César A. Sandoval-Ruiz

Establishment of Aedes aegypti (L.) in mountainous regions in Mexico: Increasing number of population at risk of mosquito-borne disease and future climate conditions.

The study was conducted in the central region of Veracruz Mexico, in the metropolitan area of Xalapa. It is a mountainous area where Aedes aegypti (L.) is not currently endemic. An entomological survey was done along an elevation gradient using the Ae. aegypti occurrences at different life cycle stages. Seven sites were sampled and a total of 24 mosquito species were recorded: 9 species were found in urban areas, 18 in non-urban areas with remnant vegetation, and 3 occurred in both environments. Ae. aegypti was found only in the urban areas, usually below 1200m a.s.l., but in this study was recorded for the first time at 1420m a.s.l. These occurrences, together with additional distribution data in the state of Veracruz were used to developed species distribution models using Maxlike software in R to identify the current projected suitable areas for the establishment of this vector and the human populations that might be affected by dengue transmission at higher elevations. Its emergence in previously unsuitable places appears to be driven by both habitat destruction and biodiversity loss associated with biotic homogenization. A border study using data from the edges of the vectors distribution might allow sensitive monitoring to detect any changes in this mosquitos distribution pattern, and any changes in the anthropic drivers or climate that could increase transmission risk.

The specificity of host-bat fly interaction networks across vegetation and seasonal variation

Vegetation type and seasonality promote changes in the species composition and abundance of parasite hosts. However, it is poorly known how these variables affect host–parasite interaction networks. This information is important to understand the dynamics of parasite–host relationships according to biotic and abiotic changes. We compared the specialization of host–bat fly interaction networks, as well as bat fly and host species composition between upland dry forest and riparian forest and between dry and rainy seasons in a tropical dry forest in Jalisco, Mexico. Bat flies were surveyed by direct collection from bats. Our results showed that host–bat fly interaction networks were more specialized in upland dry forest compared to riparian forest. Bat fly species composition was different between the dry and rainy seasons, while host species composition was different between upland dry forest and riparian forest. The higher specialization in upland dry forest could be related to the differences in bat host species composition and their respective roosting habits. Variation in the composition of bat fly species between dry and rainy seasons coincides with the seasonal shifts in their species richness. Our study confirms the high specialization of host–bat fly interactions and shows the importance of biotic and abiotic factors to understand the dynamics of parasite–host interactions.

The effects of seasonality on host–bat fly ecological networks in a temperate mountain cave

Changes in the specialization of parasite-host interactions will be influenced by variations in host species composition. We evaluated this hypothesis by comparing the composition of bats and bat flies within a roost cave over one annual. Five bat and five bat fly species occupied the cave over the course of the study. Bat species composition was 40% different in the rainy season compared with the dry-cold and dry-warm seasons. Despite the incorporation of three new bat species into the cave during the rainy season, bat fly species composition was not affected by seasonality, since the bats that arrived in the rainy season only contributed one new bat fly species at a low prevalence. Bat-bat fly ecological networks were less specialized in the rainy season compared with the dry-cold and dry-warm seasons because of the increase of host overlap among bat fly species during this season. This study suggests that seasonality promote: (1) differences in host species composition, and (2) a reduction in the specialization of host-parasite ecological networks.

Data documenting the potential distribution of Aedes aegypti in the center of Veracruz, Mexico

The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled “Establishment of Aedes aegypti (L.) in mountainous regions in Mexico: Increasing number of population at risk of mosquito-borne disease and future climate conditions” (M. Equihua, S. Ibáñez-Bernal, G. Benítez, I. Estrada-Contreras, C.A. Sandoval-Ruiz, F.S. Mendoza-Palmero, 2016) [1]. This article provides presence records in shapefile format used to generate maps of potential distribution of Aedes aegypti with different climate change scenarios as well as each of the maps obtained in raster format. In addition, tables with values of potential distribution of the vector as well as the average values of probability of presence including data of the mosquito incidence along the altitudinal range.

First record of Alepia Enderlein (Diptera, Psychodidae) in Mexico, with the description of two new species

Genus Alepia Enderlein is for the first time recorded in Mexico. Specimens were captured in southern Puebla at the central area of Mexico corresponding to two new species which are described with male and female characteristics. One species belongs to the group of species characterized by a compact group of accessory retinacula originated on a dark area of surtyli, having the eye bridge ending in a small number of facet rows, and the other to the group of species characterized by the accessory retinacula scattered, absence of dark area on the surtyli, and a broad eye bridge with three facet rows.

Phlebotominae and Trichomyiinae (Diptera: Psychodidae) diversity in a tropical dry forest of central Mexico: a comparison of conserved and anthropized habitats

ABSTRACT We recorded and analyzed the diversity of Phlebotominae and Trichomyiinae in two types of landscape (conserved and anthropized) over the course of three seasons (rainy, cold and dry) in southwestern Puebla, Mexico. A total of 578 specimens belonging to five genera and 10 species were obtained. Phlebotominae was represented by eight species, six of them new records for the state of Puebla, and for Trichomyiinae two species were recorded in the state of Puebla for the first time. There were eight species in the anthropized area and 10 species were recorded in the conservation area. The abundance of both subfamilies was high in the conservation area, representing 83.6% of the total sample, whereas in the anthropized area only 16.4% of the total sample was recorded. Eight species were found during the rainy and dry seasons, and seven species during the cold season. Abundance was highest in the dry season (76.30%), and lowest in the rainy season (5.9%). This kind of information is useful for understanding the transmission patterns of visceral leishmaniasis – endemic to central Mexico – by phlebotomine sand flies.

Spatio-Temporal Diversity of Mosquitoes1 from the Central Area of Puebla State, Mexico

Abstract. Seasonality and land-use change affect the composition of species. For this reason, the Culicidae family was studied in the central zone of Puebla where there are no records of study of this group of insects. Adult mosquitoes were sampled in an urban environment and in a conservation zone during three seasons: cold, dry, and rainy. In total, 11 species were identified in the genera Aedes (five), Culex (five), and Culiseta (one). Significant differences were found in Shannon diversity index when comparing the two environments during the rainy and cold seasons. Seasonality had an effect only in the conservation environment when comparing the rainy-cold and dry-cold seasons. In the Beta diversity index, the cold and dry communities in the urban environment had 100% similarity according to the Jaccard index. Culex salinarius Coquillett, 1904 and Culex stigmatosoma Dyar, 1907 had the widest range of humidity and temperature registered. Aedes guerrero (Berlin, 1969), Aedes quadrivittatus (Coquillett, 1902), Culex salinarius, Culex tarsalis Coquillett, 1896, and Culiseta particeps (Adams, 1903) were species not registered before in the state.