Bionomy of Mosquitoes in Bamboo Internodes in an Atlantic Forest Remnant of the State of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

Living bamboo stalks are one of the most specialized habitats for mosquito oviposition and immature development. Most of the mosquito species that breed in these habitats are sylvatic, and some are of importance for public health as possible vectors of pathogens. Perforated internodes are a very specialized environment due to the difficulty of access. Furthermore, due to their relatively simple fauna, they represent a valuable model for ecological studies that may be applicable to more complex environments. This study aims to assess the mosquito bionomics of species raised in bamboo internodes. Therefore, the diversity of mosquito species and the influence of abiotic variables (pH and temperature) on the distribution of mosquitoes that breed in this habitat were analyzed. The study area is a fragment of Atlantic Forest within the Association of da Armada (ATA) in Nova Iguaçu, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Immature mosquitoes were sampled with suction tubes (mouth aspirators) between August 2017 and July 2018. A total of 3,170 larvae were collected in 5 bamboo plants, each with 8 stalks perforated. Of these, 688 larvae reached the adult stage, representing 10 genera and 19 species. The most common species were Culex neglectus (43%), Trichoprosopon digitatum (22%), Culex iridescens (8%), Sabethes identicus (7%), and Orthopodomyia albicosta (7%). The richness of the immatures collected in the ATA was 19 species, with a diversity of 1.10 and Shannon evenness of 0.57. A diverse composition of Culicidae in bamboo stalks was found, although dominance was low.

Where boundaries become bridges: Mosquito community composition, key vectors, and environmental associations at forest edges in the central Brazilian Amazon

“…janthinomys breeds mainly in tree holes in primary tropical rainforest [ 36 , 58 ], the dramatic environmental shifts occurring between 0 m and 500 m, where large tree mortality is elevated [ 45 ], may explain its relative scarcity compared to Sabethes species mosquitoes. The latter, which breed among a range of phytotelmata including bamboo internodes [ 59 , 60 ], may be better suited to forest edges. In support of this, we found no associations between the occurrence of Sabethes taxa and distance from forest edge at subgenus level, but we did find positive associations between Sabethes ( Sabethes ) spp., temperature, and average ground cover, which are higher at forest edges.…”

Little noticed, but very important: The role of breeding sites formed by bamboos in maintaining the diversity of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Atlantic Forest biome

“…The species richness observed by a study conducted in an Atlantic Forest fragment in Rio de Janeiro found 19 mosquito taxa in internodes of artificially perforated bamboos, including the five dominant species recorded herein, with Cx . neglectus as the most abundant too [ 56 ]. In another study carried out in an urban park of São Paulo, an area heavily impacted by human action, only seven taxa of mosquitoes inhabiting perforated bamboo internodes were observed, with Wy .…”

“…pseudomethysticus . Most of these species had already been recorded in bamboos [ 56 , 60 ], except for Cx . pleuristriatus , which had been recorded in bromeliads [ 61 ], and Li .…”

“…perforated bamboos, including the five dominant species recorded herein, with Cx. neglectus as the most abundant too [56]. In another study carried out in an urban park of São Paulo, an area heavily impacted by human action, only seven taxa of mosquitoes inhabiting perforated bamboo internodes were observed, with Wy.…”

Mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) in bamboo internodes in the northwestern region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

“…pallidiventer (Souza-Lopes et al, 1975) had potentially pathogenic agents isolated, however, the vector capacity of such species has not yet been proven. Bamboo internodes in the wild environment are breeding grounds with a high mosquito diversity, however few species have been proven of medical importance (Bastos et al, 2021).…”