Diversity of Dipteran Vectors Associated with Different Mammalian Hosts in a Peri-Urban Zoological Garden in NW Spain

PURPOSE: This study aims to characterise the different dipteran vector communities present at a peri-urban zoological and to explore differences in community composition among the different mammalian hosts, and to assess their potential epidemiological risk. METHODS: Five animal enclosures were sampled and compared using CDC light traps equipped with white lights (WL) and ultraviolet traps (UV), used alternatively over five weeks in the summer of 2025. RESULTS: A total of 598 dipteran vectors were collected in the present study: 495 mosquitoes belonging to nine species; 73 sand flies to one species; and 30 biting midges (Culicoides spp.) to six species. Generalized linear models (GLMs) showed a strong influence of larger mammals (sheep IRR = 7.28; bear IRR = 6.35) on mosquito abundance, registering more captures in comparison to meerkats (reference); as well as of the type of light, as UV captured up to 2.54 more specimens than WL. Sand fly abundance was mainly defined by the nearest host, as sheep (IRR = 49.52) and bear (IRR = 13.00) enclosures captured more specimens than the meerkat area. The non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination (nMDS) for the mosquito community showed that the animal enclosure explained 41% of the variance independently. Screening for bluetongue virus, epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus, and Leishmania infantum yielded negative results. CONCLUSIONS: The zoological garden of Vigo provides suitable conditions for the development of different vector species of mosquitoes, sand flies and biting midges, including invasive species such as Ae. albopictus. In addition, differences in vector composition were observed among host enclosures, providing valuable insights into vector ecology.