Brief/Short Communication: New Record of Culex Poicilipes from Saudi Arabia (Jazan Region)

This record represents the first report for adult Culex poicilipes from Saudi Arabia (a farm near Albahir village of Sabya Governate, Jazan region southwest of Saudi Arabia, N: 42.58810, E:17.121738) was noted. This was occurred during a routine surveillance for adult mosquitoes in February 2021 carried out by Sabya vector control station and the laboratory of vector-borne diseases, Saudi Public Health Authority. With this new record, the number of Culex mosquito species known to occur in Jazan region increases to 19 while for Saudi Arabia to 20. Similarly, the total number of mosquito species known to occur in Saudi Arabia increases to 50.This record necessitates conducting more researches on the biology and bionomics of Culex poicilipes under local conditions, as well as complementing the morphological identification with molecular characterizations and gene diversity. The possible role of the species in pathogens transmission, especially West Nile and Rift Valley fever viruses, should also be investigated.


Introduction
Mosquito fauna of Saudi Arabia have been widely studied by many authors. These studies were summarized and updated in a list published by Alahmad et al., (2019) containing forty-nine mosquito species definitely known to occur in the country (18 Anophelines and 31 Culicines).
Mosquito-borne diseases in Saudi Arabia including dengue fever, malaria, Rift Valley fever and microfilariae, cause diseases in the KSA (Alhaeli et al., 2016;Samy et al., 2017;Hotez et al., 2012). Correct identification of vector species and knowledge of their distributions and biology in a specific geographical area are crucial requirements for disease epidemiology and control.
It is highly required to have adequate information about mosquito species and their geographical distribution in a certain area to determine the risk of relevant disease transmission.
In general, Culex mosquitoes are proven or suspected vectors of variety of Encephalitis, West Nile, and Rift Valley fever viruses, and Microfilariae (Michael, 2012;Irish et al., 2018). Similarly, Culex poicilipes is a known vector of West Nile and Rift Valley fever viruses in west Africa especially Senegal and Mauritania (Diallo et al., 2005). The aim of this brief communication is to record Culex poicilipes from Saudi Arabia for the time.

Study Area:
Jazan area is about 11670 km2, lies between 16°-12, and 18°-25, latitude north, and located in the subtropical zone, south-western of Saudi Arabia, with a coastal boundary of 250 km along the Red Sea and a 120 km border with the Republic of Yemen ( Figure. 1). This region includes over 3000 villages scattered along the area, and about 100 islands located in the Red Sea, including the Farasan islands. It is surrounded by the Red Sea from the west and by Arabic Republic of Yemen from the south and east and Asir region from the north, with a total area of about 22,000 km2 and 1.6 million population [Alsheikh (2011); GASTAT 2017: https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/5655].

Collection and Identification of Mosquitoes
Studied specimens of adult mosquito species were caught in the field using Blackhole light trap (BioTrap, Seoul, Korea, http://www.bio-trap.com) installed in a farm near Albahir village of Sabya Governate, Jazan region southwest of Saudi Arabia (N: 42.58810 E:17.121738,). This was done during a routine surveillance of adult mosquitoes in February 2021 carried out by Sabya vector control station. Mosquito specimens were then brough to the Public Health Authority (laboratory of vector-borne diseases) for morphological identification. Pictorial keys by (Harbach, 1985), Glick (1992), and Azari-Hamidian & Harbach (2009) were used in mosquito species identification.

Discussion
In this study, Cx. poicilipes species was recorded for the first time from southwest of Saudi Arabia, Sabya Governate. The other mosquito species identified in this study, namely; Anopheles arabiensis, Aedes aegypti, Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Culex pipens, and Culex quinquefasciatus (Table 1) are known potential vectors of diseases in the region and the kingdom; malaria, dengue, Rift Valley Fever, and lymphatic filariasis, respectively. The adults of Cx. poicilipes are dark, large mosquito species with attractive rows of speckled (pale spots) along its femora and tibiae. It has also a distinct median pale band on its proboscis ( Figure 2) (WRBU, 2021).
Immature stages of Cx. poicilipes were found in swamps, marshy depressions near rivers, clean fresh water sites, mature rice fields, and lakes with abundant floating vegetation. In Egypt, the bionomics studies revealed that the adult female of Cx. poicilipes was found to be highly anthropophilic and enters houses to feed. while in Journal of Environment and Earth Science www.iiste.org ISSN 2224-3216 (Paper) ISSN 2225-0948 (Online) Vol.11, No.4, 2021 South Africa, it could feed on arboreal fauna. Cx. poicilipes is regarded as primarily ornithophilic In Kenya, whereas in Senegal its feeding habits are opportunistic and can feed on goats, sheep, cattle, chickens and mammals.
The record of Cx. poicilipes for the first time in Saudi Arabia necessitates conducting more researches on its biology and bionomics under local conditions, as well as complementing the morphological identification with molecular characterizations and gene diversity.

Conclusion
This study recorded Cx. poicilipes for the first time from Saudi Arabia, Jazan region. With this new record, the number of Culex mosquito species for Jazan region increases to 19 while for Saudi Arabia to 20. Similarly, the total number of mosquito species known to occur in Saudi Arabia increases to 50.
This finding should draw the attention of the vector surveillance and control programs in Jazan region to detect more adults and immature stages of Cx. poicilipes from the region areas and study their possible role in pathogens transmission, in particular Rift Valley and West Nile viruses.

Recommendations
1. To complement this morphological identification of Cx. poicilipes with its molecular characteristics. 2. To survey for immature stages of Cx. poicilipes in Jazan region, especially Sabya Governate. 3. To explore the role of this species in pathogens transmission in Saudi Arabia especially RVF and West Nile viruses, as it is the main vector of RVF in west Africa (Senegal and Mauritania).