First record of the avian malaria vector Cs. Longiareolata (Diptera: Culicidae) for the Southeast of Algeria

Abstract

Objectives: The control strategies of mosquitos like Culiseta longiareolata were developed gradually. A study of the bio-ecology of Culiseta longiareolata was considered as the first step to fight against it.

Methodology and results: Larvae and adult collections were carried out from different habitats using standard dipping methods from the region of Biskra (Algerian Southeast) (34° 51′ 00″ north, 5° 44′ 00″ east). For five years during 2009-2013 in four sites and the investigation was bi-monthly for any site. Overall, 792 specimens of mosquitoes were identified among the 44677 specimens that were collected. Cs. longiareolata presented in the second order with 27.59 % in numerical terms after Culex pipiens 28.65 %, Aedes caspius 12.97 %, Anopheles multicolor 7.22 %, Anopheles sergentii 2.84 %. Other 17 species were presented with low rates. This species was collected from all types of habitats (dominant or periodic stagnant water, with or no vegetation, clear or turbid, sunny ,or noisy sites, filled with fresh or brackish water, clean or polluted), throughout the year with different abundances. The Phenology of Cs. longiareolata proves that it is distributed in ten months annually, compared with other species. The sexual dimorphism was clear across the morphometric characters of both sexes. The densities were variables for this species when marked two picks, for the month of May (> 40 individual/stroke for larvae, > 32 individual/stroke for an adult), for the month of November (> 27 individual/stroke for larvae, > 2O individual/stroke for an adult).

Conclusion and appilication of findings: More, Cs. longiareolata cohabited with all species of different genera Aedes, Culex, and Anopheles.