SEROLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION OF THE PREDATORS OF ADULT AEDES-ALBOPICTUS(SKUSE) (DIPTERA, CULICIDAE) IN RUBBER PLANTATIONS AND A CEMETERY IN MALAYSIA

In Malaysia, cemeteries and rubber plantations are the preferential ha bitats of Aedes albopictus (Skuse), the principal vector of dengue. Na tural predators of Ae. albopictus were identified by a precipitin test . Positive reactions with anti-albopictus sera were shown in four spec ies of spiders, comprising Heterapoda venatoria (76.6%), Heteropoda sp . (42.9%), Pardosa sp. (75.9%), and Leucauge decorata (60%), collected from the cemetery, and five species comprising Passiena sp. (41.8%), Leucauge grata (46.2%), Heteropoda venatoria (90%), Cyclosa insulana ( 33.3%), and Nephila maculata (27.8%) collected from rubber plantations . All of the spider species represent new host records as predators of Ae. albopictus.