title: A global map of dominant malaria vectors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Global maps, in particular those based on vector distributions, have long been used to help visualise the global extent of malaria. Few, however, have been created with the support of a comprehensive and extensive evidence-based approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here we describe the generation of a global map of the dominant vector species (DVS) of malaria that makes use of predicted distribution maps for individual species or species complexes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our global map highlights the spatial variability in the complexity of the vector situation. In Africa, An. gambiae, An. arabiensis and An. funestus are co-dominant across much of the continent, whereas in the Asian-Pacific region there is a highly complex situation with multi-species coexistence and variable species dominance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The competence of the mapping methodology to accurately portray DVS distributions is discussed. The comprehensive and contemporary database of species-specific spatial occurrence (currently available on request) will be made directly available via the Malaria Atlas Project (MAP) website from early 2012.
authors.affiliation: Spatial Ecology and Epidemiology Group, Tinbergen Building, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK. marianne.sinka@zoo.ox.ac.uk
authors.forename: Marianne E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Sinka
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bangs
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manguin
authors.forename: Yasmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rubio-Palis
authors.forename: Theeraphap
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chareonviriyaphap
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coetzee
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mbogo
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hemingway
authors.forename: Anand P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Temperley
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Gething
authors.forename: Caroline W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Kabaria
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Burkot
authors.forename: Ralph E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Harbach
authors.forename: Simon I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Hay
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000469:parasitology; D004199:Disease Vectors; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000635:transmission*; D058974:Phylogeography