A mark-release-recapture experiment with Anopheles lesteri paraliae in northwest Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

In a coastal village in northwest Malaysia, 3231 fed Anopheles females of eight to 10 species were collected, marked with fluorescent dust, and released on three consecutive nights. In collections made on the 10 nights after the first release, 58 mosquitoes of three species, An. lesteri paraliae. An. subpictus and An. vagus, were recaptured; the recapture rates were 3·42%, 1·19% and 0·97%, respectively. The data for An. subpictus and An. vagus were insufficient for further analysis. Those for An. I. paraliae were plotted against time of recapture and, from the regression coefficient, an estimate of 0·68 was obtained for the daily survival rate. An independent estimate based on the parous rate during the previous year was 0·55. The temporal distribution of the recaptures strongly suggested a gonotrophic cycle and oviposition cycle of two days.