSISSIPPI

ABSTRACT CDC light-trap collections and larval dipping conducted during 2004 and 2005 revealed Culex coronator firmly entrenched in 10 counties in central and south Mississippi. A total of 3,307 specimens (2,200 adults, 1,107 larvae) of Cx. coronator have been collected in Mississippi. Notes on breeding sites and seasonality are presented and discussed. It is likely that the Mississippi population of Cx. coronator is contiguous with the one previously known from southern Texas, because specimens have been collected in Harris County, TX over the last few years, and were also found in Louisiana in 2004. Establishment of this population of a nonnative mosquito in Mississippi reveals how apparently easy it is for such events to happen.

OCHLEROTATUS JAPONICUS JAPONICUS (THEOBALD) IN GEORGIA AND NORTH CAROLINA

ABSTRACT Although the 1st published record of Ochlerotatus japonicus japonicus in Georgia (Rabun County) occurred in 2004, we report here a 2002 collection and identification in Fulton County, Georgia (metro Atlanta). The finding of Oc. j. japonicus in Fulton County represents the most southern record of this species in the United States to date. Also, subsequent collections in North Carolina and 4 additional counties in northeast Georgia are reported.

FIRST RECORD OF CULEX CORONATOR FROM ALABAMA

ABSTRACT Females of Culex coronator were collected in Mobile, AL, during surveillance to direct mosquito control operations following Hurricane Katrina. A total of 249 specimens of this species were collected in light traps at 15 widely separated sites in the county. These represent the first confirmed specimens of Cx. coronator in Alabama.

EASILY SEEN CHARACTERS TO IDENTIFY THE PUPA OF AEDES ALBOPICTUS IN THE UNITED STATES

ABSTRACT Pupal paddle characters of Aedes albopictus that will quickly differentiate this species from other container-inhabiting species in the United States are described, illustrated, and compared with 2 other container species that have somewhat similar paddles, but with very different characters. Additional noncontainer species that possess slightly similar characters are also discussed. Citations for other published illustrations of the characters, pupal sexing methods, and published keys to pupae are provided, as are laboratory methods and the distributions for the species.

New diagnostic characters for females of Psorophora (Janthinosoma) species in the United States, with notes on Psorophora mexicana (Bellardi) (Diptera: Culicidae)

Abstract The discovery of an unusual specimen of Psorophora in Mississippi led to a search for new diagnostic characters on the seven United States species of Psorophora (Janthinosoma): Psorophora cyanescens, Ps. ferox, Ps. horrida, Ps. johnstonii, Ps. longipalpus, Ps. mathesoni, and Ps. mexicana. New characters were found and diagnostic descriptions and a new key are provided for identifying female specimens. The new key stresses morphological differences other than color patterns on the hindtarsi, however, notes on hindtarsal color and other variations found on each species are also provided. The status of Ps. mexicana specimens recorded from Texas is reviewed and a list of collections of this species since the 1945 record in Texas is provided. Evidence is provided supporting the recognition of Ps. mexicana as a distinct species.

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) of Singapore: Updated Checklist and New Records

Abstract Prior to 1965, Singapore was part of the Malaya (now Malaysia) and was usually not mentioned when mosquito records were reported for Malaya. Consequently, many species that occurred in Singapore were not listed in the world mosquito catalog, and the available checklist for Singapore since 1986 is incomplete, with some imprecise species information. In updating this checklist, we examined and verified mosquito specimens collected from Singapore in various depositories, including a thorough review of past taxonomic literature. Here, we report a checklist of 182 mosquito species, 33 new distribution records, and a consolidated status list of vectors for Singapore. As Singapore is a travel hub and hosts one of the busiest container ports in the world, there is a risk of introducing mosquito species and their associated pathogens of human disease to the country. Hence, the distribution records are important to increase our knowledge on mosquito ecology as well as to understand the risk of newly introduced vectors and their associated pathogens.