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Journal of Biological Sciences

Year: 2008 | Volume: 8 | Issue: 8 | Page No.: 1304-1309
Research Article

Studies on Some Physicochemical Factors Affecting the Breeding and Abundance of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Phytotelmata on Delonix regia (Leguminosae: Caesalpinoidea)

D.A. Adebote
Department of Biological Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
D.S. Abolude
Department of Biological Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
S.J. Oniye
Department of Biological Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
O.S. Wayas
Department of Biological Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
Some physical (depth, electrical conductivity, height, surface area, temperature, volume) and chemical (pH, total dissolved solids, concentrations of cadmium, calcium, chlorine, copper, magnesium, sodium, sulphate, zinc) factors affecting the breeding and abundance of preimaginal mosquitoes in phytotelmata on the flamboyant tree, Delonix regia were investigated in Zaria, northern Nigeria. Forty-nine (43.36%) of the 113 stands of the tree had phytotelmata while 28 (24.78%) supported mosquito breeding. Of the 541 mosquito preimaginals isolated from phytotelmata were 5 (0.92%) Aedes aegypti Linnaeus, 126 (23.29%) Aedes metallicus Edwards, 3 (0.55%) Aedes simpsoni Theobald, 79 (14.60%) Culex horridus Edwards, 272 (50.28%) Culex nebulosus Theobald, 52 (9.61%) Culex pipiens pipiens Linnaeus and 4 (0.74%) Culex tigripes Grandpre. Conspecific, congeneric, heterospecific and heterogeneric breeding behavioural patterns were observed with one, two, three and four mosquito species per phytotelma on 13 (46.43%), 11 (39.29%), 2 (7.14%) and 2 (7.14%) trees, respectively. Aedes genus of mosquitoes bred in phytotelmata at significantly lower heights and smaller water volumes than Culex genus (p<0.05); but depths and surface areas of phytotelmata for both genera did not differ significantly (p>0.05). Abundance of each of the seven species of mosquito correlated positively and highly significantly with water volumes in the phytotelmata (p = 0.0016; r = 0.435). Culex horridus population correlates positively and highly significantly with the concentration of cadmium (p<0.0001; r = 0.661), surface areas (p<0.05; r = 0.283) and temperature (p<0.05; r = 0.323) of water in phytotelmata. Culex nebulosus abundance correlates positively and significantly with electrical conductivity (p<0.05; r = 0.302) and total dissolved solids (p<0.05; r = 0.302) in phytotelmata. Abundance of C. p. pipiens in phytotelmata correlates positively and significantly with water depth (p<0.05; r = 0.304). The study identified some ecological factors regulating mosquito productivity in a relatively unusual larval habitat of disease vectors.
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D.A. Adebote, D.S. Abolude, S.J. Oniye and O.S. Wayas, 2008. Studies on Some Physicochemical Factors Affecting the Breeding and Abundance of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Phytotelmata on Delonix regia (Leguminosae: Caesalpinoidea). Journal of Biological Sciences, 8: 1304-1309.

DOI: 10.3923/jbs.2008.1304.1309

URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=jbs.2008.1304.1309

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