Welcome to MosquitoMap!

MosquitoMap is a component of VectorMap - a geospatially referenced clearinghouse for mosquito species collection records and distribution models. Users can pan and zoom to anywhere in the world to view the locations of past mosquito collections and the results of modeling that predicts the geographic extent of individual species. Collection records are searchable and downloadable, users can map and upload their own georeferenced collection data or distribution models, and all contributions have full attribution. Currently, MosquitoMap has 133,201 records, for 358,000 individual specimens/observations, and 1930 unique scientific names, from 8867 locations, in 140 countries.

MosquitoMap is designed to preserve and make available the results of past collecting and distribution modeling activity. The utility of MosquitoMap will increase as more records and models are added. Contributions are encouraged, especially from individuals and organizations with digitized, georeferenced records and those involved in ongoing mosquito surveillance. See a published description of MosquitoMap in the International Journal of Health Geographics.

• MosquitoMap is useful for:

  • informing decisions about where mosquito collection efforts should be directed
  • identifying areas relevant to the study of mosquito biogeography, evolution and biodiversity
  • allow predictions about the potential spread of exotic mosquito introductions
  • allow predictions about the potential effects of global warming on mosquito distributions
  • allow insights into mosquito community structure, and environmental and climatic correlates to species occurrence (ecological niche)
  • allow continent-wide rather than just local studies of vector-borne disease
  • identifying cryptic evolutionary lineages that differ in geographic or ecological space.

The Mal-area calculator

A novel enhancement of MosquitoMap is the Mal-area calculator (MAC) that quantifies the overlap between vector and pathogen distribution models, and human population. The co-occurrence of vectors, parasites and Humans are required for many vector-borne diseases, and the MAC quantifies this co-occurrence for a given area, thus potentially providing a map and simple index of disease risk for any area of interest. At the moment the MAC is at the 'proof of concept' stage, and only works for South Korea, but we plan to expand its coverage in the near future!

OPEN DATA PORTAL

WHAT"S NEW?

Funding for MosquitoMap was provided by the US Department of Defense Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System(DoD-GEIS), a Division of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, and from the Global Biodiversity Information System (GBIF). Comments and questions should be directed to Desmond Foley, Pollie Rueda and Richard Wilkerson, or by visiting the MosquitoMap FORUM.