Research on the mosquitoes of Angola - Systematic Catalog of ...

RIBgIRO, H. & RAMOS, H. Cunha -- <strong>Research</strong> ot the mosquitoes oj Atgola -- X
TAXONOMIG NOTES. Notwithstanding the occurrence of some va-
riation, both adult and larval C. theileri will be easily identified using
the keys given under 6. Male terminalia are also quite characteristic.
The following are some particulars concerning Angolan larvae (15 full-
grown larvae examined, 8 from Mog/tmedes and 7 from the Calai area):
head setae A usually with 7 or 8 branches (range 5-11), B with 2
(1-3), C with 3 (2-4), d bifid or trifid, e usually with 5 (3-6) branches
and / with 7 (6-9) branches; comb of about 30 (18-40) spines; siphon
index about 4.5 (3.4-5.5); pecten usually with 8 or 9 (6-10) curved
teeth; subventral tufts of siphon each usually with 8-10 simple branches
(range 6-12 branches); saddle hair with 2-4 branches, usually bifid;
gills at times as long as twice the length of saddle, usually not longer
than the anal segment; eighth abdominal segment obviously spiculate.
DISTRIBUTION. C. theileri occurs throughout the East and South
African Subregion (of the Ethiopian Region) and the Mediterranean
Subregion (of the Palaearctic), extending into the Northern Oriental
Region (8) (79) (20). In Angola, as it is shown on Map 12, C. theileri
occurs, in fact, in East and South African biomes, being apparently
most common in semiarid country.
BIOECOI_,O(IC:AL NOTES. 24 breeding places of C. theileri were
recorded: 11 ground pools in overflown river margins, 7 small ponds,
4 borrow-pits, a shallow earth-well and an old rubber tyre. The larval
biotopes were usually exposed to sunlight, with little vegetation. The
breeding water had a pH (11 biotopes examined) ranging from 5.0 to
8.0 (mean 5.8). In six instances, the chloride content of the water was
examined, being as follows: 1.4, 2.3, 3.7, 4.2, 7.0 and 9.8. The temperature
of the breeding water was at times high (30øC were recorded).
The following mosquitoes occur as associates of C. theileri in its
breeding places: Culex poicilipes (in 9 out of the 24 biotopes recorded),
Anopheles pharoensis and An. squamosus (8 times, each), An. coustani
group (6), Culex simpsoni (5), C. p. pipiens (4), C. tigripes (3) Aedes
natronius and Culex univittatus (twice, each) and Aedeomyia /ur/urea,
Anopheles listeri, An. gambiae, Culex decens, C. p. quinque/asciatus
and C. thalassius, only once. In 3 out of the 24 larval biotopes no associated
mosquito larvae were found. A typical larval site of C. theileri
is illustrated in Fig. 13.
IlO Estud., E,s. e Doc. -- 134