BackgroundMalaria remains a major public health burden in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ghana, in particular, larval source management (LSM) is increasingly recognized as a complementary vector control strategy. This study evaluates a field-adapted LSM approach that integrates drone-based mapping and artificial intelligence (AI)–driven site prioritization to enhance operational efficiency and reduce resource use.MethodsThe intervention replaces conventional manual scouting with aerial mapping conducted one day prior to larvicide application. An AI model analyzes geospatial and morphological features of water bodies to identify high-risk larval habitats. Site coordinates are transmitted to field teams via mobile devices for targeted treatment. A comparative field trial was conducted in eight administrative sub-districts within Ghana’s Eastern Region. Four sub-districts implemented the drone- and AI-assisted approach, while four served as controls using standard LSM procedures. A mixed-methods evaluation was employed, incorporating quantitative metrics and qualitative field insights.ResultsDrone-assisted mapping led to more than a threefold increase in the number of identified breeding sites. AI-based targeting reduced larvicide consumption by over 60%. The combined technologies lowered worker requirements by approximately 50%. Despite these reductions, malaria case trends in the intervention sub-districts remained comparable to those in the control sub-districts. The study’s limitations include its restriction to the dry season and below-average rainfall, which may have influenced mosquito abundance and transmission.ConclusionsDrone- and AI-assisted LSM demonstrated substantial resource savings without compromising vector control outcomes. Further longitudinal evaluation across transmission seasons is warranted to assess sustained effectiveness and inform national policy.

Malaria remains a major public health burden in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ghana, in particular, larval source management (LSM) is increasingly recognized as a complementary vector control strategy. This study evaluates a field-adapted LSM approach that integrates drone-based mapping and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven site prioritization to enhance operational efficiency and reduce resource use. The intervention replaces conventional manual scouting with aerial mapping conducted one day prior to larvicide application. An AI model analyzes geospatial and morphological features of water bodies to identify high-risk larval habitats. Site coordinates are transmitted to field teams via mobile devices for targeted treatment. A comparative field trial was conducted in eight administrative sub-districts within Ghana's Eastern Region. Four sub-districts implemented the drone- and AI-assisted approach, while four served as controls using standard LSM procedures. A mixed-methods evaluation was employed, incorporating quantitative metrics and qualitative field insights. Drone-assisted mapping led to more than a threefold increase in the number of identified breeding sites. AI-based targeting reduced larvicide consumption by over 60%. The combined technologies lowered worker requirements by approximately 50%. Despite these reductions, malaria case trends in the intervention sub-districts remained comparable to those in the control sub-districts. The study's limitations include its restriction to the dry season and below-average rainfall, which may have influenced mosquito abundance and transmission. Drone- and AI-assisted LSM demonstrated substantial resource savings without compromising vector control outcomes. Further longitudinal evaluation across transmission seasons is warranted to assess sustained effectiveness and inform national policy.

Ecological insights into mosquito oviposition sites: Water quality, species diversity, and abundance in Blida province, Northern Algeria.

Background:Understanding mosquito larval ecology is essential for planning and implementations of vector control strategies. The biotic and abiotic factors affect larval occurrence , density, survival and morphogenesis of mosquitoes. Artificial containers are very suitable larval habitats for some species of Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoes in urban and peri-urban settings. Therefore, this study we identified, mapped and characterized larval habitats, estimated larval density and indices larval habitats. In addition, we determined the species composition of Anopheles mosquitoes and species evenness in urban, peri-urban and rural areas of Dire Dawa city adminstrationMethods:Larval habitats were surveyed and identified monthly for a period of 16 months from February 2023 to December 2024 in urban, peri-urban and rural areas of Dire Dawa. Mosquito larvae and pupae were collected and those larvae identified as Anopheles were fed on fish-food. Emerged adults were provided with 10% sucrose solution and kept under standard conditions in field insectary. Females Anopheles was identified morphologically and further species-specific PCR assay was employed to identify members of An.gambiae s.l. In addition, real time PCRassay was performed to identify An.stephensi and An.arabiensis. Water samples were taken from the larval habitats and the physico-chemical parameters were measured using HANNA Multi-parameter (H198194). Larval habitat diversity, larval abundance and distribution were assessed across the three ecological settings (urban, peri-urban and rural).Results:A total of 23, 526 larvae and 1,808 pupae of Anopheles mosquitoes were collected from 909 man-made(uncovered cemented cisterns (Brick), plastic sheets, steel drums, Tire tracks, Canal ditch, plastic tanker/Barrel) and natural habitats (River edges, ponds, animal hoof prints and swaps) in urban, peri-urban areas of Dire Dawa. The highest mean larval density (51 larvae per dip) of Anopheles mosquitoes was recorded from peri-urban sites in uncovered water tanker (brick) followed by urban site in brick (46 larvae per dip). Anopheles larvae were not found in steel drum and plastic barrels in rural sites.A total of 2,934 adult Anopheles mosquitoes were emerged from immatures collected from all sites, of which 75% (2194/2934) were An. stephensi, and 22 % (636 / 2934) were An.arabiensis. The remaining 3.0% were An. pharoensis, An. coustani, An .amharicus, and An. pretoriensis. Anopheles stephensi, An. arabiensis and An. amharicus shared the same habitats across the three ecologies. Larval density was positively correlated with availability of brick making, proximity to houses, urban setting, presence of competitors /predators, vegetation cover, shade cover and substrate type. But larval presence was not correlated with presence/absence of intervention. Larva/pupa presence were positively correlated with pH (r=0.264, p=0.01) and water pressure (r=0.21, p<0.05).There was positive correlation among temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity and dissolved oxygen (DO) and negative correlation among temperature with resistivity, pH with mvPH. Larval presence was positively correlated with water salinity and pH.Conclusion:Anopheles stephensi was the predominant species found in the study area, followed by An.arabiensis, An.amharicu, An.pharoensis, An.coustani and An.pretoriensis. Uncovered water tankers (Bricks) were the most prolific artificial habitats in urban and peri-urban sites followed by plastic sheets while natural habitats such as hoof prints and river basins were the most efficient habitat types in rural and urban settings, respectively. Anopheles stephensi was found in natural habitats of Butuji and legehare rivers from urban site, and in rural sites from man-made habitat of plastic sheet.Anopheles amharicus larvae was found in plastic sheet, an artificial habitat common in urban, peri-urban and rural areas.We report here the occurrence of An.stephensi in rural areas, breeding in natural habitats, and co-existing with An. gambiae s.l complex.Availability of brick making, shorter distance from living houses being in urban ecology were directly correlated with larval density. Habitat abundance and positivity of uncovered water tankers (cemented cisterns or bricks) in urban and pre-urban sites could indicate for feasibility and proper implementation of larval source management.

New insights into larval habitats and anthropogenic factors promoting the proliferation and survival of malaria vectors in the dormitory town of Abomey-Calavi, southern Benin

Abstract The nested subset pattern (nestedness) has been widely used to explain species distributions in island and fragmented systems. Mountain sky islands serve as critical natural laboratories for understanding the evolutionary consequences of geographic isolation and climate change, but their species distribution patterns remain poorly understood. Compared to lowland fragmented habitat islands, biodiversity patterns in mountainous regions are more complex, and traditional drivers may not adequately explain the nestedness of sky islands. To uncover the underlying mechanisms of mountain biodiversity, this study sampled amphibians across 30 sky islands in the Dabie Mountains, China, aiming to explore the nestedness of amphibian assemblages and its formative mechanisms from taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic perspectives. Taxonomic nestedness was quantified by constructing species incidence matrices and calculating nestedness metrics, while functional and phylogenetic nestedness were assessed by integrating species similarities in ecological traits and phylogenetic relationships. Seven sky island characteristics and eight amphibian species traits were then selected as predictors of nestedness. Results showed that amphibian assemblages in the Dabie Mountains exhibited significant nestedness across taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic dimensions. The habitat‐by‐site matrix was also significantly nested. Spearman rank correlations between the selected predictors and nestedness ranks revealed that sky island area, climate stability and species traits associated with extinction vulnerability (minimum area requirement, larval stage duration, elevation range, and habitat specificity) were strongly correlated with taxonomic nestedness. Additionally, sky island area and climate stability significantly influenced functional and phylogenetic nestedness. These findings support the ‘selective extinction’ and ‘habitat nestedness’ hypotheses. To explain these results, we propose a climate stability hypothesis specific to sky islands: stable climatic conditions sustain greater species diversity, whereas climatic instability exacerbates the extinction of lineages lacking adaptive traits. This study presents the first empirical evidence of nestedness in sky island systems, extending classical hypotheses beyond lowland ecosystems and offering new insights into climate‐driven assembly mechanisms affecting vulnerable taxa (e.g. amphibians). Our results indicate that conservation efforts should prioritize sky island regions with high‐climate stability, large areas and diverse habitats as core areas for biodiversity protection. Moreover, species with narrow elevation ranges, large area requirements, high‐habitat specificity and long larval stage durations should also be preserved to prevent local extinction. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Background and Aims: Lymphatic filariasis is a disease of great public health importance. The current study aims to establish the correlation between the presence of physicochemical parameters in breeding sites of Culex quinquefasciatus and the larval development. Methods: Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito larvae were collected from September to November 2024 during the small rainy season and from March to July 2025 during the great rainy season in two districts of Mono department which were Lokossa and Comè and in two districts of Couffo department which were Dogbo and Djakotomey. Then, the measurements of physicochemical parameters in breeding sites were done in laboratory using a spectrophotometer DR5000. The other methods employed were: Thermometric, Potentiometric, and Electrical conductometric. Results: The results showed that the breeding sites with higher physicochemical parameters such as: conductivity, total dissolve solids, total hardness, dissolved oxygen and alkalinity conferred the development to Culex quinquefasciatus larvae. However, there was a negative correlation between some parameters such as Turbidity and Salinity and Culex quinquefasciatus larval development. Different ions such as Ammonia, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Total Phosphate were present in Culex quinquefasciatus larval habitats and served as nutrient composition to the larvae. Conclusion: The breeding sites of Culex quinquefasciatus are influenced by many physicochemical parameters and there is a relationship between the presence of physicochemical parameters in Culex quinquefasciatus breeding sites and the development of these mosquito larvae. Peer Review History: Received 4 October 2025; Reviewed 12 November 2025; Accepted 19 December; Available online 15 January 2026 Academic Editor: Dr. A.A. Mgbahurike, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, amaka_mgbahurike@yahoo.com Reviewers: Aya Mohammed Mohammed Essawy, MTI University- Mokattam, Egypt, aya.essawy@gmail.com Antonio José de Jesus Evangelista, Federal University of Ceará, UFC, Brazil, tony_biomed@hotmail.com

Mosquitoes are major vectors of many infectious diseases, and they strongly relate their abundance to the ecological attributes of their breeding sites. With a focus on the physico-chemical and physical characteristics of larval habitats and their correlation with larval density, abundance, and species distribution, this study examined the ecological factors that favour mosquito breeding in Akure South Metropolis, Ondo State, Nigeria. Field sampling was done across selected wards where mosquito larvae could be collected from identified breeding sites using standard dipping techniques, reared to adulthood, and identified morphologically. Water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, habitat length, breadth, depth, and distance to the nearest building were measured on-site. A total of 4,001 adult mosquitoes belonging to four genera (Culex, Aedes, Anopheles, and Toxorhynchites) were recorded, with Culex species being the most abundant and widely distributed Isikan showed the highest mosquito distribution, larval abundance, and dissolved oxygen, whereas Odopetu showed the highest electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids, reflective of higher ionic and organic enrichment. Correlation analysis revealed that larval density was positively associated with pH and dissolved oxygen, indicating preference for moderately acidic to near-neutral and well-oxygenated waters, but negatively correlated with temperature, total dissolved solids, and electrical conductivity, suggesting that excessive heat and chemical enrichment may limit larval survival. Physical habitat characteristics further influenced larval distribution, as larval density was positively correlated with habitat length and proximity to buildings, but negatively correlated with habitat breadth and depth, demonstrating that shallow, narrow, elongated water bodies close to human dwellings are more favourable for mosquito breeding than wider and deeper habitats. The study shows that mosquito breeding in Akure South Metropolis is strongly driven by an interaction of water quality, habitat structure, and anthropogenic activities, highlighting the need for improved environmental sanitation, drainage management, and targeted larval source reduction to effectively control mosquito populations and reduce the risk of mosquito-borne diseases.

Oceanic islands harbor unique aquatic ecosystems characterized by distinct macroinvertebrate communities that play vital roles in ecosystem functioning and stability. São Tomé and Príncipe islands (STP), located in the Gulf of Guinea, represent a model system where the primary malaria vector, Anopheles coluzzii, shares larval habitats with a diversity of aquatic taxa. Here, we evaluate macroinvertebrate diversity in permanent and temporary larval habitats typical of An. coluzzii in STP during the wet and dry seasons. We collected 5,208 macroinvertebrates belonging to eight classes, 15 orders, and 51 families. These included insects, crustaceans, spiders, annelid worms, springtails, and mollusks, with insects and crustaceans dominating collections. Diversity remained stable across the wet and dry seasons, but higher diversity was found in permanent habitats when compared to temporary habitats. We found 9 families (12% relative abundance) that included potential predators of mosquito vector larvae. Our results demonstrate that larval habitats of An. coluzzii support a dynamic community of aquatic macroinvertebrates. Establishing this ecological baseline is crucial for future assessments of community composition and for informing sustainable vector control management and biodiversity conservation on these islands.

Environmental change can alter the species occurrence and seasonal distribution of malaria vectors to higher altitudes and latitudes. Highlands remain dynamic due to factors that favor their growth and development. Invasive species have proliferated into new ecological niches, increased. These studies aimed to determine the species occurrence and seasonal variation of malaria vectors in the selected study area. Entomological surveys were conducted in different types of larval habitats from October 2023 up to June 2024 within four purposively selected study villages. The species were morphologically identified using a stereomicroscope, and then data was analyzed using R version 4.3.1 (2023-06-16 ucrt) statistical analysis software. A total of 721 malaria vector larvae were collected, representing Anopheles gambiae s.l., An. funestus s.l., An. coustani, and An. pharoensis. An. gambiae s.l. was the dominant species, accounting for 43.82% (n = 316) of all collections, while An. pharoensis was the least abundant (7.9%, n = 57). Spatial variation was observed, with Shemo Boyo recording the highest number of larvae (45.50%, n = 328), whereas Kemecho Borara had the lowest (9.57%, n = 69). Among the habitat types, ditches had the highest mean larval density (2.61 larvae per sample), followed by swamps (1.5) and riverbeds (0.8), whereas water pans had the lowest density (0.14). Overall mean larval density was 1.11 larvae per sample, and larval abundance significantly differed across habitat categories (f (3,647) = 4.005, p = 0.012). These findings indicate that An. gambiae s.l. is the predominant malaria vector in the area and likely plays a primary role in local transmission. Further studies on spatial mapping, physicochemical characterization, habitat preference, and isolation of malaria parasites are recommended to guide targeted larval source management and reduce the burden of mosquito-borne diseases.

BackgroundAedes aegypti, the primary vector of Dengue fever in Burkina Faso, breeds in a variety of domestic and peri-domestic water holding containers. The influence of these water containers on the mosquitoes’ ability to survive exposure to chemical insecticides remains unclear. This study investigated the insecticide susceptibility profile of Aedes aegypti in relation to larval habitat types in three districts of Ouagadougou.MethodsAdult females reared from larvae collected in “domestic containers” and “car tires” were exposed separately to papers impregnated with deltamethrin, pirimiphos-methyl, and bendiocarb to determine their susceptibility profiles. A subsample of mosquitoes per locality and container type was screened for the F1534C, V1016I and V410L kdr mutations involved in pyrethroid resistance.ResultsMosquito population from the three localities showed high resistance to deltamethrin and pirimiphos-methyl and moderate resistance to bendiocarbe, with mortality rates ranging from 15% to 27%, 21% to 33% and 67% to 86%, respectively. Mosquitoes from the "domestic containers" were significantly more resistant to deltamethrin than those from tires (10% vs. 22%, p < 0.002). The frequency of the 1534C mutation was also significantly higher in the "domestic containers" compared to those from tires (0.88 vs. 0.76, p = 0.013).The other mutations 1016I and 410L, were reported with an overall frequency of 0.51 and 0.36, respectively.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that larval habitat type may influence both the level and mechanisms of resistance in Aedes aegypti. This has important implications for the design of targeted vector control strategies in dengue-endemic settings.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41182-025-00888-1.

Zoonotic malaria is an emerging public health issue in Indonesia, particularly in regions with significant forest cover and frequent interaction between humans and non-human primates. Information regarding the diversity and behaviour of mosquito vectors in these areas is very limited. This study aims to identify the diversity and bionomics of mosquitoes, particularly Anopheles sp., across five ecologically diverse locations in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, to gain an understanding of their potential role in zoonotic malaria transmission. Cross-sectional entomological surveys were conducted during November 2022 (during the rainy season) and October 2024 (at the beginning of the rainy season). Adult mosquitoes were collected using human landing catches (HLC) from 18:00 to 06:00, and larval habitats were surveyed and characterized following the WHO protocol. A total of 1,278 mosquitoes were collected from six genera, with Anopheles letifer Sandosham dominating the Anopheles group (97%), particularly in swampy secondary forests, such as Nyaru Menteng. This species exhibited peak outdoor biting activity shortly after dusk and late at night, posing a greater risk to those outside or in unscreened homes. Larval surveys conducted at 48 sites revealed Anopheles larvae in 27% of habitats, predominantly in swamps (67% positive). Although no significant associations were found with environmental factors, natural and semi-natural water bodies appear key to sustaining vector populations. These findings highlight the ecological flexibility of An. letifer and its potential impact on zoonotic malaria transmission in forest-edge communities. Vector control strategies should include integrated methods, such as larval source management and community-based interventions, particularly in peat swamp regions where interactions between humans and non-human primates are frequent.

Environmental changes including urbanization significantly influence the spatial distribution and the ecology of mosquito vectors, such as Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti, which are responsible of the transmitting of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika arboviruses. While studies often focus on breeding site typology, the physicochemical characteristics of these habitats remain underexplored, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigates (i) the larval ecology of Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti in Franceville, an equatorial forest region undergoing urbanization, south-eastern Gabon, and (ii) emphasizing habitat typology and the physicochemical attributes influencing their proliferation. Field larval surveys were conducted across central, intermediate, and peripheral settings of the town, documenting the diversity of larval habitats and their physical features (nature, substrate material and size) and the mosquito species recovered. Water samples were analysed to determine physicochemical properties including pH, salinity, conductivity, and the presence of organic matter. The results reveal significant physicochemical heterogeneity across settings, with central urban areas more characterised by plastic (12.9%) and rubber (10.7%) breeding sites while peripheral areas were dominated by cement microhabitats (15.7%). Notably, the findings have clarified the ecological niche of these two species (Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti), revealing a preference for anthropogenic water bodies composed of rubber, plastic, or cement materials, with small to medium surface areas (< 1,250 cm2) and low to medium salinity levels (< 0.4 ppt). These findings underscore the importance of integrating physicochemical analyses into vector ecology studies to enhance our understanding of vector proliferation in rapidly urbanizing regions. By addressing this knowledge gap, the study provides critical insights to inform public health strategies and urban planning, offering a foundation for targeted vector control interventions.

Mosquitoes play a critical role as agents of disease transmission, particularly where the abundance of breeding habitats supports their proliferation. Understanding the ecology of these vectors is crucial in assessing the potential risk of human exposure to the diseases they transmit and in controlling them. In this study, larvae of Anopheles mosquitoes were collected using the dip method from different habitats in Shendam and Jos-South Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Plateau State, Nigeria. Water physicochemical parameters were measured on-site using a handheld multi-parameter device. The larvae were reared to adults and identified using standard identification keys. Five breeding habitats, namely gutters, rain pools, rice fields, hoof prints, and puddles, were characterized, and their physicochemical parameters were analyzed. Overall, 2,513 larvae were reared to emergence as adults, with Anopheles gambiae as the dominant species, 1,279 (50.90%), and Anopheles pretoriensis, 175(6.95%) (p&lt;0.001), the least collected species of the four Anopheline species encountered. The most abundant larval habitats were rice fields in Shendam LGA (51.09%) and rain pools in Jos South LGA (43.13%) (p&lt;0.001). The water quality parameters analyzed showed a negative correlation with mosquito abundance. The R-squared value indicates that about 65.22% variation in mosquito abundance is accounted for by the water physicochemical parameters: temperature, pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids, and salinity. However, the variation was not significant, F (5, 6) = 2.25, p = 0.1759. For effective larval source management, initial risk mapping of mosquito breeding sites, combined with improved knowledge of vector ecology and their interactions with humans, should be prioritized to inform interventions against these vectors.

Mosquito larvae develop in aquatic habitats that harbor highly variable communities of bacteria and other microorganisms, which have been well demonstrated to shape individual fitness outcomes in laboratory settings. However, relatively little is known about how this microbial variation contributes to or is influenced by mosquito population dynamics in the field. To investigate potential associations between mosquito population dynamics and microbial community assembly, we characterized bacterial communities in naturally occurring larval habitats with variable historical mosquito productivity using amplicon sequencing. We then applied a null model approach to quantify the relative importance of selection, dispersal, and drift processes in bacterial community assembly. Habitat microbiota clustered into two distinct biotypes: Biotype 1 communities were dominated by Proteobacteria, while Biotype 2 communities were dominated by Cyanobacteria. Both biotypes were shaped by a combination of selection and neutral (i.e., dispersal and drift) processes. However, selection played a more prominent role in habitats with Biotype 1 communities, whereas drift was more influential in Biotype 2 habitats. Variation partitioning further identified historical mosquito productivity and the spatial aggregation of sites with similar productivity histories as key drivers of selection. These findings suggest that mosquito population dynamics are associated with differences in microbial community structure, potentially through feedbacks between mosquito activity and habitat conditions. This study lays the foundation for future work to disentangle causal relationships and to integrate patterns of microbiota diversity and mosquito occurrence into vectorial capacity models for improved prediction of mosquito-borne disease transmission dynamics in the field.

Monitoring the ecology and insecticide resistance of Anopheles mosquitoes, which transmit malaria, is important for developing effective malaria control strategies. This study characterized the present larval breeding habitats of Anopheles mosquitoes in South Korea; additionally, we investigated the frequency of insecticide resistance in Anopheles in the Ganghwagun, Gyeonggi-do province, near the demilitarized zone (DMZ), of South Korea. While larvae of An. sineroides and An. lindesayi were found near forests in Naega-myeon and Kukhwa-ri, respectively, An. sinensis larvae were predominantly found in irrigation canal near rice fields in Seonhaeng-ri, alongside An. belenrae. Seven genotypes of knockdown resistant (kdr) allele in the voltage-gated sodium channel of An. sinensis were introduced, revealing a new kdr genotype. Notably, almost all of An. sinensis captured in this study was shown mutant genotypes with homozygous or heterozygous resistant alleles of acetylcholinesterase (ace-1). Moreover, the predominant presence of mosquitoes harboring mutations in more than one insecticidal target was observed in An. sinensis. In addition, An. belenrae was identified to possess kdr and ace-1 mutation. Taken together, our findings revealed the multiple insecticide resistance of An. sinensis, with larval habitat near the DMZ of South Korea, 2024.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-29307-5.

Water-holding containers serve as breeding sites for Aedes aegypti. The control of mosquito breeding sites and the use of household insecticides are some of the DHF control methods. The use of household insecticides over a long period can reduce the susceptibility of mosquitoes to these insecticides. This research aims to determine the mosquito's habitat characteristics and to determine the Aedes aegypti resistance status to malathion in Jember. A total of 61 houses were surveyed, and the various types of containers encountered at the sampling locations were recorded. Larvae and pupae found at the sampling location are brought and hatched in the laboratory. Aedes aegypti was tested for resistance status to malathion insecticide using a CDC bottle bioassay and biochemical nonspecific esterase enzyme activity. A total of 140 containers were found in this study, and 36.43% of them are Aedes aegypti larvae/pupae habitat. Types of containers used as mosquito larval habitat are bottles/glasses, bathtubs, used basins/buckets, water storage buckets, trash cans, refrigerator water containers, used cans, gutters, livestock drinking water containers, fish ponds, plant pots, used livestock cages, used toilets, used jugs, used animal feeders, and used aquariums. The mortality of Aedes aegypti reached 42.3% (resistant). Meanwhile, the results of biochemical tests showed an increase in the activity of the nonspecific esterase enzyme. This study concludes that Aedes aegypti from Jember has been resistant to malathion insecticide

The current study has examined morphometric diversification in five weevil species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) based on their distribution in different agro-ecological areas in District Khairpur, Sindh-Pakistan. Fifteen of each species were analyzed and seven morphometric measures (body length, abdominal length, abdominal width, pronotum length, pronotum width, head size, and antennal insertion) were quantified with the help of calibrated digital calipers and a stereo microscope. The minimum and maximum ranges were observed and used to estimate mean plus SD to measure the intra and interspecific variation. Rhynchophorus ferrugineus appeared as the largest overall body dimensions while Pachyrhinus lethierryi was the smallest. Tanymecus indicus and Sphenophorus parvulus portrayed comparatively lower morphometrics while Phyllobius pomaceus exhibited the average size with stable traits. Morphometric comparison indicated clear species-level division, which was an ecological specialization and differentiation in development based on larval habitat. Most of the species fitted into the size ranges published previously but some weevils, especially T. indicus and S. parvulus, were found to be larger in size than other geographic areas, implying perhaps a divergence in phenotype or even the presence of closely related species complexes. The study offers a baseline dataset in future taxonomic explanation and ecological surveillance of Curculionidae in Sindh and emphasizes the importance of combining morphometrics and molecular-based analysis in improving the species identification in this set of heterogeneous beetles.

ABSTRACT The hyporheic zone extends beneath active river channels and gravel bars, serving as crucial habitats for invertebrates, including aquatic insects. This study investigated the emergence of aquatic insects from benthic and subsurface zones through the diverse riverscape features of a gravel‐bed river. Insect emergence during the peak period for hyporheic species, from May to July 2024, was surveyed along a 50‐m section of a gravel bar on the Satsunai River in northern Japan. Emergence traps were positioned above water (WS), at the gravel‐bar edge (GE), and on the gravel‐bar surface (GB) to collect adult insects. Larval communities were sampled from the river channel and subsurface hyporheic pipes in GB to ascertain the insects' habitat affinity for benthic and hyporheic zones. Two Plecoptera taxa, Leuctridae spp. and Alloperla ishikariana , predominated in the hyporheic community (94%), whereas the benthic community comprised a more diverse array of taxa, including Ephemeroptera (74.6%) and Trichoptera (12.3%), based on larval data. Total insect emergence was adjusted for the areal extents of WS, GE, and GB; hyporheic taxa dominated GB (70%) and GE (60%), while benthic taxa dominated WS (82%). Hyporheic taxa utilized gravel‐bar GB and GE for emergence disproportionately more than benthic taxa, likely due to the proximity of their larval habitats beneath the gravel bar and the emergence behavior of dominant Plecoptera by crawling onto land. This study demonstrated insect emergence through three distinct pathways mediated by larval habitats in benthic and hyporheic zones and underscored the critical roles of three riverscape features in supporting the reproduction and biodiversity of aquatic insects in gravel‐bed rivers.

A Two-steps Remote Sensing and Machine Learning Framework for Predicting Malaria Prone Areas by Mapping Anopheles Larval Habitats