Culex mosquitoes in a French Guiana zoo: insights on species diversity, feeding habits, and parasitic associations

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Abstract Background French Guiana is home to one of the highest mosquito diversities in the world, with currently 242 species recorded, nearly half of them belonging to the genus Culex. These mosquitoes include vectors of human parasites and viruses, some of which are of significant public health concern. Understanding the host preferences of female Culex mosquitoes is essential but knowledge is still limited. The Zoo of French Guiana was chosen as an experimental site for its constant availability of diverse captive animals and a potential sentinel role for monitoring infectious diseases. Methods Between February 2018 and January 2019, 7892 adult mosquitoes were collected from 42 potential resting sites using manual aspiration. Blood-fed Culex accounted for 81% of the total number of blood-fed mosquitoes. Of these, 510 Culex female specimens were identified to species level by DNA barcoding, and their blood meals and parasites were analyzed using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Results In total, 27 Culex species were identified at the zoo, and their blood meals revealed a broad range of vertebrate hosts, with relatively few being human. Culex eastor and Culex vaxus were the two most common species, feeding mainly on Tapirus terrestris and Iguana iguana, respectively. In addition, 60% of the mosquito species were infected with blood parasites, either known or novel (haemosporidian and kinetoplastid parasites). Conclusions This study provides baseline insights into the diversity, the host associations, and the parasite communities of Culex mosquitoes in French Guiana. The zoo appears to be a valuable sentinel site, with mosquitoes feeding on a wide range of vertebrates, providing a foundation for future monitoring and research on mosquito–host–pathogen interactions. Graphical Abstract

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