title: Species Composition and Ecological Aspects of Immature Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Bromeliads in Urban Parks in the City of São Paulo, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bromeliads can be epiphytic, terrestrial or saxicolous and use strategies to allow water to be retained in their leaf axils, where various arthropods can be found. These include mosquitoes, whose larvae are the most abundant and commonly found organisms in the leaf axils. The objective of this study was to look for immature forms of mosquitoes (the larval and pupal stages) in bromeliads in municipal parks in São Paulo and to discuss the ecological and epidemiological importance of these insects.
  
  
  METHODS
  From October 2010 to July 2013, immature mosquitoes were collected from bromeliads in 65 municipal parks in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, using suction samplers. The immature forms were maintained until adult forms emerged, and these were then identified morphologically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two thousand forty-two immature-stage specimens belonging to the genera Aedes, Culex, Trichoprosopon, Toxorhynchites, Limatus and Wyeomyia were found in bromeliads in 15 of the 65 parks visited. Aedes albopictus was the most abundant species (660 specimens collected), followed by Culex quinquefasciatus (548 specimens) and Cx. (Microculex) imitator (444). The taxa with the most widespread distribution were Ae. aegypti and Toxorhynchites spp, followed by Ae. albopictus and Cx. quinquefasciatus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bromeliads in urban parks are refuges for populations of native species of Culicidae and breeding sites for exotic species that are generally of epidemiological interest. Hence, administrators and surveillance and mosquito-control agencies must constantly monitor these microenvironments as the presence of these species endangers the health of park users and employees as well as people living near the parks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ceretti-Junior
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Tropical Medicine Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Oliveira Christe
authors.affiliation: Office of Parks and Green Areas, Department of the Environment and Green Areas, São Paulo City Hall, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: Office of Parks and Green Areas, Department of the Environment and Green Areas, São Paulo City Hall, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Regina Claudia
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Strobel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Research into and Identification of Synanthropic Fauna, Zoonosis Control Center, Health Surveillance Coordination Unit, Municipal Health Department, São Paulo City Hall, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marco Otavio
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: de Matos Junior
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Research into and Identification of Synanthropic Fauna, Zoonosis Control Center, Health Surveillance Coordination Unit, Municipal Health Department, São Paulo City Hall, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Helena Silva Homem
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: de Mello
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aristides
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antônio Ralph
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Medeiros-Sousa
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela Cristina
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Tropical Medicine Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mauro Toledo
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Marrelli
keywords: Brazil; Breeding sites; Bromeliads; Culicidae; Immature; Mosquitoes; Municipal Parks