Interspecific associations among anophelines in different breeding habitats of Kheda district, Gujarat. Part I: Canal irrigated area.

In a study covering two years, 1306 samples of immatures were collected from 7 different breeding habitats of canal irrigated villages of Kheda district in Gujarat. Out of the samples belonging to 8 anopheline species, 14396 adults emerged. Breeding of An. culicifacies was associated with An. annularis in ponds, paddy fields, small pools and with An. stephensi in paddy fields. Maximum association was observed between An. barbirostris and An. nigerrimus in irrigation canals and An. culicifacies and An. subpictus in intradomestic containers. An. annularis, An. stephensi and An. subpictus were strongly associated in paddy fields. Strong interspecific repulsion was observed between An. subpictus and An. stephensi in intradomestic containers and An. barbirostris and An. subpictus in ponds.