MOSQUITOES (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) OF THE SPENCER GULF COAST OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Mosquitoes are responsible for both nuisance biting and arbovirus transmission along the Spencer Gulf coast of South Australia. Mosquito community sampling, comprising both adult and immature stage collections, was performed at Port Broughton, Port Pirie, Cowell and Whyalla from 1997-2008. Eleven species were represented in the nearly 24,000 mosquitoes collected in these studies, with the saline water breeding Aedes camptorhynchus Thomson and Aedes vigilax (Skuse) predominant. The most likely vectors of arboviruses and sources of mosquito nuisance in the region have been identified as salt marsh breeding species, thereby providing the focus for future mosquito control efforts.