Gustavo Carlos Rossi

Annotated checklist, distribution, and taxonomic bibliography of the mosquitoes (Insecta: Diptera: Culicidae) of Argentina

A decade and a half have passed since the last publication of the mosquito distribution list in Argentina. During this time several new records have been added, and taxonomic modifications have occurred at the genus and subgenus level. Therefore, considering these changes, I decided to create an updated list of the 242 species present in Argentina, along with their distributions by province. Two first records for Argentina ( Culex lopesi and Cx. vaxus ), two old records unregistered by authors ( Cx. albinensis and Wyeomyia fuscipes ), 13 new provincial records for 11 species ( Cx. apicinus, Cx. bidens, Cx. eduardoi, Cx. lahillei, Cx. pipiens, Cx. tatoi, Cx. usquatus, Cx. imitator, Cx. oedipus, Sabethes chloropterus, and Wy. oblita ), and the extension of distribution of other species are presented. The list of literature references for the documents concerning mosquitos is included.

Incipient loss of flagella in the genus Geolegnia: the emergence of a new clade within Leptolegnia?

The genus Geolegnia represents a poorly documented group of saprolegnialean oomycetes isolated from soils as free-living organisms. Although it is morphologically similar to the facultative parasitic genus Leptolegnia, Geolegnia presents the uncommon property of having lost a flagellate stage in its lifecycle. Based on ITS and large subunit (LSU) rRNA sequence data, we show Geolegnia to be basal to Leptolegnia, and also introduce Geolegnia helicoides sp. nov. Using sequence data of Leptolegnia available in GenBank, supplemented by data derived from culture collections, we show that Geolegnia is nested within Leptolegnia, a genus characterised by its “conventional” biflagellate life cycle. The emergence of Geolegnia is therefore seen as a recent event, and we suggest here an evolutionary context where this loss might have been advantageous. Based on this study, Leptolegnia remains paraphyletic, awaiting the redefinition of genera in this complex.

Hybrid forms of the Culex pipiens Complex (Diptera: Culicidae): New records in La Pampa Province, Argentina

The present investigation revealed the existence of hybrids belonging to the Culex pipiens Complex in four localities of La Pampa Province, Argentina, thus expanding the distribution of the hybrid form south to the northeast of that province. The identification was based on characters of the male genitalia and the siphonal index of the fourth-instar larval exuviae. A summary of the geographical distribution of species of Culex pipiens complex in Argentina is also presented here.

Culicidae, province of Misiones, northeastern Argentina

We present a preliminary list of the Culicidae species collected in seven localities at the province of Misiones, Argentina, since the mosquito fauna of this region is poorly known. Mosquito sampling was carried out during spring-summer, between August 2006 and January 2007, the months of highest abundance of these insects. Collection of specimens was made with a CDC-like trap (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) in peri-urban zones. Sixty-five species were identified. The geographic distribution of Anopheles darlingi , Uranotaenia davisi and Howardina fulvithorax is extended.

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) of the meridian zone of the subtropical mountainous rainforest of Argentina: update on the fauna and geographical distribution

We report here three new mosquito records in the Yungas ecoregion [ Culex ( Culex ) dolosus , Culex ( Microxadculex ) Pleuristriatus Series and Howardina sp.] and the expansion of the distributions of 17 species of the genera Anopheles , Culex , Aedes , Psorophora , and Toxorhynchites for Argentina. These findings broaden the total number of species recorded for northwestern Argentina to 174, from which number 57 species are distributed in the Tucuman province, 21 in the Catamarca, and 96 in the Salta. Also included is information on immature instars collected in phytotelmata.