Joumal of the American Control Association, 14(3):346_341, l99g Copyright @ 1998 by the American Mosquito Control Association, Inc.

OCCURRENCE OF (CULICIOMYIA) SPATHIFURCA (EDWARDS) (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) IN -NEW COUNTRY RECORD

A. R. RAJAVEL,' R. NATARAJANI aNo A. MUNIRATHINAM,

ABSTRACT' Culex (Culiciomyia) spathifurca (Edwards) is recorded for the lst time in India. Immaure specimens of this species were collected from tree holes in a mangrove forest. Notes on the larval habitat are given.

KEY WORDS Culex spathifurca, lndia, first recorJ, mangrove forest, tree hole, Avicennia spp.

Culex (Culiciomyia) spathifurca @dwards) is and 4th-instar larvae conform to descriptions ofthe known to occur in Borneo, Java, New Guinea, Sin- species by Bram (1967). Serae 5,6-C with 6-7 gapore, , , the , Tai- branches and siphon setae all double, as described wan, , and Maldive Islands (Bram 1967). by Delfinado (1966), were not found in any of the This species has not been recorded from India until specimens collected in this region. It is probable now, although its known distribution lies between that variations exist among the different popula- 10'S and 25'N and 75'E and 150"E. This commu- tions of this species. nication reports the lst record of Cx. spathifurca in Tlee holes found in Avicennia fficiarutlis Lin- India. Specimens were obtained during a mosquito naeus and Avicennia marina Vierh., which are typ- faunistic study in a mangrove forest ecosystem at ical mangrove flora, constituted the only habitat for Pichavaram (11'27'N, 79'47'E), Tamil Nadu State, immatures. Associated mosquito species found in southern India. The mangrove forest located at sea these tree holes were Culex brevipalpis (GlJes), Ae- level is traversed by a very large number of chan- des reginae Edwards, and.Aedes krombeini Huang. nels and creeks that connect the Coleroon estuary The presence of Cx. spathifurca commenced when in the south to the Vellar estuary in the north (12 salinity level of water in tree holes dropped below km apart). 10,000 mg/liter after the start of the northeast mon- All the specimens were collected as larvae from soon rainfall. The number of positive tree holes in- tree holes: collection no. PV4 collected on Septem- creased as salinity levels declined. The greatest ber 25,1997, from a single tree hole and reared, 6 number of tree holes with irnmatures of Cx, spa- males, 13 females, 6 associated larval and pupal thifurca occurred when salinity levels ranged be- skins, 1 male terminalia; PV5 collected on October tween325 and 1,100 mg/liter. 14, 1997, from 2 tree holes and reared, 22 males, Extensive sampling of swamp pools and crab 43 females, 17 associated larval and pupal skins, 3 holes did not yield any larvae of this species. Pre- male terminalia; PV6 collected on November 19, viously, larvae of Cx. spathifurca have been col- 1997, from L1 tree holes and reared, 56 males,46 lected from crab holes (Carter and Wijesundara females, 11 associated larval and pupal skins, 3 1948), elephant tracks, puddles, brackish water in male terminalia. From these collections, 2 males, L nipa palm leaves, rock pools, ditches, and bamboo male genitalia, 2 females, 1 pupal skin, and 1 larval stumps (Bram 1967). More recently, Samarawick- skin were deposited in the USNM, Washington, rema et al. (1982) found breeding of this species in DC; 1 male, 1 male genitalia, and 1 female were coconut husk pits in Sri Lanka. Breeding of Cx. deposited in the museum of Centre for Research in spathifurca in tree holes as reported here adds one Medical Entomology, Madurai, India. Remaining more larval habitat of this species to those already specimens were retained in the Taxonomic Refer- known. ence Centre of the Vector Control Research Centre, We are grateful to P. K. Das, Director, Vector Pondicherry, India. Control Research Centre, Pondicherry, for his sup- The species was identified by the unique male port and encouragement. Thanks are due to K. Vai- terminalia with bifurcate gonostylus and 4th-instar dyanathan for his assistance in the field work. larval characters of head hairs 5,6-C with 3 or 4 branches and the subventral tufts of the siphon sin- REFERENCES CITED gle. Other morphological details of adults, pupae, Bram, R. A. 1967. Contribution to the mosquito fauna of Southeast Asia. II. The genus Culex in Thailand (Dip- I Vector Control Research Centre, Indira Nagar, Pondi- tera: Culicidae). Contrib. Am. Entomol. Inst. (Ann Ar- cherry 605 0O6, India. bor) 2:l--296. 2 Centre for Research in Medical Entomology, Madurai Carter,H. E and D. P Wijesundara. 1948. Notes on some 625 OO2. lndia. Ceylonculicine mosquitoes. Ceylon J. Sci. 23:135-151.

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Delfinado, M. D. 1966. The culicine mosquitoes of the 1982. Significance of coconut husk pits as larval hab- Philippines, tribe Culicini (Diptera, Culicidae). Mem. itats of Culex quinquefasciatzs Say in the filariasis en- Am. Entomol. Inst.7..l-252. demic coastal belt of Sri Lanka. Southeast Asian J. Samarawickrema, W. A., N. Jayasekara., C. G. Jansen., R. Tlop. Med. Public Health 13:590-595. V. Chelliah., E R. Karandawala and S. Pathmanathan.