Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) fauna of the Velyka Dobron’ Game Reserve(West Ukraine) with new distribution data and medical risk assessment

Kálmán Szanyi,Attila Molnár,László József Szabó,Antal Nagy,Szabolcs Szanyi

doi:10.3906/zoo-1910-6

Abstract

The distribution of mosquito species in the Transcarpathian part of Ukraine is poorly studied. Here we present the results of a four-year survey carried out in the Velyka Dobron' Game Reserve, and provide the actualized checklist of the Transcarpathian Culicidae fauna containing 32 species. Four of the sampled species have not been formerly known in Transcarpathia: Anopheles hyrcanus, Ochlerotatus cataphylla, Ochlerotatus nigrinus, Uranotaenia unguiculata. Based on quantitative composition of studied assemblage, vector potential of species and distribution of transmitted pathogens we evaluate the medical and veterinary risk caused by mosquitoes in Transcarpathian region.

Highlights

Mosquitoes are known as an important group of aquatic macroinvertebrates
Since we found 68% of this fauna in a relatively small area, the Velyka Dobron’Game Reserve has relatively species rich Culicidae fauna
Four of the 19 caught species are new for the Transcarpathian fauna (Anopheles hyrcanus, Ochlerotatus cataphylla, Ochlerotatus nigrinus, Uranotaenia unguiculata); the actualized check list of the region contains 32 Culicidae species

Summary

Introduction

Mosquitoes are known as an important group of aquatic macroinvertebrates They belong to the most essential elements in both water and terrestrial food webs (Leopoldo, 2008). Their larvae are present in almost every aquatic habitat from clear to heavily polluted waters, while the habitat preference of different species strongly differs. Due to these characteristics, they are one of the most important and sensible indicators of aquatic environment and are generally used in the ecological water quality classification (Paine and Graufin, 1956). The key precondition is the mapping of breeding sites and the revealing of the quantitative and qualitative composition of local mosquito assemblages (Tóth, 2003)

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Results