VECTOR MOSQUITO DIVERSITY AND HABITAT VARIATION IN A SEMI URBANIZED AREA OF KELANIYA IN SRI LANKA

Lalithanjalie D. Amarasing, Dilani R. Dalpadado

Abstract


Mosquito larval sampling was performed at 30 locations, maintaining a distance of at least 200 m radius between two locations in a semi-urban area of the city of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka. The analysis of similarity test identified the abandoned rice field mud flats as the habitat type revealing the highest diversity of Culex mosquito species, showing the presence C. quinquefasciatus, C. bitaeniorhynchus, C. gelidus and C. whitmorei and one Armigeres species. Culex gelidus and C. whitmorei were restricted to such habitats occupied with live vegetation with high water conductivity and turbidity. Blocked drains were associated with a significantly higher occurrence of C. quinquefasciatus when compared with C. bitaeniorhynchus or Armigeres spp. This study revealed that water quality requirements of the habitat of the culicine mosquito larvae varied among the species. The larval habitats of C. quinquefasciatus were characterized by low dissolved oxygen and high biological oxygen demand compared with those of the other culicine mosquitoes. Such habitats were associated with tubificid worms (Annelida) and chironomid larvae (Diptera). C. quinquefasciatus larval survival rapidly declined at pH level of 9.4. 


Keywords


Culex; container breeders; marshy lands; rice field habitats; turbidity

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References


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