INDOOR RESTING BY OUTDOOR BITING FEMALES OF ANOPHELES-GAMBIAE COMPLEX(DIPTERA, CULICIDAE) IN THE SAHEL OF NORTHERN SENEGAL

Three villages in the Senegal River basin were selected to study the b iting and resting behavior of Anopheles gambiae s.l. in relation to hu man habits, rainfalls, and rice culture irrigation. All inhabitants sl eep outside throughout the year, mainly under poor quality bednets. Mo squitoes were collected host-seeking during the night on human bait ou tside and resting during the day inside and outside in pit shelters. A n. gambiae s.s. and An. arabiensis fed mainly outside, the only place where hosts are available; fed and gravid females resting indoors fed outside. The proportions of An. gambiae s.s. and An. arabiensis in out door biting catches and in indoor spray catches were not significantly different, but they differed from year to year with the latter sampli ng method. An. gambiae s.s. predominated in 1990, a more wet and humid year, whereas An. arabiensis was more common in 1991, which was an ar id year. Both species are highly endophilic in this arid area where ou tdoor-resting places are limited.