THE PERIDOMESTIC CONTAINER‐BREEDING MOSQUITO FAUNA OF DARNLEY IS. (TORRES STRAIT) (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE), AND THE POTENTIAL FOR ITS CONTROL BY PREDACIOUS MESOCYCLOPS COPEPODS

Abstract

AbstractFive species of mosquitoes were found breeding in peridomestic containers on Darnley Is. These were Aedes aegypti (L.), Ae. scutellaris (Walker), Culex quinquefasciatus Say, Cx halifaxii Theobald, and Cx annulirostris Skuse. Ae. aegypti constituted 59.6% and 92% of the mosquito fauna from large water storage containers in wet and dry seasons respectively. Ae. scutellaris was the most abundant species sampled from small containers at the end of the wet season, forming 56.8% of the fauna. During the dry season, Ae. aegypti was the most abundant species sampled from small containers, constituting 82.4% of the larvae in these sites. Breteau indices of 295 and 90 were calculated for Ae. aegypti breeding during the wet and dry season respectively. No Ae. scutellaris were sampled during the dry season, but the species exhibited a Breteau index of 270 during the wet season. Large water storage containers produced 97% and 99% more mosquito larvae, than did small container categories during wet and dry seasons respectively. Water tanks containing an indigenous undescribed. Mesocyclops sp., contained significantly less mosquito larvae than those tanks without Mesocyclops. Distinct vertical stratification in Mesocyclops and mosquito larval populations were evident in the water tanks: 78% of the Mesocyclops were sampled from the bottom of the tanks, and 65% and 75% of Ae. aegypti and Cx quinquefasciatus respectively, were retrieved from the surface.