Spatial and temporal variation in abundance of Anopheles (Diptera: Culicidae) in a malaria endemic area in Papua New Guinea

• Published in: Journal of medical entomology 1997-03, Vol.34 (2), p.193-205
• Main Authors: Hii, J.L.K. (James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.), Smith, T, Mai, A, Mellor, S, Lewis, D, Alexander, N, Alpers, M.P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; ANOPHELES; Biological and medical sciences; COMPORTEMENT ALIMENTAIRE; Culicidae; Demography; DENSIDAD DE LA POBLACION; DENSITE DE POPULATION; ECOLOGIA; ECOLOGIE; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HABITOS ALIMENTARIOS; Humans; Insect Bites and Stings; MALARIA; Male; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; MODELE; MODELOS; New Guinea; PAPOUASIE NOUVELLE GUINEE; PAPUA NUEVA GUINEA; PUEBLOS; Time Factors; VARIACION ESTACIONAL; VARIATION SAISONNIERE; VECTEUR DE MALADIE; VECTORES; Vectors. Intermediate hosts; VILLAGE
• ISSN: 0022-2585; 1938-2928
• DOI: 10.1093/jmedent/34.2.193

Abundance of anophelines in 10 villages in the Wosera area of Papua New Guinea was monitored during 1990-1993. Of 85,197 anophelines collected in 1,276 paired indoor and outdoor landing catches, 40.4% were Anopheles koliensis Owen, 36.7% An. punctulatus Donitz, 14.3% An. karwari (James), 4.9% An. farauti s.l. Laveran, 3.1% An. longirostris Brug, and 0.7% An. bancroftii Giles. Maps of average indoor biting rates were produced using a Bayesian conditional autoregressive model which allowed for heterogeneities in sampling effort over time and space. Differences in spatial distributions among species were observed among and within villages and were related to the distribution of larval habitats and vegetation. Abundance of An. punctulatus and An. koliensis decreased with distance from the main waterway and probably from a sago swamp forest at 6 villages in North Wosera. Abundance of An. punctulatus was associated negatively with those of An. farauti s.l., An. longirostris, and An. bancroftii. The latter 3 species also had relatively low ratios of indoor-to-outdoor biting rates, and earlier biting times than An. punctulatus. Human blood indices of at least 0.79 were observed for all species except An. bancroftii. Abundance of all 6 species was correlated temporally with recent rainfall, but An. koliensis, An. karwari, and An. longirostris showed greater temporal variability than the other species. An. punctulatus and An. koliensis tended to occur together in time and space (index of association, I 0.85). Weaker associations were seen between An. farauti s.l. and An. longirostris (I = 0.44) and An. koliensis and An. karwari (I = 0.34). The most frequently collected species occurred together and were concentrated near the Amugu river; the remaining species tended to occur together but in different parts of the Wosera area