First report of Culex (Culex) camposi Dyar, 1925 and Culex (Carrollia) bonnei Dyar, 1921 via male genitalia and CoxI barcoding sequence analyses in Huanuco, Peru

Abstract

Abstract Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) pose a significant threat to public health worldwide, especially in tropical and subtropical regions, where they act as primary vectors in transmission of infectious agents. In Peru, where 182 culicid species have been identified, several species of the genus Culex are known to transmit arboviruses. However, knowledge of the diversity and distribution of mosquitoes remains limited, with many studies focusing on specific regions only. This study reports the presence of two mosquito species in Peru: ex-larvae Culex (Culex) camposi Dyar, 1925 and Cx. (Carrollia) bonnei Dyar, 1921, identified through larval collections and molecular analyses. In total, 10 mosquitoes (8 males and 2 females) were analyzed, the dissection of the genitalia of the 8 male specimens allowed the identification of the species Cx. camposi and Cx. bonnei. A total of 10 partial sequences of the CoxI gene corresponding to these two species were obtained. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the sequences of Cx. camposi formed the same monophyletic clade with sequences from species of the Coronator complex, in addition to presenting a divergence of less than 2%, while Cx. bonnei, formed in a monophyletic clade, with > 2% divergence with sequences from other species corresponding to the subgenus Carrollia. This study underscores the importance of continued efforts to study the diversity and distribution of mosquitoes in Peru, including their potential role as vectors of human pathogens, to underpin effective disease control and prevention strategies.