The fauna and ecology of mosquito larvae (Diptera: Culicidae) in western Iran

Authors : Omid BANAFSHI, Mohammadreza ABAI, Hossein LADONNI, Hassan BAKHSHI

Pages : 298-307

Doi:10.3906/sag-1207-34

View : 24 | Download : 7

Publication Date : 0000-00-00

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Ecological data are important in integrated vector management. There are few published documents about the ecology of mosquitoes insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Diptera: Culicidae); in western Iran. To study the fauna and ecology of the mosquito larvae of Kurdistan Province, the samples were collected by the dipping method during June-October 2005 and June-August 2006. Larval habitat characteristics were recorded according to habitat type, water conditions insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(stagnant or running, clear or turbid);, water temperature, vegetation insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(with or without vegetation);, and sunlight exposure insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(full or partial sunlight or shaded);. A total of 2096 third- and fourth-instar larvae were collected. Four genera and 11 species were identified: Anopheles claviger insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1%);, An. maculipennis sensu lato insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(s.l.); insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(17.4%);, An. superpictus insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(57.7%);, Culex hortensis insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1.5%);, Cx. mimeticus insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(2.7%);, Cx. perexiguus insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.2%);, Cx. pipiens insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.8%);, Cx. theileri insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(12.2%);, Culiseta longiareolata insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(6.1%);, Cs. subochrea insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.3%);, and Ochlerotatus caspius s.l. insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.1%);. Anopheles superpictus, An. maculipennis s.l., and Cx. theileri were the most abundant and widely distributed species. All larvae were collected from natural habitats insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(river edges or ground pools);. There was no significant difference among the mean water temperatures insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(17.7-26 °C); of the habitats of different species insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(P = 0.098);. The larval habitat characteristics, association occasions, and percentages of each species are discussed.
Keywords : Key words Anopheles, Culex, Culiseta, Ochlerotatus, Culicidae, mosquito, larval habitat, Kurdistan Province, Iran