Invasive Aedes (Fredwardsius) vittatus reaches Continental America

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Chan-Chable , César R. Rodríguez-Luna , Román Espinal-Palomino , View ORCID Profile Carlos N. Ibarra-Cerdeña doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.10.29.684036 Rahuel J. Chan-Chable 1 Human Ecology Department, Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Mérida Unit. Mérida , Yucatán, México (DSc.) Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Rahuel J. Chan-Chable César R. Rodríguez-Luna 1 Human Ecology Department, Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Mérida Unit. Mérida , Yucatán, México (DSc.) Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Román Espinal-Palomino 1 Human Ecology Department, Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Mérida Unit. Mérida , Yucatán, México (M.Sc.) Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Carlos N. Ibarra-Cerdeña 1 Human Ecology Department, Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Mérida Unit. Mérida , Yucatán, México (DSc.) Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Carlos N. Ibarra-Cerdeña For correspondence: cibarra{at}cinvestav.mx Abstract Full Text Info/History Metrics Supplementary material Preview PDF Abstract We report the first population of Aedes ( Fredwardsius ) vittatus in continental America, detected in Yucatán, Mexico. Phylogenetic analysis clustered the Mexican sequence with Caribbean lineages (posterior probability 0.8–0.9), suggesting introduction via the Caribbean. Given its arbovirus competence, urgent inclusion in surveillance programs is warranted. Mosquito-borne arboviruses such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever have expanded dramatically over the past five decades, driven by urbanization, globalization, and human mobility ( 1 ). Dengue and chikungunya alone now cause more than 50 million infections annually, reflecting a thirty-fold increase linked to demographic and ecological change ( 2 ). While Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus remain the primary invasive vectors under surveillance and control, other species of epidemiological relevance are gaining increased attention as potential emerging threats ( 3 ). Aedes (Fredwardsius) vittatus (Bigot, 1861) is one such mosquito, notable for its expanding range and proven arboviral vector competence ( 4 ). Described from Corsica, France ( 5 ), Ae. vittatus is now distributed across Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia, with sporadic detections in southern Europe and the Caribbean. The species is highly adaptable, breeding in both natural and artificial containers, and thrives in sylvatic, rural, agricultural, and peri-urban environments ( 6 ). Laboratory and field studies confirm its ability to transmit dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever viruses, with additional potential for Japanese encephalitis and West Nile ( 7 ). Its recent detection in continental America, specifically in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, highlights both its ecological plasticity and the urgent need to investigate introduction pathways and its potential role in arboviral transmission. During entomological surveillance in August–September 2025, we collected 67 adult Aedes (Fredwardsius) vittatus in traditional Mayan cornfield (milpa) (Appendix figure 1 ) on the outskirts in the municipalities of Mama and Teabo, Yucatán, Mexico ( Table 1 ; Figure 1A ). Adults were aspirated as they attempted to bite field personnel ( Figure 1B ; Table 1 ) Both sexes were present ( Figure 1C-D ), supporting evidence of local reproduction and establishment in rural agricultural environments. Specimens were morphologically identified using standard taxonomic keys ( 4 , 5 ), and vouchers were deposited in the Arthropod Collection (ECO-CH-AR), ECOSUR, Chetumal Unit. Ae. vittatus can be distinguished from other Aedes species by its dark proboscis with pale yellowish scales, small bilateral patches of white scales on the clypeus, three pairs of narrow white patches on the anterior scutum, a short maxillary palp with apical white scaling, and a distinct white patch at the midpoint of the third tibia ( Figure 1C-F ). View this table: View inline View popup Download powerpoint Table 1. Collection records of Aedes ( Fredwardsius ) vittatus in the Yucatan Peninsula, southeastern Mexico, documented in this study. Download figure Open in new tab Figure 1. First confirmed population of Aedes (Fredwardsius) vittatus in continental America, Yucatán, Mexico. (A) Records of Ae. vittatus in the Yucatán Peninsula, showing the present study (white circles) and a previously reported specimen (gray circle; Tzuc-Dzul et al., preprint), overlaid on the Global Human Modification Index (GHMI; 0.09 km 2 resolution). GHMI values range from 0 (unmodified) to 1 (completely modified). Gray lines indicate main federal and state roads. (B) Field observation of female Ae. vittatus landing on field staff in Mama, Yucatán, (C– F) Morphological characteristics of specimens of Ae. vittatus : (C) male lateral view, (D) female lateral view, (E) scutum with narrow white scale patches, (F) lateral view of abdomen. (G) Bayesian phylogenetic tree of COI sequences showing the placement of the Mexican specimen (bold, highlighted) within the American–Caribbean clade, clustering with sequences from the Dominican Republic and Cuba. Posterior probabilities are shown at nodes. Scale bars: C, D = 1 mm; E, F = 0.5 mm. To confirm species identity, we sequenced a fragment of the mitochondrial COX1 gene from Aedes (Fredwardsius) vittatus collected in Yucatán, Mexico (genebank accession number PX418072 ), and analyzed it with global reference sequences. Bayesian phylogenetic inference placed the Mexican specimens within the American–Caribbean lineage, clustering with sequences from Cuba and the Dominican Republic ( Figure 1G ). Although the invasion history of Ae. vittatus is only beginning to unfold, this regional pattern resembles the early stages of Aedes aegypti expansion, for which the Caribbean acted as a bridgehead before dispersal into the Americas and beyond ( 8 ). While posterior support for the American Ae. vittatus subclade was moderate (0.8–0.9), the overall tree was well resolved, strengthening confidence in this inference. The case of Ae. aegypti illustrates how the Caribbean can serve as an intermediate launch point for Old World mosquitoes, underscoring the importance of acting now to monitor Ae. vittatus and prevent its wider establishment as a new invasive vector in the Americas. We also characterized the ecological context using the Global Human Modification Index (GHMI; https://gdra-tnc.org/current/ ). High GHMI scores in the Yucatán Peninsula reflect intense land-use change from urbanization, agriculture, and infrastructure projects, highlighting conditions favorable for mosquito establishment and spread ( Figure 1A ). As a flat landmass with few natural biogeographic barriers, the peninsula provides little resistance to dispersal of habitat-tolerant invasive species. Studies of Aedes aegypti have shown that flat, highly connected regions with dense human activity enhance mosquito gene flow and facilitate spread ( 9 ). By analogy, regions where Aedes (Fredwardsius) vittatus is now reported—including the Yucatán Peninsula—present similar ecological and sociological conditions that may accelerate its population increase and dispersal, reinforcing the urgency of monitoring this emerging invasive species. The detection of Aedes (Fredwardsius) vittatus in southeastern Mexico highlights the potential emergence of a new arbovirus vector in the Americas. The Yucatán Peninsula is undergoing profound anthropogenic change, where deforestation, agricultural expansion, and large-scale infrastructure projects such as the Tren Maya ( 10 ) are rapidly reshaping landscapes. Beyond their economic and social goals, such megaprojects can intensify ecosystem degradation, reduce ecological barriers, and enhance human connectivity, thereby creating ideal conditions for the establishment and spread of invasive mosquitoes. These dynamics underscore the need to integrate health considerations into land-use planning, recognizing that environmental transformation can amplify the risk of vector-borne diseases. Including Ae. vittatus in regional surveillance and control programs will be essential to anticipate its spread and mitigate future public health impacts. About the Author Dr. Chan-Chablé is a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Research and Advanced Studies, Mérida Unit, Mexico. His research focuses on the natural history, taxonomy, and ecology of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) and other arthropods of public health importance in the Yucatán Peninsula. Acknowledgments We thank Fernando Chan-Poot for assistance with fieldwork and Humberto Bahena-Basave for photographing Aedes vittatus . We are also grateful to Marysol Trujano Ortega and Noemí Salas Suárez for their support with entomological laboratory materials at the ECOSUR Zoology Museum. 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Front Environ Sci . 2025 ; 13 : 1587777 . doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2025.1587777 OpenUrl CrossRef View the discussion thread. Back to top Previous Next Posted October 31, 2025. Download PDF Supplementary Material Email Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv. NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article. Your Email * Your Name * Send To * Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas. You are going to email the following Invasive Aedes (Fredwardsius) vittatus reaches Continental America Message Subject (Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from bioRxiv Message Body (Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the bioRxiv website. Your Personal Message CAPTCHA This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. Share Invasive Aedes (Fredwardsius) vittatus reaches Continental America Rahuel J. Chan-Chable , César R. 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