Invasive species and disease vectors

What does a rare disease have to do with escaped Burmese Pythons in the Florida Everglades? Join me for a story of invasive species, disease vectors, and surprising ecological connections!
key words: invasive species, disease vectors, Burmese Python, mosquitoes, Florida Everglades

Sources and acknowledgments 

Scientific literature:

Dorcas, M.E., Willson, J.D., Reed, R.N., Snow, R.W., Rochford, M.R., Miller, M.A., Meshaka, W.E., Andreadis, P.T., Mazzotti, F.J., Romagosa, C.M. and Hart, K.M., 2012. Severe mammal declines coincide with proliferation of invasive Burmese pythons in Everglades National Park. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences109(7), pp.2418-2422.

Hoyer, I.J., Blosser, E.M., Acevedo, C., Thompson, A.C., Reeves, L.E. and Burkett-Cadena, N.D., 2017. Mammal decline, linked to invasive Burmese python, shifts host use of vector mosquito towards reservoir hosts of a zoonotic disease. Biology Letters13(10), p.20170353.

Logo: 

Evan Chang

Images: 

Special thanks to Lawrence Reeves for contributing photos of Culex cedecei and the Burmese python.

 Image attributions in order of appearance: 

Python close-up picture

 Anopholes biting human

  • In the common domain but attribution requested
  • Attribution: James Gathany, CDC

Burmese python in tree looking at camera:

Fever girl cartoon:

  • Free to use, no attribution required

https://pixabay.com/p-310721/?no_redirect

Burmese python held by people

  • Photo by South Florida Water Management District
  • https://abcnews.go.com/US/record-breaking-17-foot-python-captured-south-florida/story?id=51616851

Native distribution

Hurricane image

Burmese python in cage

Everglades virus:

Culex cedeci

  • Attribution: Lawrence Reeves
  • Used with author’s permission

Cane toad image:

  • Free to use, no attribution required
  • https://pixabay.com/en/cane-toad-wildlife-australia-toad-162752/

House cat:

Kudzu on bridge

  • Must give appropriate credit (CC BY 2.0)
  • Attribution: Suzie Tremmel

Stink bug on white background:

Zebra Mussels

Kudzu field:

Second stink bug:

Bacteria image:

Virus image:

Plasmodium (malaria) image:

  • Free to use with attribution (CC 2.5)
  • Attribution: Ute Frevert
  • False color: Margaret Shear
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Malaria.jpg

Sneeze image:

Rabid dog image:

Shrimp cocktail

Hispid cotton rat:

House fly

Tick

White footed mouse

Mouse litter:

Burmese python with mosquitoes

  • Attribution: Lawrence Reeves
  • Used with author’s permission

Silhouettes:

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