Article
Ecology
Michelle V. Evans, John M. Drake, Lindsey Jones, Courtney C. Murdock
Summary: Asymmetric competition between Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi has resulted in Ae. aegypti emerging as the dominant competitor. The spread of An. stephensi into the African continent could lead to urban transmission of malaria, increasing the human population at risk. Competitive dynamics may play a role in determining the distribution of An. stephensi across its invasive range.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andre B. B. Wilke, Chalmers Vasquez, Augusto Carvajal, Maday Moreno, William D. Petrie, John C. Beier
Summary: This study found that important mosquito vector species were present in great numbers in all of the 12 maritime ports of entry surveyed. The relative abundance of Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti was substantially higher in the commercial freight cargo ship ports than in the marinas. These results indicate that the port area in the Miami River is especially suitable for the proliferation of vector mosquitoes.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Noah H. Rose, Stephanie Dabo, Silvania da Veiga Leal, Massamba Sylla, Cheikh T. Diagne, Oumar Faye, Ousmane Faye, Amadou A. Sall, Carolyn S. McBride, Louis Lambrechts
Summary: Although Africa has not experienced large-scale Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemics, unlike other regions, the Cape Verde outbreak in 2015-2016 suggests that populations of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with high susceptibility to ZIKV and a preference for human hosts could serve as effective vectors for the virus in the future, particularly in the nearby Sahel region of West Africa.
Article
Parasitology
Daniel Chieh-Ding Lin, Shih-Che Weng, Po-Nien Tsao, Justin Jang Hann Chu, Shin-Hong Shiao
Summary: Co-infection of dengue virus and Zika virus in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes enhance viral replication and suggest that the NS5 protein is a potential target for vector control.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Saitel Agudelo, Mario Ventresca
Summary: The study aims to improve the ZIKV model and estimate the degree of under-reporting. By considering the spread dynamics of both vector-borne and sexually transmitted disease, the researchers demonstrate the reliability of the model. Targeting mosquitoes remains the most effective approach.
Article
Biology
Jun Isoe, Carter J. Simington, Max E. Oscherwitz, Alyssa J. Peterson, Alberto A. Rascon, Brooke B. Massani, Roger L. Miesfeld, Michael A. Riehle
Summary: This study identified several essential proteins for eggshell formation in Aedes aegypti and characterized their roles through molecular and biochemical approaches. These proteins, along with additional secreted eggshell enzymes, provide potential targets for future mosquito control strategies. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms by which these proteins regulate eggshell formation and melanization.
Article
Parasitology
Cecilia S. S. Engdahl, Chinmay V. V. Tikhe, George Dimopoulos
Summary: Vector control plays a key role in reducing the burden of mosquito-borne diseases. Synthetic insecticides used in current strategies can have negative environmental impact and become ineffective due to mosquito resistance. This study presents the discovery and evaluation of natural product-based biological control agents as potential biopesticides for mosquito control. Several natural products were identified as capable of killing mosquito larvae, including those responsible for transmitting diseases such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. The study also explores the usefulness of crude extracts from two bacterial sources for mosquitocidal activity.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Whitney M. M. Holeva-Eklund, Steven J. J. Young, James Will, Nicole Busser, John Townsend, Crystal M. M. Hepp
Summary: This study aimed to create quarterly species distribution models for Aedes aegypti in Maricopa County, Arizona from 2014 to 2020 based on satellite imagery and socioeconomic indicators. Population density was found to be the most important predictor in the models, with high test area under the curve values indicating good model performance. Multiple suburban areas surrounding the Phoenix metropolitan core area were identified as consistent highly suitable habitat for the mosquitoes.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Gerson Laurindo Barbosa, Antonio Henrique Alves Gomes, Vera Lucia Fonseca de Camargo-Neves
Summary: Information systems play a crucial role in resource management, epidemiological evaluation, and decision-making at all hierarchical levels. Technological advancements have allowed the development of systems that fulfill these requirements. It is recommended to optimize data entry and immediate georeferencing to obtain real-time information.
Article
Microbiology
Maria Vittoria Mancini, Rapeepat Tandavanitj, Thomas H. H. Ant, Shivan M. M. Murdochy, Daniel D. D. Gingell, Chayanee Setthapramote, Piyatida Natsrita, Alain Kohl, Steven P. P. Sinkins, Arvind H. H. Patel, Giuditta De Lorenzo
Summary: In this study, a promising Zika virus vaccine candidate was validated in a mosquito-mouse transmission model, showing its ability to protect animals from the disease and reduce virus transmission. The study also revealed the enhancement of viral infection and spread through mosquito bites.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Triwibowo Ambar Garjito, Lulus Susanti, Mujiyono Mujiyono, Mega Tyas Prihatin, Dwi Susilo, Sidiq Setyo Nugroho, Mujiyanto Mujiyanto, Raden Ajeng Wigati, Tri Baskoro Tunggul Satoto, Sylvie Manguin, Laurent Gavotte, Roger Frutos
Summary: There are various methods to collect and assess the abundance of dengue vector mosquitoes, but the lack of long-term sampling methods may result in variability and lack of statistical significance in the results. There is no correlation between the collection methods and the presence of dengue virus in mosquitoes or the incidence of dengue, and the efficacy of a given method is inconsistent across different locations.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shailabh Kumar, Felix J. H. Hol, Sujit Pujhari, Clayton Ellington, Haripriya Vaidehi Narayanan, Hongquan Li, Jason L. Rasgon, Manu Prakash
Summary: The Vectorchip is a low-cost microfluidic platform that enables high-throughput analysis of individual mosquito bites, allowing detection of mosquito-carried DNA, RNA, and viral particles. This technology provides a promising approach for laboratory and field characterization of vector-pathogen communities.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Sarah E. Maguire, Ali Afify, Loyal A. Goff, Christopher J. Potter
Summary: In mosquitoes, ectopic expression of AgOR inhibits the activity of expressing neurons and leads to significant downregulation of most AgOR transcripts. Additionally, the gene choice of AgOR remains active into adulthood and the expression of AgOR2 inhibits the turning on of AgORs at this late stage.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jose G. Juarez, Luis F. Chaves, Selene M. Garcia-Luna, Estelle Martin, Ismael Badillo-Vargas, Matthew C. Medeiros, Gabriel L. Hamer
Summary: The Autocidal Gravid Ovitrap (AGO) intervention for Aedes aegypti control showed variable efficacy depending on coverage rates, with high coverage leading to significant female population suppression. Areas with low AGO coverage did not show significant reduction in female population. This study highlights the importance of achieving target coverage rates for effective vector control.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Andre B. B. Wilke, Adequate Mhlanga, Allisandra G. Kummer, Chalmers Vasquez, Maday Moreno, William D. Petrie, Art Rodriguez, Christopher Vitek, Gabriel L. Hamer, John-Paul Mutebi, Marco Ajelli
Summary: This study used a unique dataset to collect mosquitoes in Florida and Texas and developed a mathematical model to evaluate the effectiveness of adulticide spraying at different times and frequencies. The results showed that the effectiveness of adulticide applications varied depending on the target mosquito species, with the best results observed at 9 PM.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Carlos Cano-Barbacil, Johannes Radinger, Gael Grenouillet, Emili Garcia-Berthou
Summary: Understanding the relationship between traits and distribution in inland fishes is important for ecology. This study examines the relationships among traits, elevation, and stream size in fish species of the Iberian Peninsula. The research finds a significant phylogenetic signal in many traits, indicating that these traits tend to evolve together and resemble those of their common ancestor. Correlated evolution of certain traits was also observed, and parental care was found to be positively related to elevation and stream size. These findings contribute to a better understanding of species' adaptations to environmental changes and have implications for species preservation.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Wilson J. E. M. Costa, Wagner M. S. Sampaio, Patricia Giongo, Frederico B. de Almeida, Valter M. Azevedo-Santos, Axel M. Katz
Summary: A small undescribed catfish species with interstitial habits was discovered in the upper Rio Parana basin in Brazil. Phylogenetic analysis supported its classification as a new subgenus of Scleronema. The new species exhibits unique morphological features and faces challenges in being included in ichthyological inventories due to environmental degradation and its specialized habitat.
ZOOLOGISCHER ANZEIGER
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Roberto Ferrazi, Guilherme Correia-Silva, Maria Eduarda P. Bonan, Tommaso Giarrizzo, Carolina Silva, Philip M. Fearnside, Valter M. Azevedo-Santos
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Julia Fernandes Perroca, Tommaso Giarrizzo, Ernesto Azzurro, Jorge Luiz Rodrigues-Filho, Carolina Silva, Marlene S. Arcifa, Valter M. Azevedo-Santos
Summary: Abandoned, lost or discarded fishing nets, also known as ghost nets, have significant negative impacts on biodiversity in marine ecosystems worldwide. This study utilized YouTube videos to assess the effects of ghost nets in the Mediterranean Sea, identifying 86 species from 12 groups across 12 countries. The findings revealed that 10 of these species are considered threatened with extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Fishes and macrocrustaceans were the most commonly entangled groups. The study highlights the urgent need to implement measures against ghost fishing nets in the Mediterranean Sea.
Review
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Fernando M. Pelicice, Angelo Antonio Agostinho, Valter M. Azevedo-Santos, Eduardo Bessa, Lilian Casatti, Domingos Garrone-Neto, Luiz Carlos Gomes, Carla S. Pavanelli, Ana Cristina Petry, Paulo dos Santos Pompeu, Roberto E. Reis, Fabio de Oliveira Roque, Jose Sabino, Leandro Melo de Sousa, Fabio Silveira Vilella, Jansen Zuanon
Summary: The study found that Neotropical freshwater fishes provide multiple benefits to society, including provisioning services such as fisheries and ornamental fish, as well as regulating services like seed dispersal and nutrient cycling. However, human activities have negatively impacted the generation of these ecosystem services, particularly in relation to fishing and food provisioning.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Barbbara Silva Rocha, Emili Garcia-Berthou, Marcus Vinicius Cianciaruso
Summary: Brazil has the highest freshwater fish diversity in the world, which has led to an increase in the number of publications about invasive fish in the country. A systematic review of the literature revealed that there are still significant knowledge gaps and biases in the fish invasion literature in Brazil, particularly regarding the impacts of non-native fish species translocated among different regions. This hinders the proper understanding and management of the ecological and socio-economic consequences of fish introductions, especially in biodiverse regions like the Amazon.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Carlos Cano-Barbacil, Johannes Radinger, Julian D. Olden, Emili Garcia-Berthou
Summary: The study aims to compare the niche position, marginality, and breadth of Iberian inland fishes at different geographical extents and investigate the differences between native and alien fish. The results show that niche metrics differ depending on the geographical extent and species origin, and the estimation of niche metrics should consider the investigation's geographical extent.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Letter
Ecology
Jean R. S. Vitule, Fernando M. Pelicice
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Editorial Material
Zoology
Gabriel De Carvalho Depra, Richard Van Der Laan, Valter M. Azevedo-santos
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Paul Castagne, Ivan Paz-Vinas, Stephanie Bouletreau, Jessica Ferriol, Geraldine Loot, Charlotte Veyssiere, Robert Arlinghaus, Robert Britton, Marlene Chiarello, Emili Garcia-Berthou, Pavel Horky, Delphine Nicolas, Annamaria Nocita, Oscar Nordahl, Michaël Ovidio, Filipe Ribeiro, Ondrej Slavik, Chloe Vagnon, Simon Blanchet, Frederic Santoul
Summary: Biological invasions are a significant component of global change, but they can also have negative impacts on native populations. Efficient management policies are needed to prevent the spread of invasive species in non-native areas while protecting native populations. Genetic variation analysis can help assess the genetic state, identify invasion pathways, determine management strategies, and identify populations requiring conservation measures.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Rafael Munoz-Mas, Franz Essl, Mark van Kleunen, Hanno Seebens, Wayne Dawson, Christine Marie V. Casal, Emili Garcia-Berthou
Summary: This study aims to investigate major freshwater fish flows between biogeographic regions and their temporal dynamics, as well as quantify spatial patterns and temporal changes in the array of introduced species, and the emergence and distance between major donor and recipient regions. The analysis of a global dataset on freshwater fish introductions revealed unique changes in the composition and origins of introduced species in each biogeographic region. The results suggest that global policy should focus on tropical ornamental and aquaculture species, particularly in the Sino-Oriental region and the Ethiopian and Neotropical regions.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Valter M. Azevedo-Santos, Axel M. Katz, Claudio H. Zawadzki, Gabriel De Carvalho Depra
Summary: The Natural History Museum of Pirassununga (MHNP) in Brazil was founded by Professor Manuel Pereira de Godoy in 1938. The museum, which received fish specimens from the defunct Estacao Experimental de Biologia e Piscicultura de Pirassununga (EEBP), provides notes and photographs of 11 type specimens of 10 species belonging to four families and two orders. This study's unprecedented photographic records aim to aid species identification and future taxonomic studies of Neotropical freshwater fishes.
Article
Fisheries
Wilson J. E. M. Costa, Valter M. Azevedo-Santos, Jose Leonardo O. Mattos, Axel M. Katz
Summary: Based on field inventories in the middle section of the Rio Grande drainage, we discovered 10 endemic species of trichomycterine fish, including 6 newly described species. Molecular analysis showed that the species in both subgenera do not form monophyletic groups. The distribution patterns of these species support the delimitation of three areas of endemism, which have implications for conservation strategies.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Fernando Mayer Pelicice, Angelo Antonio Agostinho, Carlos Bernardo Mascarenhas Alves, Marlene Sofia Arcifa, Valter M. Azevedo-Santos, Marcelo Fulgencio Guedes Brito, Pamella Silva de Brito, Paula Maria Genova de Castro Campanha, Fernando Rogerio Carvalho, Gabriel Costa da Costa, Mario Alberto Cozzuol, Almir Manoel Cunico, Fernando Cesar Paiva Dagosta, Rosa Maria Dias, Rodrigo Fernandes, Ana Clara Sampaio Franco, Diego Azevedo Zoccal Garcia, Tommaso Giarrizzo, Eder Andre Gubiani, Erick Cristofore Guimaraes, Lawrence Ikeda, Axel Makay Katz, Andre Lincoln Barroso Magalhaes, Luciano Fogaca de Assis Montag, Marluce Aparecida Mattos de Paula Nogueira, Mario Luis Orsi, Felipe Polivanov Ottoni, Carla Simone Pavanelli, Thalles Gomes Peixoto, Ana Cristina Petry, Paulo Santos Pompeu, Telton Pedro Anselmo Ramos, Luis Reginaldo Ribeiro Rodrigues, Jose Sabino, Wagner Martins Santana Sampaio, Vagner Leonardo Macedo dos Santos, Welber Senteio Smith, Guilherme Souza, Livia Helena Tonella, Jean Ricardo Simoes Vitule
Summary: The introduction of non-native species and resulting biological invasions are prominent features of the Anthropocene Epoch. Some initiatives have emphasized the value and protection of invasive populations, but in the context of megadiverse tropical countries, the protection of highly invasive fishes, such as the peacock basses in Brazil, has raised concerns. Legal instruments have been proposed to restrict fishing and other activities to favor the recruitment, growth, colonization, and spread of these invasive species, but they pose significant risks of environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and social conflicts.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Valter M. Azevedo-Santos, Erika M. Shimabukuro, Fernando M. Pelicice, Raoul Henry
Summary: This study investigates the association between Ichthyocladius species and armored catfish in the Guarei River basin, Parana River system, Brazil, and provides the first record of related species.
ANAIS DA ACADEMIA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS
(2022)