DETERMINATION OF SPECIES COMPOSITION OF MOSQUITOES FOUND IN PALOSAI STREAM, PESHAWAR

Survey for immature stages of mosquitoes was carried out in polluted water of Palosai stream passing near Peshawar University campus. Collection of immature stages were done from April to June 2006 and then in October to January 2007 and were reared to adult, for identification which was done by using taxonomic keys of Christopher and Baurad. Collection was done from four different localities viz. Hayatabad, Lalazar Colony, Malakander and Ittehad Colony in Peshawar. A total of 15083 individuals were collected which included 7382 males, 7700 females and one gynandromorph, belonging to two genera Culex and Anopheles. More than 99% of the collected larvae and pupae belonged to the genus Culex with three species, viz. Cx. pipiens quinquefasciatus: the most abundant species, Cx. tritaeniorhynchus and Cx. vishnui occupying the same habitat and occurring in May, June and October while the genus Anophelese was found to contain six species viz. An. nigerimus (collected in April), An. subpictus, An. culicifacies, An. fluviatilis, An. maculatus (collected in October) and An. stephensi (found both in April and October).