title: Anopheles culicifacies breeding in polluted water bodies in Trincomalee District of Sri Lanka.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anopheles culicifacies, the major vector of malaria in Sri Lanka, is known to breed in clean and clear water. The main objective of the study was to detect the breeding habitat diversity of An. culicifacies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Potential larval habitats for Anopheles mosquitoes were surveyed on a monthly basis for 17 months (January 2011-June 2012) in four different selected sampling sites (Murthankulam, Kommnaimottai, Paranamadawachchiya and Kokmotawewa) in Trincomalee District of Sri Lanka.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 2,996 larval specimens representing 13 Anopheles species were reported from 16 different breeding habitats. According to density criterion, An. culicifacies, Anopheles subpictus, Anopheles barbirostris, Anopheles peditaeniatus and Anopheles nigerrimus were dominant. Anopheles nigerrimus, An. subpictus and An. peditaeniatus were observed as constant in relation to their distribution. The most productive breeding site for An. culicifacies was drains filled with waste water in remote areas; the second highest productivity was found in built wells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that An. culicifacies has adapted to breed in a wide range of water bodies including waste water collections although they were earlier considered to breed only in clean and clear water.
authors: Nayana
authors: N
authors: Gunathilaka
authors: Thilan
authors: T
authors: Fernando
authors: Menaka
authors: M
authors: Hapugoda
authors: Rajitha
authors: R
authors: Wickremasinghe
authors: Panduka
authors: P
authors: Wijeyerathne
authors: Wimaladharma
authors: W
authors: Abeyewickreme
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000502:physiology*; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology*; D008288:Malaria / Q000635:transmission; D013188:Sri Lanka; D062065:Wastewater / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D062065:Wastewater
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