title: Urban Mosquito Fauna in Mérida City, México: Immatures Collected from Containers and Storm-water Drains/Catch Basins.
abstract: We examined the species composition and temporal occurrence of immature mosquitoes in containers and storm-water drains/catch basins from November 2011 to June 2013 in Mérida City, México. A wide range of urban settings were examined, including residential premises, vacant lots, parking lots, and streets or sidewalks with storm-water drains/catch basins. In total, 111,776 specimens of 15 species were recorded. The most commonly collected species wereAedes(Stegomyia)aegypti(L.) (n = 60,961) andCulex quinquefasciatusSay (45,702), which together accounted for 95.4% of the immatures collected. These species were commonly encountered during both rainy and dry seasons, whereas most other mosquito species were collected primarily during the rainy season. Other species collected wereAedes(Howardina)cozumelensisDiaz Najera,Aedes(Ochlerotatus)taeniorhynchus(Wiedemann),Aedes(Ochlerotatus)trivittatus(Coquillett),Culex coronatorDyar and Knab,Culex interrogatorDyar and Knab,Culex lactatorDyar and Knab,Culex nigripalpusTheobald,Culex salinariusCoquillett,Culex tarsalisCoquillett,Culex thriambusDyar,Haemagogus equinusTheobald,Limatus durhamiiTheobald, andToxorhynchites rutilus(Coquillett). The greatest number of species was recorded from vacant lots (n = 11), followed by storm-water drains/catch basins (nine) and residential premises (six). Our study demonstrated that the heterogeneous urban environment in Mérida City supports a wide range of mosquito species, many of which are nuisance biters of humans and/or capable of serving as vectors of pathogens affecting humans or domestic animals. We also briefly reviewed the medical importance of the encountered mosquito species.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México, CP 97225.
authors.forename: Carlos M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Baak-Baak
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México, CP 97225.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arana-Guardia
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México, CP 97225.
authors.forename: Nohemi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cigarroa-Toledo
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México, CP 97225.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Puc-Tinal
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México, CP 97225.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coba-Tún
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México, CP 97225.
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rivero-Osorno
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México, CP 97225.
authors.forename: Damián
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lavalle-Kantun
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México, CP 97225.
authors.forename: María Alba
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Loroño-Pino
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México, CP 97225.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Machain-Williams
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México, CP 97225.
authors.forename: Guadalupe C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Reyes-Solis
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523.
authors.forename: Barry J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Beaty
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eisen
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México, CP 97225.
authors.forename: Julián E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: García-Rejón