AN ECOLOGICAL SURVEY OF ANOPHELES-ALBIMANUS LARVAL HABITATS IN COLOMBIA

The flora and fauna of 69 aquatic sites in Colombia were surveyed to i dentify ecological conditions that favor production of Anopheles albim anus. Anopheles albimanus larvae were most numerous at sun-exposed sit es with abundant Culex larvae and grass at the edge of the water. Only 29% of the sites with An. albimanus larvae contained pupae, suggestin g that poor larval survival prevented the production of adult mosquito es at many sites. In the Atlantic region, An. albimanus production was highest from large ponds with an abundant and varied aquatic insect f auna, including many kinds of predators of An. albimanus larvae. Altho ugh productive sites were often covered with water hyacinth, aquatic v egetation was generally not a reliable indicator of An. albimanus prod uction. In the pacific region, An. albimanus production was highest fr om small water bodies with few aquatic macrophytes and an abundance of cladocera, reflecting an abundance of microalgal food for mosquito la rvae. In both regions, All. albimanus production was negatively associ ated with a complete cover of Lemna, fish, hydrometrid nymphs, large s pecies of cyclopoid copepods, and dragonfly or mayfly nymphs. Anophele s albimanus production was also negatively associated with dytiscid be etle larvae in the Pacific region.