A SURVEY OF THE MOSQUITO SPECIES IN MAXCANU, YUCATAN, MEXICO

Abstract

A survey was carried out to identify the mosquitoes inhabiting human premises in the rural locality of Maxcanu, Yucatan, Mexico. Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention backpack aspirators, simple random sampling was carried out inside of 101 homes during the November 2013 rainy season. A total of 1,492 specimens were collected. Three subfamilies (Anophelinae, Culicinae, and Toxorhynchitinae) and 5 species were identified: Anopheles albimanus, Aedes aegypti, Culex interrogator, Limatus durhamii, and Toxorhvnchites theobaldi. The most abundant species was Cx. interrogator (74\%) followed by Ae. aegypti (25\%). The Chao 1 and Bootstrap species richness estimator indicated that it was possible to collect 90\% of the expected species. This is the 1st time that the presence of An. albimanus, Cx. interrogator, Li. durhamii, and Tx. theobaldi has been recorded in Maxcanu.