Observations on a species of the Anopheles funestus subgroup, a suspected exophilic vector of malaria parasites in Northeastern Transvaal, South Africa.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

1977

Original Publication

Mosquito News

Volume

37

Series / Issue

Issue: 4

Pages

657-661

Contributed by

American Mosquito Control Association

Notes

Author(s) - Meillon, D. de., G. J. Van Eeden, L. Coetzee, R Meiswinkel, C. L. N. DuToit and C. F. Hansford.

 

Abstract

Low grade malaria transmission persists sporadically in the northeastern transvaal in the absence or near absence of the usual house-frequenting vectors. The possibility of exophilic transmission was considered and attention focused on a hitherto unrecognized outdoor biting member of the Anopheles funestus subgroup closely resembling An. aruni and An. funestus. This species called Aruni? here was found to bite man readily out of doors and to be fully receptive to Plasmodium falciparum. In the adult state Aruni? can usually be distinguished from Funestus and a list of these characters is given and illustrated graphically. Workers in Rhodesia have found that the polytene chromosomes and spermatogenesis of hybrids show Aruni? and Funestus to be separate species. The whole Funestus subgroup requires investigation by modern cytotaxonomic, chemical and cross-breeding techniques especially as their immatures have so far defied separation.

Notes

Author(s) - Meillon, D. de., G. J. Van Eeden, L. Coetzee, R Meiswinkel, C. L. N. DuToit and C. F. Hansford.