Biological collections are of extreme importance in acquiring knowledge of the biodiversity of a specific environment. In this article, we organise, list and catalogue the adult specimens belonging to the family Culicidae housed in the Parasitology Collection of the Basic Pathology Department at the Federal University of Paraná, southern Brazil. To this end, a data bank was created, containing information on the taxonomy and collecting of each sample. The culicids were collected using different methodologies in 18 municipalities in the state of Paraná, between 1967 and 1999. There are 5,739 catalogued specimens of which 4,704 (81.96%) are identified at a specific level, with a diversity of 205 species. Of these, 18 are new recorded samples for the state of Paraná and 3 for Brazil. This being the case, we propose, in honour of the 30 years dedicated to the study of culicids in the state of Paraná, the creation of the Ana Leuch Lozovei Entomological Collection, which is composed of insect vectors or potential vectors, of agents that cause diseases in humans.nbsp;

Resumen As the understanding of biodiversity is fundamental in Biology study, biological thinking requires knowing and practicing taxonomic identification. Identification keys are typical instruments used to guide the identification of specimens of living beings. They can be on paper or be software. Although there are investigations on the use of identification key software as a pedagogical resource, little has been investigated about its quality of use. This paper reports a usability evaluation of the BioTax software in two remote classes of Medical Entomology in undergraduate courses at UFRN in 2020. The students performed 2 taxonomic identification exercises and 1 exercise to create an identification key with BioTax. Then, 15 students answered an online questionnaire about their opinions regarding the experience of using BioTax and questions from the System Usability Scale (SUS). The average of the general results in SUS was 81.3, which indicates an excellent usability of BioTax. The participants highlighted ease of use, practicality and simple and clean layout as good characteristics of BioTax. They also reported problems with learnability and efficiency, functional errors and suggestions for new features.

Resumo Como a compreensão da biodiversidade é fundamental no estudo da Biologia, o pensamento biológico requer conhecer e praticar a identificação taxonômica. Chaves de identificação são instrumentos típicos utilizados para orientar a identificação de exemplares de seres vivos. Elas podem ser em papel ou serem softwares. Apesar de existirem investigações sobre o uso de software de chaves de identificação como recurso pedagógico, pouco se investigou sobre sua qualidade de uso. Este trabalho relata uma avaliação de usabilidade do software BioTax em duas turmas remotas de graduação de Entomologia Médica na UFRN em 2020. Os estudantes realizaram 2 exercícios de identificação taxonômica e 1 exercício de criação de chave de identificação com o BioTax. Depois, 15 estudantes responderam um questionário online sobre suas opiniões a respeito da experiência de uso do BioTax e perguntas da System Usability Scale (SUS). A média dos resultados gerais no SUS foi de 81,3, que indica uma excelente usabilidade do BioTax. Seus principais diferenciais relatados pelos participantes foram a facilidade de uso, a praticidade e o layout simples e limpo. Também foram relatados problemas na facilidade de aprendizado e na eficiência, erros funcionais e feitas sugestões de novas funcionalidades.

Although the human-landing catch (HLC) method is the most effective for collecting anthropophilic anophelines, it has been increasingly abandoned, primarily for ethical considerations. The objective of the present study was to develop a new trap for the collection of Anopheles darlingi . The initial trials were conducted using the BG-Sentinel trap as a standard for further trap development based on colour, airflow direction and illumination. The performance of the trap was then compared with those of the CDC, Fay-Prince, counterflow geometry trap (CFG) and HLC. All trials were conducted outdoors between 06:00 pm-08:00 pm. Female specimens of An. darlingi were dissected to determine their parity. A total of 8,334 anophelines were captured, of which 4,945 were identified as An. darlingi . The best trap configuration was an all-white version, with an upward airflow and no required light source. This configuration was subsequently named BG-Malaria (BGM). The BGM captured significantly more anophelines than any of the other traps tested and was similar to HLC with respect to the number and parity of anophelines. The BGM trap can be used as an alternative to HLC for collecting anophelines.

INTRODUÇÃO: O conhecimento da fauna de culicídeos em estados da Amazônia Brasileira auxilia no conhecimento da bionomia dos insetos obtidos, além de possibilitar a observação de modificações da fauna ao decorrer do tempo. MÉTODOS: As capturas dos culicídeos foram realizadas em área extradomiciliar de duas zonas rurais de Porto Velho, durante junho e julho, nos anos de 2007 e 2008, com a armadilha BG-Sentinel®. RESULTADOs: Foram coletados 10.695 culicídeos, distribuídos em nove gêneros: Coquillettidia, Culex, Mansonia, Psorophora, Aedes, Aedeomyia, Anopheles, Uranotaenia e Wyeomyia. CONCLUSÕES: Foi registrada pela primeira vez no estado a presença de Mansonia (Mansonia) flaveola.

INTRODUCTION: Knowledge concerning the fauna of Culicidae in the Brazilian Amazon States contributes to current understanding of the bionomics of the insects collected and makes it possible to observe changes in the fauna over time. METHODS: The Culicidae were captured with a BG-Sentinel® trap in extra-domiciliary area of two rural regions of Porto Velho in June and July of 2007 and 2008. RESULTS: A total of 10,695 Culicidae was collected, belonging to nine genera: Coquillettidia, Culex, Mansonia, Psorophora, Aedes, Aedeomyia, Anopheles, Uranotaenia and Wyeomyia. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of Mansonia (Mansonia) flaveola was recorded in the State of Rondônia for the first time.

A armadilha de oviposição acrescida de inseticida pode funcionar como novo método de controle de fêmeas do mosquito Aedes aegypti. Fêmeas de Aedes aegypti foram colocadas em contato com ovitrampas letais envelhecidas e a mortalidade variou de 60,3% a 100% sendo significativo o efeito do envelhecimento das palhetas impregnadas com deltametrina no percentual de mortalidade.

Oviposition traps with added insecticide may work as a new method for controlling the females of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Females of Aedes aegypti were placed in contact with lethal ovitraps with aging. The mortality rate ranged from 60.3% to 100%. The effect of aging the slats impregnated with deltamethrin was significant in relation to the percentage mortality among Aedes aegypti females.

Para avaliar o papel do octenol na coleta de anofelinos foram utilizadas armadilhas HP iscadas com diferentes taxas de evaporação. Foram capturados 285 anofelinos e não houve diferença entre o número de anofelinos coletados com as armadilhas controle e as iscadas com octenol e nem entre as taxas de evaporação.

To evaluate the role of octenol in collecting anophelines, HP traps baited with different rates of evaporation. A total of 285 anophelines was captured and there was no significant difference in the numbers of anophelines captured between the control traps and the traps baited with octenol and no difference between the release rates.

A persistência e a eficácia do regulador de crescimento pyriproxyfen foram testadas em concentrações de 0,01 e 0,05ppm, contra larvas de Aedes aegypti, utilizando os recipientes caixas d'água (45 litros), frascos de vidro (5 litros) e baldes de plástico (20 litros). As avaliações foram nos dias 1, 7, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 e 120 após o tratamento usando larvas de 3º e 4º estádio de Aedes aegypti. Foi calculado o percentual de mortalidade de larvas, pupas e adultos, percentual de inibição de emergência de adulto e duração dos bioensaios. Observou-se que a persistência foi de 45 dias e 90 dias para concentração final de 0,01 e 0,05ppm de pyriproxyfen, respectivamente. Observamos que a mortalidade de pupas foi significativamente maior que a de larvas e de adultos para todos os recipientes e concentrações.

The persistence and efficacy of growth regulator pyriproxyfen were evaluated in two final concentrations 0.01 and 0.05ppm against Aedes aegypti larvae in laboratory conditions using three types of containers: cement box (45 liters), glass bottle (5 liters)and plastic bucket (20 liters). The tests were carried after 1, 7, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 days of treatment against Aedes aegypti larvae 3rd and 4th instar. The percentages of larvae, pupae and adult mortality, the percentage of adult emergence inhibition and time duration of bioassays were calculated. A was observed a persistence of 45 and 90 days by using 0.01 and 0.05ppm final concentrations of pyriproxyfen, respectively, was observed. We observed that mortality in the pupa stage was significantly higher than larvae and adults mortality for all containers and concentrations.

Para avaliar a influência da densidade larval no desenvolvimento do mosquito Aedes aegypti, foram testadas três diferentes densidades. Observou-se que em condições de alta densidade larvária e carência de alimentos houve uma redução no tamanho dos adultos e aumento na taxa de mortalidade de Aedes aegypti em condições de laboratório.

To evaluate the influence of larval density in development of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes we evaluated three different densities. It was observed that conditions of high larval density and shortage of food produced a reduction in the size of adults and increased mortality rate of Aedes aegypti in laboratory conditions.