Study on Mosquitoes of Swat Ranizai Sub Division of Malakand

A survey of mosquito larval habitats was conducted to determine species composition, relative abundance and habitat preference of mosquitoes of Swat Ranizai sub division of Malakand District. The survey was conducted from April to August and then from October to December, 2010. Mosquitoes immature stages were collected from different temporary and permanent breeding sites such as streams, springs, rock pool, ponds, drain and rice fields in three selected villages viz., Thana, Dheri-alladhand and Zormandai in Swat Ranizai subdivision of Malakand district. The immature stages were reared to adults. The analysis was carried out on adult stages. Fifteen species belonging to five genera; Culex, Anopheles, Aedes, Culiseta and Armigeres were identified. The species were Cx. quinquefasciatus Say (79.43%), Cx. tritaenorhynchus Giles (4.43%), Cx. bitaenorhynchus Giles (0.59%), Cx. theileri Theobald (2.14%), Cx. mimecticus Noe (2.14%), Cx. vishnui Theobald (0.22%), An. stephensi Liston (6.22%), An. fluviatilis James (0.39%), An. maculatus Theobald (1.34%), An. culicifacies Giles (0.32%), An. subpictus Grassi (0.17%), An. lindesayi Giles (0.02%), Ae. vittatus Bigot (3.93%), Cu. longiareolata Macquart (0.59%) and Ar. subalbatus Coquillett (0.04%). Cx. quinquefasciatus (79.4%) and An. stephensi (6.2%) were the dominant and constant species, regarding relative abundance and distribution recorded in most of the months and from majority of the habitats. Four species, An. maculatus, Cx. theileri, Cx. tritaenorhynchus and Ae. vittatus, were subdominant with the former two as moderate and the latter two as constant and infrequent respectively. The rest of the species were satellite with various distribution status. Streams were the richest habitats inhabited by 11 mosquito species followed by springs harboring 10 species of mosquitoes. The lowest species diversity (3 species) was recorded from rice fields and drains. The highest (2028) mosquito density was observed in November and lowest (55) in December.