Species Composition of Blood-Sucking Mosquitoes of the Genus Aedes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Karaganda Region

Abstract

This study examines the species composition of blood-sucking mosquitoes in the Karaganda Region of Central Kazakhstan — a region where faunal and ecological data have been scarce. Through field surveys and morphological identification, we documented at least ten species belonging to the genus Aedes Meigen, 1818. Notably, several specimens exhibited atypical morphological traits, suggesting the presence of previously unrecognized or cryptic forms within local populations. These findings underscore the importance of integrative taxonomic approaches — particularly molecular methods — for clarifying the status of morphologically distinct variants and improving our understanding of their epidemiological relevance. Community-level analyses of species diversity and evenness revealed pronounced spatial differences between localities: The species Ae. (Och.) dorsalis Meigen, 1830 was dominant in and around Karaganda City, whereas Ae. (Rus.) subdiversus Martini, 1926 was more prevalent in the Nura District. The detection of species not previously reported from the region further suggests a potential range expansion of Aedes mosquitoes. Collectively, these results provide the first systematic baseline for Aedes biodiversity in Central Kazakhstan and underscore its importance for vector ecology, arbovirus transmission risk, and public health surveillance in the region.