Journal of Medical Entomology (2018) 55, 69-77

Carlos Yañez-Arenas, Rodolfo Rioja-Nieto, Gerardo A. Martín, Felipe Dzul-Manzanilla, Xavier Chiappa-Carrara, Aura Buenfil-Avila, Pablo Manrique-Saide, Fabián Correa-Morales, José Alberto Díaz-Quiñónez, Crescencio Pérez-Rentería, José Ordoñez-Alvarez, Gonzalo Vazquez-Prokopec and Herón Huerta (2018)
Characterizing environmental suitability of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Mexico based on regional and global niche models
Journal of Medical Entomology 55 (1), 69-77
Abstract: The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae), is an invasive species and a vector of numerous human pathogens, including chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever, and Zika viruses. This mosquito had been reported from 36 geographic locations in Mexico by 2005, increasing to 101 locations by 2010 and 501 locations (spanning 16 states) by 2016. Here we modeled the occupied niche for Ae. albopictus in Mexico to characterize the environmental conditions related to its presence, and to generate updated environmental suitability maps. The predictors with the greatest contribution to characterizing the occupied niche for Ae. albopictus were NDVI and annual mean temperature. We also estimated the environmental suitability for Ae. albopictus in regions of the country where it has not been documented yet, by means of: 1) transferring its occupied niche model to these regions and 2) modeling its fundamental niche using global data. Our models will help vector control and public health institutions to identify areas where Ae. albopictus has not yet been recorded but where it may be present. We emphasize that most of Mexico has environmental conditions that potentially allow the survival of Ae. albopictus, which underscores the need for systematic mosquito monitoring in all states of the country.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Aedes albopictus		Mexico