Mosquitoes of the Republic of Cuba

QL
536
P34
1914

UC-NRLF

B M

DSb

CU HA

)X AND CHARITIES

DIRP.CTION OF SANITATION

MOSQUITOES

OK THK

REPUBLIC OF CUBA

DR. J. H. PAZOS

HAVANA

Library and Press "LA MODERN A POLSIA"

129-l:?'.» OHIS1H) stieet
1914

MEDICAL SCHOOL

OP* CUBA

DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION AND CHARITIES

DIRECTION OF SANITATION

MOSQUITOES

OP

REPUBLIC OF CUBA

L)R. J. H. IPAZOS

HAVANA

Library and Press "LA MODLRNA POE.5IA"

129-139 OBISPO Street

1914

MOSQUITOES OF THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA

To the Health Department of the Republic of Cuba is due
the appearance at this World's Exposition of the greatest collec-
tion of mosquitoes which in the course of nine years we have been
able to gather and classify, that is, since Medical Entomology
acquired the importance it has to-day in the genesis of infectious
diseases, transmitted by insects,* where blood suckers (diptera)
take an important place by their complicated cibarious parts,
irmoculating germs developed in their interior. The Island of
Cuba, the first in showing this, has created a special Depart-
ment (Sanidad y Bene'ficencia) in charge of a Secretary,
Dr. Enrique Nunez.

It was high time that the world over should recognize Fin-
lay as the discoverer of the trans-mission of the yellow fever
through the proboscis of the female mosquito Stegomyia, thus
rendering the tropical countries as inhabitable as any other
region in the world, and making possible the most daring works
of engineering, such as the Panama Canal, and directing in-
dustry and commerce into places where formerly it was certain
death.

"Up to the present time 45 well-defined species of mosqui-
toes have been found on this Island, as follows:

4 anopheles.

2 megarhinus.

1 bancroftia.

1 psorophora.
14 aedes.

1 aedeomyia.

1 mansonia.
•\ uranotaenia.
8 culex.
1 culisetn.
1 deinoceritos
7 \vyeomyia.
1 cliaoborus.

I'p to 11)02 mosquitoes were scattered throughoul the
world according to Giles (note taken from Theobald) as follows:

Europe — 53 species.

North America and Canada — 36.

Central America — 2.

West Indian Islands— 28.

So-iil h Ameriea ;md Islands — 33.

Mast Afriea and Islands — 6.

South Africa— 0.

North Africa. — 5.

Central Africa — 15.

India.— 49.

Malay Peninsula and Eastern Archipielago — 37.

China & Formosa — 11.

Japan — 5.

Central Asia — 2.

Australia— 29.

New Zealand — 7.

Oceanic Islands, Bermuda, Fiji, Mauritius and Madeira--?.

By the preceding statistics we see that Onba has almost as
many kinds of mosquitoes as Europe and India in proportion to
her size.

It is to he supposed thai a careful investi^alion through-
out all the larvae-breeding places in the Island would dupli-
cate the number of species catalogued to-day.

Out of all the species on the Island there appear 34 in
4he collection of samples.

We feel that we must not proceed without mentioning here
our heartfelt thanks to Drs. L. 0. Howard and Fredk. Knah. to
Prof. Dyar and the entomologist Coquillett, members of the
United States National Museum at Washington (the Smithsonian

5

Institution) who by suggestion of Dr. Howard, classified and
returned to us our mosquitoes. We cannot overlook, either, the
important help given to us in this work by Dr. John Guiteras,
Director of the Bureau of Health, and Mr. J. R. Taylor, Chief
of the Laboratory at Las Animas Hospital, Havana.

We show enlarged photographs of the principal species,
which facilitate the study of same. These microphotographs were
obtained with the obj. 64 m/m focal distance, E. Leitz, and
some have been lantern projections.

Those wishing to fathom the subject of our mosquitoes
more deeply may look <up, among other works, the second vo-
lume of SANIDAD Y BENEFICENCIA, 1909, official organ of the
Health Department of the Republic of Cuba.

We give herewith only a brief extract of a few species, other-
wise we might give these notes undue extension, when their
special object is to serve as a guide for the study of the
collection, which is preceded by the catalogue of the mosquitoes
of the Republic of Cuba, the species of which are as follows :

Anopheles albimanu-s, Wiedeman.

„ vestitipennis, Dyar & Knab.
„ grabhamii, Theobald.
„ crucians, Wiedemaii.
Megarhinus haemorrhoidalis, Fabricius.

„ portoricensis, von Roder?

Bancroftia persephasa, Dyar & Knab.
Psorophora howardii, Coquillett.
Aedes sayi, Dyar & Knab.
„ pazosi, Dyar & Knab.
„ schwarzi, Dyar & Knab.
pertinax, Grabharn.
jamaicensis, Theobald.
„ pigmeus, Theobald, -f
„ sollicitans, Walker.
„ bracteatus, Coquillett.
„ condolescens, Dyar & Knab.
„ scapularis, Rondani.
„ mediovittata, Goquillett.

6

Aedes niger, Giles.

„ plutoeraticus, Dyer & Knab.
„ calopus, Mi'igen (Stegomyia)
Aedeomyia squamipennis, Lynch-Arribalzaga.
Mansonia titillans, Walker.
I'ranotaenia saphirinus, Osten-Sacken. -f-
Uranotaenia social is Theobald.

„ lowii, Theobald.

Culex cubensis, Bigot.

„ similis, Theobald.

„ innobilis.

„ bisulcatus, Coquillett.

„ corniger, Theobald.

,, agitator, Dyar & Knab. -f-

,, falsificator, Dyar & Knab. +

„ invocator, Dyar & Knab. -j-

Culiseta inornatus, Williston.
Deinocerites cancer, Theobald.
Wyeomyia conchita, Dyar & Knab.
„ mitchellii, Theobald.

„ argyrura, Dyar & Knab. -j-

„ sororcula, Dyar & Knab.

„ antoinetta, Dyar & Knab.

„ minor, Dyar & Knab. -f

„ violescens, Dyar & Knab.

ChaoboriivS antillnm, Dyar & Knab. -f-
Anopheles albimanus, Wiedeman. — A mosquito of a brown-
ish color, wings spotted on their costal edges. Characteristic
feature of hind legs, third pair, first tarsus, distal half, pure
white, second and third pure white also ; and the fourth white
with black basal band. It stings during the hours of twilight
about a metre high from the floor, even through thick clothing.
It stands at an angle of 45 degrees, deposits its larvae in swampy
ground or in slowly running water. In the Ariguanabo lagoon
they are very abundant.

Note. — The species marked with a cross are missing in the
collection.

Dr. Aristides Agramonte, was tlie first to successfully prove
in 1900 in Havana, the malarial infection from the anopheles
albimanus.

Geographic distribution: Havana, Drs. Agramonte, Guite-
ras and Mr. J. R. Taylor.— San Antonio de los Banos, Mangas,
San Cristobal, Dr. Pazos.— Guadiana, Guanes y Guanimar, Drs.

Naranjo y Pazos (August. 1909). — Jamaica, English Guiana,
Rio Janeiro and India, Drs. Grabham, Rowland, Lutz and Giles.

Anopheles vestitipennis, Dyar & Knab.

A mosquito of gray feet, finely spotted with gray by reflec-
tion. It has no white rings. Wings spotted in different directions.
Abundant in the Ariguanabo. The 'first specimen captured was
in the swamps near Guanimar.

Anopheles grabhamii, Theobald.

The characteristic feature of this mosquito consists in its
circular scales on the wings. Formerly it was incorrectly called
ciclolepteron instead of cidolepidopteron. Its habits differ little
from others of its kind. The first student in Cuba to capture
this anopheles was Mr. Taylor, of <Las Animas Hospital, Havana.

8

1 -itlnlcn cnu-ians, Wiedeman.

Very imu-h like the albimanus, only that the rings on the
feet are not white. It is found all over the Island.

Mi iiarh inus IKK m&rrhoidatis, Fabricius.

"N.° 271. —Magnificent metallic green culex, red anus
hairs, iron gm-nish thorax. The female has not the hairs." Fe-

A

lipe Poey. This mosquito is very rare; we have not succeded in
capturing it. Its larvae, as large as those of the psorophora, are
probably found in the curujeyes in the woods of Central Cuba.

Megarhinus portoricensis, von Kodcr. ?

Dr. L. 0. Howard tells us that this species is rare, that
he has seen but one specimen, in bad condition, to be properly

classified, and that its larvae will probably be found in the hoi
low of the trees in the woods.

Bancroftia pcrsephasa, Dyar & Knab.

Only one specimen has been captured here, in S«an Anto-
nio de los Banos. Type N.° 12,118, U. S. N. M., Washington.

Psoroph o ra // o wa rdii, C or 1 1 1 i 1 1 et t .

It is the largest mosquito in Cuba. Its bite is not painful
(Taylor). Generally caught in a state of larvae in quarries. One
was caught on the fly in Candelaria by Mr. Patricio Cardin.

Aedes sayi, Dyar & Knab.

Captured in San Cristobal, on the river bank.
Aedes pazosi, Dyar & Knab.

Captured in the river bank in San Cristobal, Western Cuba.
Aedes scliuarzi, Dyar & Knab.

A sanguinary day mosquito, captured in a lagoon in San
Cristobal near the Railway Station ; grayish black, having one-
third of the third segment of the hind legs pure white.

10

Aedes pertinax, Grabhain.

A day mosquito of this locality.

^T

' I.' '

11

Aedes janwvicensis, Theobald.

The common mosquito of the fields, sanguinary, day, eve-
ning and night. The larvae live in pools and cart ruts on the
public roads, abundant all the year, feet ringed of yellowish
gray, black proboscis with basal third, lighter.

Aedes pigmeus, Theobald.

Captured by Mr. Gros, assistant in the Las Animas Hospi-
tal Laboratory.

Aedes solliciians, Walker.

A mosquito of the sea coast. Special features proboscis
with yellow band, gold-dark thorax, feet with white bands, and
more especially, the yellow middle line of scales in the abdomen.
—Taylor.

Aedes bract eat us, Ooquillett.

Captured in San Antonio de los Bafios, 1909. Also in the
Isle of Pines.

Aedes condolescem, Dyar & Knab.
•Captured in this city.

Aedes scupidforis, Rondani.

t

Easily distinguished from other mosquiteos, even on the
wing, on account of the large silvered area in the upper front
section of the thorax. It abooinds in this locality, as also in
other parts of Cuba. It lias been captured by IVTr. Taylor.

Aedes med/iovittata, C'oquillett.

Very similar to our stegomyia, only instead of a lyre in the
thorax it presents a gilt line. It might be called our rural
stegomyia, abundant in this locality in the month of September.
It has been caught in the hills of San Cristobal, Piriar del Rio
Province.

12

13

Aedes niger, Giles.

Principal characteristics: proboscis with white band,
abdomen witli white basal bands, and feet with bands of same
color. Like the culex sollicitans it is a sea coast mosquito. It flies
on deck when boats tie up at Jucaro, Isle of Pines, in large
quantities in the early morning. Once we caught a specimen in
a tank in Ceiba del Agua. Very common in the Isle of Pines
in July, and on the North and South coast in 'Western Cuba.

x plutocraticus, Dyar & Knab.
Very scarce in this city.

Stegomyia calopus, Meigen. ( Aides, according to Dyar& Knab)

A mosquito easily distinguished, both sexes having a silver
lyre of two strings on its back. It is the yellow fever transmitter.
A town mosquito breeding its larvae in rain water barrels.
Abundant throughout the year ; and to this same abundance in
the towns is due in part the success of the Health Department
of Cuba in banishing yellow fever from the Island, endemic in
Colonial times. It may live captive for 145 days (Dr. Guiteras.)

Acdc omyia squamipennis, Lynch-Arribalzaga.

Wing scales very similar to those of the mansonia titillans.
Abundant on the banks of the Ariguanabo river,

14

Mansonia titillans, Walker.

Easily recognized, it being the first to come to sting us on
the banks of our rivers. Feet ringed with very light white and

15

cream, proboscis with a small white ring at the union of the
front third with the two basal or hind thirds, black eyes, the
extremity of the abdomen as if truncated. Its sting is painful.
The specimens of this kind in other localities are transmitters
of the filaria banorofti, as in Zambesi, Lake Nyassa (Africa),
1o the -scholar R. Blanc-hard.

saphirinus, Osten-Sacken.

Rather rare in this city. Osten-Sacken's diagnosis is the
following: "Fuscus; fronte, thoracis linea media et pleurarum
strips cyaneo-micantibus; pedibusnigris, coxis, femorumque ba-
si pallida ; femoTtum tiarum que extreme aipice supreme niveis".
Its length is 2.5 mm. Also found in the United States.

I'm-nota-cnid- social is, Theobald.

A mosquito captured by Mr. E. Gros, assistant Las Ani-

mus Hospital.

Uranotaenia lowii, Theobald.

A very SHIM II mosquito caught on the fiy. Mr. J. R. Taylor
has succeeded in getting the larvae until now unknown. The
main in this species is that both sexes have the pal par very
short, and the tarsus of the hind legs white.

Culex corniger, Theobald.

The general color of this mosquito is light gray in both
sexes. We are not familiar with the biology of this insect. The
samples we have examined have been sent to us by the National
Department of Agriculture. We have not been able to catch it.

Culcx similis, Theobald.

This mosquito is very similar to the cubensis, erroneously
known formerly by nigritulus. It is smaller than the cubensis,
the abdominal bands not so clear.

Ill

Culcjr citbmsis, Bigot.

This mosquito appears in the cities in day time, and strange
enough, it stings in the afternoon. The thorax is yellowish gray,
like iron, abdomen ringed with cream bands, basal, circular
form, lower part of abdomen cream white. The male flies over
the heads of persons standing and wearing a black hat.

This mosquito was the first to serve Dr. Mario Lebredo to
repeat the work of Manson, of England, in regard to fihirh!

infection, which he proved in the Medical Congress of 1905,
exhibiting wonderful preparations which are microphotographed,
showing the filaria in the interior of the mosquito. It is, there-
fore, the transmitter of the filaria in Cuba.

Culex innobilis, Dyar & Knab.

A mosquito found in the rural zone of San Antonio de los
Bafios, by the river. General color light gray above, much lighter
underneath, the thorax a little lighter than the rest of the body.

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Culex bisulcatus, Coquillet.

Upper part of thorax yellowish gray, and faintly marked
with three longitudinal lines over whole thorax, gray pleuras,
much lighter than the rest of the mesothorax, a greenish color

is seen by transpearance in its upper part. 'The larvae are found
in the curujey. — Bromelaceas.

Culex agitator, Dyar & Knab.

It inhabits the woods of the Ariguianabo river.

Culex falsificator, Dyar & Knab.

"Proboscis black, enlarged toward the apex. Occiput clothed
with broad, flat, bronzy-scales, a small area of narrow, curved
ones behind. Abdomen dull black above, with transverse, basal
segmental, dull white band beneath, yellowish scaled ; the apices
of the segments marked with indistinct pale brown bands. Wings
with the scales narrowly ovate on the second to fourth veins
outwardly. Legs black seven specimens, Havana, Cuba, February
15, 1904.—J. R. Taylor."

Type N.o 12,108, U. S. N. M.

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( 'a I ex invocator, Dyar & Knab.

We know nothing of the biology of this mosquito. It may
be captured in this city.

Culixcta hionwhis, Williston,

"Ailes a nervures transverses caracteristiques, la sunm-
meraire plus pres do la base de 1'aile que la nioyeiinc, la post»'-
rieure plus longe que la moyenne et tout pres d'elle. Pattes
brim jaunatn*. inu1 tAcho ehiirc au .u't-iiou. — K. Blanchard ".— •
Captured in Havana by Mr. E. Gros.

Dein-ocerites cancer, Theobald.

The larvae, live in crab holes containing salt water. They
abound in Mariel. It is found among the mangrove trees. The
antennae are so large that they resemble, when flying, a spider

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with distended feet. A 'very appropriate remark of Mr. Taylor.
Its general color is dark brown. It has no colored rings.

\Y y fo mi'i co n chit a, Dyar & Knab.

Its larvae are found in tin; ci'n'jcij, as are also the follow-
ing species which offer but vslight differentials: W. mitchelli,
I). &. W. arnyrura, D. &. K., W. sororcula, D. &. K., W. antoi-
netta, D. & K., W. violescens, D. & K., and.

dutoborU(S

i, Knab. (A new species).

•The Academy of Sciences of Havana has been duly advised
of the discovery of this species. It is found in this city.

Dr. Jose E. Pazos, San Antonio de los Banos. — Pinar del
Rio, Province. — Republic of Cuba. — September 11, 1914.

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