Updated Anopheles mosquitos abundance and distribution in north-eastern malaria-free area of Argentina.

Malaria is the most important parasitic disease worldwide. In 2019, more than 679,441 cases of malaria were reported in the American region. During this study, Argentina was in malaria pre-elimination autochthonous transmission phase with the aim of being declared as malaria-free country. The aim of this work was to assess the influence of remote sensing spectral indices (NDVI, NDWI) and climatic variables (temperature, relative humidity and precipitation) on the distribution and abundance of Anopheles mosquitoes, in four localities with different degrees of anthropogenic disturbance and with previous malaria cases records located , in a historical malarious area in northeastern of Argentina. Between June 2012 and July 2014, mosquitoes were collected. We collected 535 Anopheles adult mosquitoes. Anopheles strodei s.l. was the most abundant species. The greatest richness, diversity and abundance of species were registered in wild and semi-urban environments. The abundance of Anopheles presented a negative association with relative humidity and mean temperature, but positive with mean maximum temperature. The most important variables determining Anopheles total abundance and distribution were NDWI Index and distance to vegetation. The abundance of An. strodei s.l., was positive associated with water areas whereas the NDVI Index was negatively associated.

Revalidation of Phalangomyia Dyar & Knab as a subgenus of Culex L. (Diptera: Culicidae) based on morphological and molecular evidence.

Culex apicinus Philippi, 1865 and its synonyms, Phalangomyia debilis Dyar & Knab, 1914, Cx. escomeli Brèthes, 1920 and Cx. alticola Martini, 1931, were re-examined employing molecular and morphological phylogenetic methods. Archival and fresh specimens were used for morphological diagnosis and to generate fragments of two single-copy nuclear genes (CAD, HB) and one mitochondrial gene (COI). Additional sequences of Cx. apicinus and species of the subgenus Culex of Culex Linnaeus, 1758 and other subgenera of the genus were obtained from GenBank for molecular analysis. Diagnostic morphological characteristics of Cx. apicinus and other species of the subgenus Culex were contrasted. Phylogenetic relationships were generated using DNA sequences of protein coding genes under both Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian approaches. Culex apicinus showed unique morphological traits that allow its classification in a separate subgenus. The subspecific status is supported by its recovery as a monophyletic clade within the genus Culex based on morphological and molecular characters. The synonymous Phalangomyia debilis provides an available subgeneric name. Consequently, Phalangomyia Dyar & Knab, 1914 is resurrected from synonymy with Culex Linnaeus, 1758 as a monobasic subgenus of Culex.

New records of mosquitoes from northwestern Argentina.

Eleven mosquito species, namely Aedes hastatus, Ae. fulvus, Coquillettidia albicosta, Cq. juxtamansonia, Culex aliciae, Cx. delpontei, Cx. oedipus, Cx. pedroi, Mansonia flaveola, Uranotaenia leucoptera, and Wyeomyia oblita, are recorded for the first time from northwestern Argentina. In addition, 3 species, Cx. brethesi, Limatus durhami, and Ur. nataliae, are reported for the first time from Salta Province. These records extend the geographical distribution of these 3 species to Salta Province. This study also extends the geographical distributions of Cq. nigricans, Cx. chidesteri, and Ma. humeralis to Jujuy Province and of Ae. meprai, Ae. milleri, Ae. oligopistus, Cx. brethesi, Cx. fernandezi, and Cx. tatoi to Tucumán Province.

Morphological Description of the Female, Pupa, and Fourth-Instar Larva and Redescription of the Male of Culex (Melanoconion) aliciae (Diptera: Culicidae).

The female, pupa, and fourth-instar larva of Culex (Melanoconion) aliciae are described for the first time, and the male is redescribed. The cibarium, female and male genitalia, pupa, and fourth-instar larva are illustrated. Information on distribution, bionomics, and taxonomy is also included. Males of Cx. aliciae Duret and Cx. martinezi Casal & Garcia are indistinguishable, except for the appearance of the ninth tergal lobes. The female of Culex martinezi has not been described before. The females of Culex aliciae can be recognized by characteristics of the occipital scales, cibarium, and genitalia. The larva of Cx. aliciae and Cx. martinezi can be distinguished from characters of the thorax and abdomen.

Description of Larva and Pupa of Psorophora (Grabhamia) dimidiata (Diptera: Culicidae) and Redescription of the Adult Female and Male.

Psorophora (Grabhamia) dimidiata Cerqueira (1943) was described based on the adult female and male. Later, descriptions of the male and female genitalia were published by Lane (in Neotropical Culicidae, vols. I & II. Editora da Universidade de São Paulo, S. P., Brazil, 1953) and Guedes et al. (in Catalogo ilustrado dos mosquitos da coleção do Instituto Nacional de Endemias Rurais. I. Gênero Psorophora Robineau-Desvoidy, 1827. Rev. Bras. Malariol. Doencas Trop. 12: 3-24; 1965), respectively. Here we describe the pupa and fourth-instar larva and redescribe the adult male and female genitalia and female cibarium. All stages (except the egg) are illustrated. Unambiguous recognition is provided. Distinctions from Ps. cingulata (Fabricius) and possible phylogenetic relationships are discussed.

An update of mosquitoes of Argentine Patagonia with new distribution records.

The objective of this study was to update mosquito species distribution in Argentine Patagonia based on new field collections and to examine the material deposited in the La Plata Museum. Culex coronator, Cx. brethesi, and Cx. castroi represented new records for the region, increasing mosquito fauna of Patagonia to 15 species. The expansion of the geographic distribution of Cx. apicinus, Cx. articularis, and Cx. eduardoi at the province level was also provided. Current knowledge about mosquito fauna of Patagonia is restricted mainly to geographic distribution records. Further studies on the bionomic of mosquito species in Patagonian conditions are needed.

Psorophora (Grabhamia) varinervis (Diptera: Culicidae) morphological description including pupa and fourth-stage larva previously unknown.

Psorophora (Grabhamia) varinervis Edwards (Diptera: Culicidae) is redescribed in the adult stage. Pupa and fourth-stage larva are described and illustrated for the first time. Information about distribution, bionomics, and taxonomy also is included. Adults of Ps. varinervis can be separated from the closely related species Ps. (Gra.) discolor (Coquillett) on the basis of the wing characters, and the larva by the siphon and antenna characters.

Snail shells as larval habitat of Limatus durhamii (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Yungas of Argentina.

The shells of dead snails collect water from rainfalls producing aquatic microenvironments called gastrotelmata. These habitats are small and hold simple detritus based on animal communities, being rotifers and culicids the most studied. Although a high diversity of aquatic microhabitats has been reported as larval habitats of mosquitoes in Argentina, the shell of snails has not been investigated yet. We report the shells of three species of native Megalobulimus genus as larval habitats of a neotropical mosquito and suspected vector of bunyaviruses, Limatus durhamii, and describe these microhabitats in the Yungas forest of Argentina.

Occurrence of extra and anomalous setae on pupal abdominal segment VIII of the Dolosus Complex of Culex (Diptera: Culicidae).

The presence of extra and anomalous setae on abdominal segment VIII of whole and the exuviae of pupae of the Dolosus Complex of Culex is reported. Also, seta 10-VIII in 14 specimens was observed. An anomalous seta 0-VIII is present in a single specimen and was observed to be large and have multiple branches.

Incipient loss of flagella in the genus Geolegnia: the emergence of a new clade within Leptolegnia?

The genus Geolegnia represents a poorly documented group of saprolegnialean oomycetes isolated from soils as free-living organisms. Although it is morphologically similar to the facultative parasitic genus Leptolegnia, Geolegnia presents the uncommon property of having lost a flagellate stage in its lifecycle. Based on ITS and large subunit (LSU) rRNA sequence data, we show Geolegnia to be basal to Leptolegnia, and also introduce Geolegnia helicoides sp. nov. Using sequence data of Leptolegnia available in GenBank, supplemented by data derived from culture collections, we show that Geolegnia is nested within Leptolegnia, a genus characterised by its "conventional" biflagellate life cycle. The emergence of Geolegnia is therefore seen as a recent event, and we suggest here an evolutionary context where this loss might have been advantageous. Based on this study, Leptolegnia remains paraphyletic, awaiting the redefinition of genera in this complex.

Ecological aspects of phebotomine (Diptera, Psychodidae) in an endemic area of tegumentary leishmaniasis in the northeastern Argentina, 1993-1998.

The first epidemic tegumentary leishmaniasis outbreak in the province of Misiones was recorded in 1998, in the locality of Puerto Esperanza. Phlebotominae collected in the region, previously or simultaneously to the outbreak (September 1993-December 1998) showed that the species Lutzomyia intermedia s. l. was prevalent (94%, n 6,150) at all the sites sampled with miniature light trap (10) and Shannon trap (3). L. pessoai, L. whitmani, L. migonei, L. shannoni, L. fischeri, L. misionensis, Brumptomyia avellari and B. guimaraesi were also captured. Sand fly distribution in time and space suggests that in the province of Misiones (1) the species already present before 1990 could give rise to the epidemic by the density/dispersion fluctuation of their local populations; (2) the abundance of L. intermedia s. l. was associated with environments with ecotones of primary-secondary vegetation, close to water bodies and with moderate human disturbance; (3) this species showed, towards the end of 1997, peaks of exceptional abundance, subsequent to rainfall peaks in 1996. This increase in abundance of potential vector sand fly populations close to houses with colonizable surroundings could have generated the 1998 epidemic outbreak.

A first record of Phlebotominae from Argentinean Patagonia (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae).

A species of the Lutzomyia oswaldoi group is recorded from the Valcheta stream basin, Somuncura plateau, Patagonia. It represents the World southermost record of a species of Phlebotominae, apparently supporting the hypothesis about the relictual character of several components of the Somuncura plateau biota, particularly for those species belonging to the Paranaense lineages.

Phlebotominae sand flies in Paraguay: abundance distribution in the Southeastern region.

From September 1993 to August 2001, 7,190 phlebotomine were collected with CDC light trap in an endemic area for human leishmaniasis, in the departments of Misiones and Itap a, Paraguay. Eleven species were identified: Lutzomyia neivai (93.7%), L. whitmani (4.1%), and L. fischeri, L. shannoni, L. migonei, L. misionensis, L. cortelezzii, L. pessoai, L. alphabetica, Brumptomyia avellari and B. guimaraesi (less than 1%). The last three species are new records for the country. The biodiversity and phlebotomine abundance were associated with the proximity to primary forest or gallery forest, but L. neivai was also found in peridomestic periurban environment. L. neivai was found throughout the year, and showed a period of higher activity from September to April (spring to fall) with a unimodal or bimodal pattern in relation to the annual rainy peaks during the summer. Background literature about phlebotomine from Paraguay has been reviewed.

Ecological aspects of Phebotomine (Diptera, Psychodidae) in an endemic area of tegumentary leishmaniasis in the Northeastern Argentina, 1993-1998

The first epidemic tegumentary leishmaniasis outbreak in the province of Misiones was recorded in 1998, in the locality of Puerto Esperanza. Phlebotominae collected in the region, previously or simultaneously to the outbreak (September 1993-December 1998) showed that the species Lutzomyia intermedia s. l. was prevalent (94 percent, n 6,150) at all the sites sampled with miniature light trap (10) and Shannon trap (3). L. pessoai, L. whitmani, L. migonei, L. shannoni, L. fischeri, L. misionensis, Brumptomyia avellari and B. guimaraesi were also captured. Sand fly distribution in time and space suggests that in the province of Misiones (1) the species already present before 1990 could give rise to the epidemic by the density/dispersion fluctuation of their local populations; (2) the abundance of L. intermedia s. l. was associated with environments with ecotones of primary-secondary vegetation, close to water bodies and with moderate human disturbance; (3) this species showed, towards the end of 1997, peaks of exceptional abundance, subsequent to rainfall peaks in 1996. This increase in abundance of potential vector sand fly populations close to houses with colonizable surroundings could have generated the 1998 epidemic outbreak

A first record of Phlebotominae from Argentinean Patagonia (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

A species of the Lutzomyia oswaldoi group is recorded from the Valcheta stream basin, Somuncura plateau, Patagonia. It represents the World southermost record of a species of Phlebotominae, apparently supporting the hypothesis about the relictual character of several components of the Somuncura plateau biota, particularly for those species belonging to the Paranaense lineages

Phlebotominae sand flies in Paraguay. Abundance distribution in the Southeastern region

From September 1993 to August 2001, 7,190 phlebotomine were collected with CDC light trap in an endemic area for human leishmaniasis, in the departments of Misiones and Itapúa, Paraguay. Eleven species were identified: Lutzomyia neivai (93.7 percent), L. whitmani (4.1 percent), and L. fischeri, L. shannoni, L. migonei, L. misionensis, L. cortelezzii, L. pessoai, L. alphabetica, Brumptomyia avellari and B. guimaraesi (less than 1 percent). The last three species are new records for the country. The biodiversity and phlebotomine abundance were associated with the proximity to primary forest or gallery forest, but L. neivai was also found in peridomestic periurban environment. L. neivai was found throughout the year, and showed a period of higher activity from September to April (spring to fall) with a unimodal or bimodal pattern in relation to the annual rainy peaks during the summer. Background literature about phlebotomine from Paraguay has been reviewed

Presencia de Lutzomia logipalpis y situación de la Leishmaniasis visceral en Argentina / Lutzomyia longipalpis and Leishmaniasis Visceral in Argentina

Lutzomyia longipalpis, el vector de Leishmania (L) chagasi, agente de la leschmaniosis visceral, es descripto por segunda vez, luego de 50 años, en la provincia de Misiones, Argentina. Se revista la literatura de los 16 casos de leschmaniosis visceral registrados en el país en las provincias de Salta, Jujuy, Santiago del Estero y Chaco. Dos hipótesis son evaluadas frente a los datos clínicos y resultados entomo-epidemiológicos: a) la lechmaniosis visceral en Argentina es producida por visceralización de L. (V.) braziliensis o sus variantes, b) L. (L.) chagasi se mantiene en focos enzooticos con contacto humano excepcional. Se realizan recomendaciones de procedimiento a partir de la aparición de un nuevo caso clínico, con el objeto de decidir entre ambas hipótesis, lo que permitirá adecuar la conducta diagnóstica y terapéutica, y determinar el riesgo de brotes en el futuro inmediato, así como las medidas de mistigación más apropiadas.