First report of the oriental mosquito Aedes albopictus on the West African island of Bioko,Equatorial Guinea

The invasive oriental mosquito Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) was detected on Bioko Island for the first time in November 2001. It was found to be well established breeding in artificial containers at Planta, near Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea. Associated species of mosquito larvae were Aedes aegypti (L.), Ae. africanus (Theobald), Culex near decens Theobald, Cx. duttoni Theobald, Cx. quinquefasciatus Say, Cx. tigripes De Grandpré & De Charmoy, Eretmapodites quinquevittatus Theobald and Mansonia africana (Theobald). This is the third tropical African country to be invaded by Ae. albopictus, which has recently spread to many parts of the Americas and Europe--with vector competence for dengue, yellow fever and other arboviruses. In the Afrotropical environment, it will be interesting to monitor the ecological balance and/or displacement between introduced Ae. albopictus and indigenous Ae. aegpyti (domestic, peri-domestic and sylvatic populations).