Aspects of the ecology of mosquitoes in a lowland area (Granjas Calabria), in Jacarepagua, Rio de Janeiro. II. Seasonal variation and frequency as to lunar cycle

• Published in: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 1985-01, Vol.80 (2), p.123-133
• Main Authors: Lourenco-de-Oliveira, R, Silva, T F, Heyden, R
• Format: Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Subjects: Culicidae
• ISSN: 0074-0276

This paper presents the results of weekly outdoor captures of adult mosquitoes on human bait, carried out in a coastal lowland farm, Granjas Calabria, in Jacarepagua, city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 1981 to July 1982 in order to study their seasonal density and their frequency as to the lunar cycle. Of the 32 species obtained, Aedes scapularis, Culex crybda, Culex declarator, Culex nigripalpus, Culex saltanensis , Mansonia titillans, Phoniomyia davisi, Phoniomyia deanei and Phoniomyia theobaldi were present in every month of the year. The authors have placed the species in three groups according to the seasonal variation: Species whose density was directly proportional to rainfall and temperature, developing in temporary and semi-permanent breeding-places, such as Aedes scapularis, Aedes taeniorhynchus and Culex nigripalpus ; species whose frequency was independent from these meteorological factors, developing in permanent breeding-places (such as Culex amazonensis, Culex declarator and Coquillettidia venezuelensis ) and species whose density was inversely proportional to rainfall and temperature, also developing in permanent water (such as Mansonia titillans and Wyeomyia leucostigma ).