Ecological variation and resistance levels to propoxur and chlorpyrifos in Anopheles stephensi (Diptera: Culicidae), a malaria mosquito from India

Abstract

A total of 39 strains ofAnopheles stephensi, an important urban malaria vector, were collected from various parts of India and maintained in the insectary for this study. Based on the egg-float ridge number, 19 strains were classified into ecological variants and 32 strains were exposed to chlorpyrifos and propoxur to investigate their resistance status. Filter paper containing freshly laid eggs was taken, the ridge numbers on the floats were counted under the microscope, and strains were classified into ecological variants. Of the 19 strains, 18 were of ‘type form’, with ridge numbers ranging from 15 to 21. The Papareddipalya (PRP) strain belonged to the ‘intermediate form’, with 14 to 17 ridge numbers. Larval bioassays were carried out according to the procedure of the WHO. For chlorpyrifos, the lowest LC50value was 0.00107 mg/l (Padmanabhanagar strain) and the highest value was 0.0403 mg/l (GOA-A strain). Furthermore, the lowest LC90value was 0.00368 mg/l (Delhi strain) and the highest was 0.1746 mg/l (GOA-A strain). For propoxur, the lowest LC50value was 0.00029 mg/l (Goraguntepalya strain) and the highest value was 0.0037 mg/l (JP Nagar strain). Moreover, the lowest LC90value was 0.00094 mg/l (Goraguntepalya strain) and the highest value was 0.0115 mg/l (JP Nagar strain). The tolerance values ranged from 1.26 to 37.68 for chlorpyrifos and from 1.34 to 12.77 for propoxur. All the type forms were from urban and semi-urban locations, and the intermediate strain was from a semi-urban location. The bioassay results indicated that the strains ofAn. stephensiwere more susceptible to propoxur than to chlorpyrifos.