Bioecological patterns and vertical stratification of Wyeomyia (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes in Atlantic Forest remnants in southeastern Brazil.

Mosquitoes of the genus Wyeomyia are common components of Neotropical Forest ecosystems, yet their bioecological patterns and vertical distribution remain poorly understood. Some species of this genus have already been found naturally infected with arboviruses, and in areas of the Atlantic Forest in the Serra do Mar mountain range and coastal plain, where large flows of tourists are recorded in the summer and where there has been an increase in the resident population in recent years, these species can be abundant. This study investigated species richness, composition, and vertical stratification of Wyeomyia mosquitoes in two Atlantic Forest remnants in southeastern Brazil. Adult mosquitoes were sampled with CDC light traps installed at ground level and in the forest canopy, while immature stages were collected in phytotelmata. A total of 4,073 specimens belonging to 23 species of Wyeomyia were collected. Wyeomyia (Prosopolepis) confusa (Lutz, 1905) dominated the adult assemblages, accounting for about 70% of the total. Species composition differed markedly between environments and vertical strata, and beta diversity was driven primarily by species turnover. Notably, immature stages of Wy. confusa were not detected in the most preserved forest fragment. These findings indicate variation in vertical structuring and spatial heterogeneity in Wyeomyia assemblages and will help to elucidate forest mosquito ecology.