HOST BLOOD MEALS AND CHROMOSOMAL INVERSION POLYMORPHISM IN ANOPHELES-ARABIENSIS IN THE BARINGO DISTRICT OF KENYA

Studies were carried out in the villages of Kapkuikui and Maji-Ndege i n the Loboi area of Baringo District, Kenya, to obtain baseline data o n species identification of the Anopheles gambiae group, their feeding and resting behavior, and their frequencies of chromosomal inversions . This was carried out towards predicting the effect of introducing pe rmethrin-impregnated cloths or other intervention measures. In this st udy, Anopheles arabiensis was identified as the only species of the An . gambiae group. This species contained 2 inversions, 2Rb and 3Ra, occ urring at frequencies ranging from 55 to 60%, and from 5 to 11%, respe ctively. There was no evidence for nonrandom mating. Indoor- and outdo or-collected samples were significantly different in respect of invers ion 3Ra in one village and in the distribution of the different source s of blood meals in both areas. In these villages, 37% of indoor-resti ng mosquitoes fed outside before entering houses to rest.