Author/Authors :
Nikookar، SeyedHassan نويسنده Health Sciences Research Center, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Nikookar, SeyedHassan , Moosa-Kazemi، SeyedHassan نويسنده Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health and National Institute of Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Moosa-Kazemi, SeyedHassan , Yaghoobi- Ershadi، MohammadReza نويسنده Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health and National Institute of Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Yaghoobi- Ershadi, MohammadReza , Vatandoost، Hassan نويسنده , , Oshaghi، MohammadAli نويسنده Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Oshaghi, MohammadAli , Ataei، Sayyed Abolfazl نويسنده Phd Candidate in public Administration and Human Resource Management Lectureship and Academic Board Candidate in Payame Noor University , , Anjamrooz، Mehdi نويسنده Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Anjamrooz, Mehdi
Abstract :
Background: Ecological studies on mosquitoes are very important in vector control programs. There are a few studies about the ecology of mosquitoes in northern Iran. This study was carried out to detect fauna and larval habitat characteristics of mosquitoes.
Methods: This study aimed to determine fauna and the ecology of mosquitoes in Neka County, Mazandaran Province, northern Iran from April to December, 2009. The larval collection was conducted using standard dipper, and the characteristics of larval habitat were investigated based on degree of transparency of water, type of water (stagnant or running), plant vegetation, sunny or shady, temperature and altitude of the natural or artificial breeding places.
Results: The mosquito larvae were collected from 72 habitats and identified using systematic keys. Nine species of mosquitoes were identified: Anopheles claviger (0.31%), An. maculipennis (0.54%), An. plumbeus (10.28%), An. superpictus (0.01%), Culiseta annulata (1.07%), Cs. longiareolata (8.91%), Culex mimeticus (0.03%), Cx. pipiens (63.99%), and Ochlerotatus geniculatus (14.85%). The range of temperature in the larval habitats was 19.6–22.5 °C. Significant difference was observed in the rate of temperature among the species in the larval habitats (P< 0.05). A checklist of mosquitoes including seven genera and 32 species has been provided for Mazandaran Province.
Conclusion: The most dominant species were Cx. pipiens. They were collected from the larval habitats like Border Rivers, ponds, rain water pools, discarded tires and tree holes. Culiseta annulata was included to the checklist of mosquitoes in Mazandaran Province.
