First national record of Aedes melanimon (Diptera: Culicidae) in Mexico

ABSTRACT

Aedes (Ochlerotatus) melanimon Dyar 1924 has been considered an important pest in agricultural and rural communities. Aedes melanimon is a vector of WEEV and CEV and is a competent laboratory vector of WNV. The known range of Ae. melanimon extends throughout Southwest Canada, part of Central and most of Western USA. Here we report the first record of Ae. melanimon in Mexico, at Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. The collect represents the southernmost distributional record for this species. Its indigenous presence in a highly urbanized and dry area was not expected. A permanent surveillance program to detect and determine the species in border-crossing cities is encouraged.