Open AccessHost Selection Patterns ofCulex tarsalis(Diptera: Culicidae) at Wetlands Near the Salton Sea, Coachella Valley, California, 1998–2002
Author(s) -
William K. Reisen,
Hugh D. Lothrop,
Tara Thiemann
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of medical entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 1938-2928
pISSN - 0022-2585
DOI - 10.1603/me13078
Subject(s) - biology , wetland , culex , ecology , selection (genetic algorithm) , host (biology) , zoology , larva , artificial intelligence , computer science
The bloodmeal hosts used by Culex tarsalis Coquillett collected along the Salton Sea in Coachella Valley, CA, during 1998-2002 were identified using sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase I gene identified from Barcode of Life database. Overall, 265 (83.3%) of 318 bloodmeals were identified, of which 76.6% fed on birds, 18.1% on mammals, and 5.3% on reptiles. Forty-seven different hosts were identified, none of which comprised > 12.5% of the total. Although Cx. tarsalis exhibits specific host-seeking flight patterns, bloodmeals seemed to be acquired opportunistically, thereby limiting potential arbovirus transmission efficiency in species-rich environments.