Anopheline Breeding in Irrigated Rice Land Agro-Ecosystem and Natural Parasitism of the Fungus Coelomomyces with special reference to Species Succession in Central Gujarat, India

Mosquito population studies in rice agro-ecosystem of Kheda district in Central Gujarat revealed the presence of 14 anopheline species. An. subpictus (69.19%) was predominant anopheline species in rice agro-ecosystem followed by An. nigerrimus (9.18%), An. annularis (6.86%), An. culicifacies (5.52%), An. tessellatus (4.52%) and An. barbirostris (2.27%). Profuse breeding of An. subpictus and An. culcifacies was found in newly transplanted rice fields when plan height was minimum and distance between plants was maximum, which was later replaced by more shade loving mosquitoes like An. annularis, An. nigerrimus, An. tessellatus and An. barbirostris in later stages when there was enough aquatic vegetation in rice plots with thick growth of plants and canopy development. Breeding of malaria vector An. culicifacies was found in low proportions in rice nurseries and post harvested rice fields while rice field channels were the preferred place for its breeding. Besides species replacement, species groups were also noticed in rice field breeding mosquitoes when species like An. subpictus and An. culicifacies showed affinity to breed maximum in same kind of conditions of newly transplanted rice fields while, An. annularis, An. nigerrimus and An. barbirostis preferred to breed in later stages of the rice crop in an established ecosystem. Better understanding of the mosquito bionomics in this habitat may prove helpful in devising appropriate control measures for mosquito control.