Australian mosquito assemblages vary between ground and sub-canopy habitats

Boni F Sebayang,Tovi Lehmann,Kyran M Staunton,Thomas R Burkot,Michael Townsend,Christopher Paton,Tanya L Russell

doi:10.1186/s13071-021-04999-6

Abstract

BackgroundThe surveillance and control of mosquito-borne diseases is dependent upon understanding the bionomics and distribution of the vectors. Most studies of mosquito assemblages describe species abundance, richness and composition close to the ground defined often by only one sampling method. In this study, we assessed Australian mosquito species near the ground and in the sub-canopy using two traps baited with a variety of lures.MethodsMosquitoes were sampled using a 4 × 4 Latin square design at the Cattana Wetlands, Australia from February to April 2020, using passive box traps with octenol and carbon dioxide and three variations of a sticky net trap (unbaited, and baited with octenol or octenol and carbon dioxide). The traps were deployed at two different heights: ground level (≤ 1 m above the ground) and sub-canopy level (6 m above the ground).ResultsIn total, 27 mosquito species were identified across the ground and sub-canopy levels from the different traps. The abundance of mosquitoes at the ground level was twofold greater than at the sub-canopy level. While the species richness at ground and sub-canopy levels was not significantly different, species abundance varied by the collection height.ConclusionsThe composition of mosquito population assemblages was correlated with the trap types and heights at which they were deployed. Coquillettidia species, which prefer feeding on birds, were mainly found in the sub-canopy whereas Anopheles farauti, Aedes vigilax and Mansonia uniformis, which have a preference for feeding on large mammals, were predominantly found near the ground. In addition to trap height, environmental factors and mosquito bionomic characteristics (e.g. larval habitat, resting behaviour and host blood preferences) may explain the vertical distribution of mosquitoes. This information is useful to better understand how vectors may acquire and transmit pathogens to hosts living at different heights.Graphical abstract

Highlights

The surveillance and control of mosquito-borne diseases is dependent upon understanding the bionomics and distribution of the vectors
The height at which a mosquito trap is placed can influence the catch rates; most studies only focus on quantifying the abundance and horizontal distribution of mosquitoes at the ground level [12, 13]
The extent of aerial distribution of mosquitoes was highlighted by studies of anophelines in Africa at heights up to 290 m [14], thereby demonstrating how important altitude can be to mosquito bionomics, distributions and dispersal

Summary

Introduction

The surveillance and control of mosquito-borne diseases is dependent upon understanding the bionomics and distribution of the vectors. Most studies of mosquito assemblages describe species abundance, richness and composition close to the ground defined often by only one sampling method. We assessed Australian mosquito species near the ground and in the sub-canopy using two traps baited with a variety of lures. Effective vector control requires a detailed understanding of the bionomics and distribution of mosquitos [6,7,8]. The height at which a mosquito trap is placed can influence the catch rates; most studies only focus on quantifying the abundance and horizontal distribution of mosquitoes at the ground level [12, 13]. The extent of aerial distribution of mosquitoes was highlighted by studies of anophelines in Africa at heights up to 290 m [14], thereby demonstrating how important altitude can be to mosquito bionomics, distributions and dispersal

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion