Meeting Abstract
The Hawaiian Islands are home to invasive species of mosquitoes. Several of these species are vectors of diseases that can pose a serious threat to the health of humans and wildlife. In an effort to reduce this threat, we created an illustrated field guide to serve as a resource that the general public can use to understand basic mosquito biology by focusing on the anatomical differences among species. Specifically, this guide depicts the six non-native, biting species of mosquitoes established in Hawaii. The illustrations for the species plates were created after microscopic analysis of specimens from the California Academy of Sciences and review of taxonomic mosquito literature. Each species plate contains an idealized, realistic illustration of the insect that is supplemented by several diagrammatic line drawings that isolate diagnostic characters. By combining idealized illustrations with diagrammatic drawings, we are able to show mosquitoes simultaneously as they occur in nature while breaking down their complex morphology into simpler, more identifiable forms. With this information, the people of Hawaii can take the initiative to identify and document the mosquitoes they encounter. We will share this guide with participants in the citizen science project “Mosquitoes in Hawaii” hosted on the iNaturalist platform (http://www.inaturalist.org/projects/mosquitoes-in-hawaii). Consequently, this guide will help increase awareness and improve the quality of the iNaturalist data. Ultimately, the knowledge of where each species is found will benefit both public and wildlife health by guiding community efforts and vector control professionals toward enacting more concentrated and effective preventative measures.
