Effects of seasonality on the oviposition activity of potential vector mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from the São João River Basin Environmental Protection Area of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

The Atlantic Forest is home to several arboviruses potentially pathogenic to humans. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the effects of seasonality on mosquito populations circulating in this domain. We evaluated the influence of seasonal variation on the oviposition activity of epidemiologically important mosquito populations in an Environmental Protection Area in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mosquito eggs were collected using ovitraps for 1 year. During the sampling period, 1,086 eggs were collected. Of these, 39 (3.6%) did not hatch, and 1,047 (96.4%) reached the adult stage. Aedes albopictus (44.8%), Ae. terrens (6.4%), and Haemagogus leucocelaenus (48.8%) eggs and adults were identified. The changes in this community over the seasons were also analyzed. Season influence on the collections was significant. The highest numbers of collected eggs were collected in the summer and autumn, with Hg. leucocelaenus dominant in the summer and Ae. albopictus in the autumn. These two seasons were more similar to each other in terms of the composition of the collected mosquito community, forming a separate cluster from winter and spring groups. Summer, autumn, and winter presented values of Dominance (D), Shannon Diversity (H), and Evenness (J) closer to each other than spring. Climatic factors recorded throughout the collection period were not associated with egg abundance, except for temperature, which was positively correlated with Ae. albopictus presence. Finally, seasonality seemed to influence the oviposition activity of the three species recorded. Summer and autumn were the most critical seasons due to Ae. albopictus and Hg. leucocelaenus circulation. These findings should be considered in prophylaxis and implementation of entomological control strategies in the study area.