First records of Anopheles (Anopheles) plumbeus Stephens, 1828 and Culex (Culex) torrentium Martini, 1925 (Diptera: Culicidae) in Galicia (NW Spain).

ABSTRACT

We present the first records of Anopheles (Anopheles) plumbeus Stephens, 1828 and Culex (Culex) torrentium Martini, 1925 in the autonomous region of Galicia (NW Spain), obtained through the Rede Galega de Vixilancia de Vectores (ReGaViVec). This entomological surveillance network, which was initiated in 2017 by the Xunta de Galicia in collaboration with the University of Vigo and the University of Santiago de Compostela, aims to detect the arrival of invasive vectors as well as to improve the knowledge about mosquito populations (Diptera Culicidae) in the Galician territory. This study shows the first findings of these species in Galicia, which have been reported in six different locations throughout the region five in the province of Pontevedra and one in the province of Lugo. The 51 captured specimens were collected at different stages of development between July and September, 2018 and 2019 by using specialized traps arranged in favorable regions for the settlement and development of culicids.