Back to Where It Was First Described: Vectors of Sylvatic Yellow Fever Transmission in the 2017 Outbreak in Espírito Santo, Brazil.

Evidence of sylvatic yellow fever was first reported in Atlantic Forest areas in Espírito Santo, Brazil, during a yellow fever virus (YFV) outbreak in 1931. An entomological survey was conducted in six forest sites during and after an outbreak reported ~80 years after the last case in the area. Among 10,658 mosquitoes of 78 species, Haemagogus leucocelaenus, and Hg. janthinomys/capricornii were considered the main vectors as they had a relatively high abundance, co-occurred in essentially all areas, and showed high YFV infection rates. Sabethes chloropterus, Sa. soperi, Sa. identicus, Aedes aureolineatus, and Shannoniana fluviatilis may have a secondary role in transmission. This is the first report of Sa. identicus, Ae. aureolineatus, and Sh. fluviatilis infected with YFV. Our study emphasizes the importance of entomological monitoring and maintenance of high vaccination coverage in receptive areas to YFV transmission.

Redescription of Wyeomyia (Decamyia) felicia (Dyar amp; Nez Tovar, 1927) and description of a new species of the subgenus from Trinidad (Diptera: Culicidae).

Mosquito species of the subgenus Decamyia Dyar, 1919 of genus Wyeomyia Theobald, 1901 are known to have immature stages mostly associated with Heliconia plants. Currently, the subgenus includes five species, some of which are poorly characterized. Here, we redescribe and illustrate the larval, pupal and adult life stages of Wy. felicia (Dyar Nez Tovar, 1927). In addition, Wyeomyia monticola, a new species of Decamyia from Trinidad, close to Wy. felicia, is described. The new species can be distinguished by morphological characters of the male genitalia, larva and pupa.

High Speed Video Documentation of the Mosquito Sabethes albiprivus Egg-Catapulting Oviposition Behavior (Diptera: Culicidae).

The oviposition behavior of mosquitoes varies between species. We documented the unusual mechanism of egg laying in the mosquito Sabethes albiprivus Theobald with the aid of high speed video recordings in the laboratory. A sapucaia (Lecythis pisonis Camb.) nut oviposition trap, described herein, was used to simulate a tree hole with a small opening, which is the natural larval habitat of Sa. albiprivus. We showed that females approach the opening and perform a sequence of rapid, short up-and-down flights before egg laying. At this time, the egg is already visible externally, being held at the very tip of the abdomen. Females catapult one egg at a time by rapidly curling their abdomen downward, sending the egg through the opening while their legs are positioned in different configurations throughout the event. The estimated velocity of the catapulted eggs was almost 1 m/s.

Are fish paratenic natural hosts of the caiman haemoparasite Hepatozoon caimani?

The susceptibility of two fish and four mosquito species to the Caiman yacare haemoparasite Hepatozoon caimani was experimentally investigated. Mosquitoes belonging to four species (Aedes fluviatilis, Aedes albopictus, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus) were blood-fed on two naturally infected C. yacare from the Central-West Region of Brazil that exhibited distinct levels of parasitaemia: caimans A (11.05%) and B (1.25%). None of the engorged A. fluviatilis, A. albopictus or A. aegypti mosquitoes fed on caiman A survived for the duration of the sporogonic cycle; the great majority of the engorged mosquitoes died within 48 h of the blood meal. All A. aegypti fed on caiman B were negative, whereas 91.3% of dissected C. quinquefasciatus fed on the same caiman contained oocysts. Characid fish-Metynnis sp. and Astyanax sp.-were individually fed with C. quinquefasciatus females previously engorged (21-23 days) on caiman B. No parasite was found in the Astyanax fish. By contrast, 100% of the Metynnis fish depicted numerous cysts harbouring cystozoites identical to those of H. caimani, even more than 8 months after the ingestion of the infected mosquitoes. The cysts were located near the veins of the liver and, in some cases, close to the tunica intima of these vessels. No inflammatory reaction was observed. Gametocytes were observed in the blood smears of juvenile caimans that had ingested infected fish 9-12 weeks earlier. The potential role of fish as paratenic vertebrate hosts of H. caimani in nature is discussed.