Journal of Medical Entomology (2018) 55, 1182-1187

Jalil Nejati, Abedin Saghafipour, Hassan Vatandoost, Seyed Hassan Moosa-Kazemi, Afsaneh Motevalli Haghi and Alireza Sanei-Dehkordi (2018)
Bionomics of Anopheles subpictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in a malaria endemic area, southeastern Iran
Journal of Medical Entomology 55 (5), 1182-1187
Abstract: Anopheles subpictus Grassi is considered a secondary malaria vector in parts of Asia. The current study determined some ecological and bionomical characteristics of this species in southeastern Iran. The temporal patterns of abundance, resting behavior, blood feeding activity, host selection, adult susceptibility to insecticides and larval habitats were investigated. Most adults were collected by pyrethrum space-spray collection, followed by pit shelters and outlet window traps, respectively. The abdominal condition index of gravid to blood fed females resting outdoors was more than one, thereby showing exophilic resting behavior. Only 25% of engorged females tested positive for human blood, even though most of the samples were collected from houses. The host seeking activity of An. subpictus was bimodal with peaks at 22–2300 h and 03–0400 h. Also, the relative abundance showed peaks in March and December. The results of susceptibility tests showed a resistance of field strains to DDT. Future studies are needed to investigate the possible role of this species in malaria transmission in southeastern Iran.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Hassan Vatandoost

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Anopheles subpictus		Iran