Journal
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
Volume 59, Issue 5, Pages 1636-1645Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC
DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjac102
Keywords
invasive species; vector ecology; mosquito
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The distribution patterns of the two mosquito species in Argentina are influenced by larval competition for food, with Ae. albopictus' survival negatively affected by the presence of Ae. aegypti. This may explain the coexistence pattern in rural regions of South America. Ae. aegypti may act as a biotic barrier for the expansion of Ae. albopictus, as observed in some regions of the United States.
Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) are worldwide vectors of dengue and yellow fever viruses. These species coexist in many countries and the biotic interactions between them can influence their abundances and distributions. In Argentina, Ae. aegypti is widely distributed in the north and center regions of the country, with temperate and subtropical climate, while both are sympatric only in the northeastern area of the subtropical region. Interspecific and intraspecific larval competition for food was evaluated to assess if their interaction influences on patterns of abundance and distribution. Finite rates of increase and survivorship for each species were estimated and the effects of mosquito density ratio and detritus availability were determined. The Lambda (lambda ') index of population performance of both showed there is no competitive exclusion pattern. However, survival of Ae. albopictus was negatively affected by the presence of Ae. aegypti. These results suggest one possible explanation for the codominance pattern of both species display in rural regions of the southernmost distribution of Ae. albopictus in South America. They also show Ae. aegypti as a potential biotic barrier for the expansion of Ae. albopictus as was reported in regions of the United States.
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