Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association (2012) 28, S127-S136

Goudarz Molaei, Shaoming Huang and Theodore G. Andreadis (2012)
Vector-host interactions of Culex pipiens complex in northeastern and southwestern USA
Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 28 (4s), S127-S136
Abstract: Studies on the vector-host interactions of Culex pipiens complex mosquitoes by sequencing portions of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene indicate that Cx. p. pipiens f. pipiens predominantly feed on avian hosts (93.1%), and focus feeding activity on several key bird species, in particular the American robin, the gray catbird, and the house sparrow in Connecticut. However, Cx. p. quinquefasciatus indiscriminately feed on both birds and mammals. Culex p. quinquefasciatus in Harris County - Texas and southern California acquired 39.1% and 88.2% of bloodmeals from birds, respectively. Mammalian-derived bloodmeals constituted 52.5% and 9.6% in the two regions, respectively. The most frequent avian hosts for this mosquito species in the southwestern U.S. were the mourning dove, the white-winged dove, the house sparrow and the house finch. Humans infrequently served as the source of bloodmeals for Cx. p. pipiens and Cx. p. quinquefasciatus. Microsatellite analysis of mosquitoes from Chicago, Illinois showed that Cx. p. pipiens f. pipiens with mammalian- derived bloodmeals had significantly higher ancestry and proportion of hybrids from Cx. p. pipiens f. molestus than did those with avian-derived bloodmeals.
(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): Goudarz Molaei, Theodore G. Andreadis

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Culex quinquefasciatus		U.S.A. (SW)
	Culex quinquefasciatus		U.S.A. (mid S)
	Culex pipiens		U.S.A. (SW)
	Culex pipiens		U.S.A. (mid N)
	Culex pipiens		U.S.A. (NE)