Anopheles minimus: its bionomics and role in the transmission of malaria in Assam, India.

Indoor, day-resting collections of Anopheles minimus mosquitos from human dwellings in the study area in Assam, India, indicated that these insects were prevalent throughout the year and that their maximum abundance occurred from March to August. A. minimus was identified as a vector of malaria, and sporozoite infections were recorded every month of the year, with the highest rating occurring in October. The mosquito was highly anthropophilic and fed on human hosts (indoor) all through the night, but feeding was more pronounced between 01:00 and 04:00, the person-biting rate was 13.7 per night. Breeding occurred throughout the year in slow-flowing streams with grassy banks. A. fluviatilis was also identified as a vector of malaria in the study area but occurred in low density, and sporozoite infections were only seasonal.