Mosquito Species Occurrence and Diversity in Conventional larval breeding sites in Minna metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out to provide epidemiological information on the distribution and diversity of vector mosquito species in conventional larval breeding habitats in Minna Metropolis, Nigeria. Selected larval habitats were ricefields, gutters, septic tanks, rain pools and streams, which were sampled weekly during the months of September through November of 2013. The results indicated the occurrence of seven vector mosquito species in the area namely, Culex pipiens pipiens (38.84%), Cx. salinarius (28.78%), Aedes aegypti (10.71%), Anopheles gambiae (7.29%), Cx. restuans (6.52%), Cx. nigripalpus (4.72%), and An. funestus (4.15%). Culex p. pipiens was the most widely distributed species, being absent only in the stream habitats, that was totally devoid of mosquitoes. Cx. nigripalpus and Cx. salinarius were encountered in three of habitat types (i.e., rice-fields, gutters and septic tanks), while Ae. Aegypti was encountered in the gutters and the rain pools. In addition to the rain pools, Cx. Restuans was also collected from gutters. The two anopheline species encountered had similar pattern of larval habitat distribution been found only in rice fields and rain pools. On the whole, the rice-fields and gutters were the most productive larval habitats, in terms of mosquito abundance (28.04% and 29.67% respectively) and diversity (diversity index=0.6940 and 0.4834 respectively). Overall mosquito species diversity for the area was 0.6985, largely contributed by Cx. p. pipiens and Cx. salinarius. The findings of this study suggest serious threat of mosquito-borne diseases to public health, in Minna Metropolis, promoted by anthropogenic alterations of the ecosystem.