BITING BEHAVIOUR OF ANOPIIELINE MOSQUITOES IN, BALUCHISTAN, IRAN

Abstract

Studies on the biting behavior of the more common species of anophelines were carried out in Ghasreghand, Chabahar (Sistan & Baluchistan province) from May 1990 to March 1991, in which outdoor human and animal (cattle) biting collections were made between 18.00 hr and 5.00 hr in a total of 13 rounds. In addition, blood smears from anophelines captured in pyrethrum space-spray catches of human and animal shelters, light traps and pit shelters were used for the determination of anthropophilic index, using ELISA test. The outdoor man biting rate of An. pulcherrimus and An. culicifacies ranged between 0 to 2 and 0 to 6, respectively. The outdoor cattle biting rates of An pulcherrimus and An. culicifacies were found ranging from S to 119 and o to 42. An. pulcherrimus showed one peak of activity in early fall, while An. culicifacies had two peaks, one in May and the other in September. Almost 75% of the biting activity of An. pulcherrimus was found to occur before midnight, whereas this was only 64% for An. Culicifacies. Out of the total of 357 blood smears of An. Pulcherrimus, 1083 of An. Culicifacies and 51 of An. dthali, captured in different habitats, 1.12%, 4.9% and 3.92% reacted with human antisera, respectively. There was a positive correlation between the anthropophilic index of An. culicifacies and the cow/man ratio.