First record of Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) in Alberta: Expanding distributions and ecotype patterns in a western Canadian province
Culex pipiens is an invasive mosquito found in temperate regions globally. It is considered among the most important disease vectors worldwide and is responsible for transmission of a range of pathogens, including West Nile virus, avian malaria, Saint Louis encephalitis, and filarial worms. Throughout its northern temperate range, this mosquito is found in two ecotypes: form pipiens and form molestus. In Canada, this mosquito was previously thought restricted to the Pacific coast of British Columbia and the eastern provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes. Through routine mosquito surveillance and targeted trapping for Cx. pipiens, we detected this mosquito in two Albertan municipalities earlier than suggested by species distribution modelling based on climate change data. We confirmed the identity of putative Cx. pipiens specimens using DNA sequencing and found that form pipiens was the most common ecotype found in Alberta. Further, we compared the frequency of ecotypes in Alberta to elsewhere in North America and found a general trend of increased form pipiens in more northern latitudes, similar to previously reported results. We discuss our findings in context of vector-borne disease activity in Canada, particularly West Nile virus.