Anopheles culicifacies breeding in polluted water bodies in Loonkaransar city of Bikaner (Rajasthan) district

Prabhakar V; Suman Devi; Srivastava M; Swami KK

Anopheles culicifacies breeding in polluted water bodies in Loonkaransar city of Bikaner (Rajasthan) district

Authors
Prabhakar V, Suman Devi, Srivastava M, Swami KK

Abstract
Background & Objective: Anopheles culicifacies is the major vector of malaria in India, is known to breed in clean and clear water. In Western Rajasthan the vector fauna and transmission dynamics therefore is not understood properly. The main objective of the study was to detect the breeding habitat diversity of An. culicifacies.

Method: The adult Anopheles were collected over a period of two years by using aspirator as well as light traps while larval stages collected and rear in laboratories than identified as per using standard keys.

Result: A total of 706 larval specimens representing 4 Anopheles species were reported from 9 different breeding habitats. According to density Cretarion, An. stephensi, An. annularis and An. culicifacies were observed as constant in relation to their distribution. The most productive breeding site for An. culicifacies was households, temporary water bodies at construction sites; pipe leakage, Puddles, ponds and small pits along-side of railway tracks.

Conclusions: These result indicate that An. culicifacies has adapted to breed in a wide range of water bodies including in saline brackish water although they were earlier considered to breed only in clean and clear water.

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