Mosquitoes of the mangrove forests of India: part 5--Chorao, Goa, and Vikhroli, Maharashtra

Mosquitoes of 14 species belonging to 9 subgenera and 9 genera were recorded in Chorao mangroves of Goa, and 12 species belonging to 9 subgenera and 7 genera in the mangroves of Vikhroli, Maharashtra, in India. Genera recorded were Aedes, Anopheles, Armigeres, Culex, Mansonia, Ochlerotatus, Orthopodomyia, Toxorhynchites, Uranotaenia, and Verrallina. Species common to both the mangroves were Ae. albopictus, Ae. novalbopictus, An. subpictus, Cx. sitiens, Oc. wardi, Ur. atra, and Ve. lugubris. Tree holes, crab holes, and swamp pools were the common larval habitats in Chorao, but tree holes were absent in Vikhroli. Adults of Ae. albopictus, Ae. novalbopictus, Ar. subalbatus, Cx. gelidus Cx. sitiens, Ma. indiana, Ur. atra, and Ve. lugubris were found landing on humans. Aedes novalbopictus, Oc. wardi, and Or. anopheloides are new records for the state of Goa.

A list of the mosquitoes housed in the mosquito museum at the Vector Control Research Centre, Pondicherry, India

The establishment of a mosquito museum at the Vector Control Research Centre, Pondicherry, India, is reported. The collection at present contains more than 14,800 adult mosquitoes, including 8,426 that are individually pinned. The collection also includes some 1,048 male and female genitalia preparations, and 815 larval and 444 pupal exuviae on microscope slides. Mosquitoes of 19 genera, 37 subgenera, and 181 species are housed in the museum, representing about 50% of the known species from India. A list of the species is provided.