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Mosquito species native to South America and the Caribbean have been discovered in South Florida:
South Florida's Zika-spreading, dengue-transmitting mosquito population just got a little more crowded. Two new tropical mosquitoes capable of carrying viruses dangerous to humans have been discovered in Homestead and Florida City by University of Florida researchers. The mosquitoes — native to Central and South America and the Greater Antilles — likely arrived on plants, spread across canals, ditches and ponds in South Florida and will almost surely rise in numbers. Although they join a growing number of exotic mosquitoes invading the state, researchers were still surprised to find the mosquitoes so far north of their native ranges.
[...] The latest invaders, Aedeomyia squamipennis and Culex panocossa, also both carry viruses and can easily spread in populated areas. They lay their eggs on water lettuce, an aggressive aquatic plant that state biologists have dubbed one of the worst invasive weeds. The plants prefer dirty urban water and can be found in thick floating mats in canals and drainage ponds all around the state. But the mosquitoes' similarities end there, Burkett-Cadena said.
The Aedeomyia mosquito mainly feeds on birds, which spread viruses like West Nile and Eastern equine encephalitis. If enough birds are infected, the viruses can be passed along to humans and other mammals, Burkett-Cadena said. In its native range, the Aedeomyia has transmitted bird malarias like the kind that have wiped out many of the songbirds in Hawaii. The Culex panocossa, which belongs to the same family of mosquitoes found naturally in Florida, may pose a more urgent threat: it is a confirmed vector for Venezuelan equine encephalitis, which can be lethal to children or the elderly. That also means the mosquito likely carries the local Everglades virus, a member of the same set of diseases and commonly found in native culex mosquitoes. Because those native mosquitoes don't do well outside the Everglades and undisturbed wetlands, the virus so far has not been widespread. But Burkett-Cadena worries more cases will now turn up if the mosquito's tropical cousin begins transmitting it.
Also at SFGate (AP).
Culex (Melanoconion) panocossa from peninsular Florida, USA (DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2016.12.024) (DX)
Another article is/will be available in the Journal of Medical Entomology.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 14 2017, @11:14PM
The Mexicans that came over on boats from Cuba in the 80s. Most of them were criminals that Fidel released from his jails.
(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday January 14 2017, @11:47PM
Mostly Puerto Ricans, Jews, and Cubans; but the Blacks there did their fair share of obnoxious behavior - the most heinous of which is the Miami-style automotive trend. [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 14 2017, @11:57PM
Why are afro-Americans so oblivious to good taste?
(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Sunday January 15 2017, @12:21AM
Blacks have good taste about a few things. Sports, blunts, rap music, and maintaining casual conversations.
There are two bars within walking distance of my place, a White one and a Black one. The White bar hosts better music shows but when you go as a casual seeking a drink or few after work you see that it has bitchy bartenders and spergy clientele. At the White bar you see all those annoying fast-talking hipsters who are discussing the latest Hollywood movies (who not only paid the money to see them but actually enjoyed them) and showing the movie E.T. on the house TV because the Jewish bartender likes it.
At the Black bar, the bullshitting is friendly but aggressive in the best possible way. You can talk trash to people and they have the social intelligence to determine what's vicious and what's not and respond accordingly. They have a pool table, darts, a healthy sports pool, the best fried chicken brought in from a mom-and-pop Korean-owned fried chicken joint (that's another story altogether, hell, they serve gizzards), and character flaws they all wear on their sleeves. You would think that the Black bar is better in all aspects, but unfortunately there are lots of angry Black people who do become angry later in the night. It can cause tension and even lead to leaving the bar early.