A study of adult Culicidae ecology was carried out from January 1992 through January 1993 at the rice irrigation system of the Ribeira Valley Experimental Station. The adaptation of Anopheles albitarsis to the anthropic environment became evident through the adult collections made at its various habitats represented by the irrigation system and the edge of the residual pond, as well as at those made within the local patchy residual woods. Other potential disease vectors were prevalent in the irrigated system too. There were Aedes scapularis, Culex nigripalpus and Cx. ribeirensis that were collected at various habitats. Remarkable differences among their prevalences were obtained such as between the natural forest and anthropic environments. In the former An. albitarsis was practically non-existent, thus suggesting that it might be considered as eusynathropic. As the populations of other species seemed to increase in the anthropic environment, they may be regarded as hemisynanthropes. Observations suggest the hypothesis that the development of irrigated land may be a factor in the emergence of An. albitarsis, and some other species, as well as the possibility of an increase in the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria.
Mosquitoes; Ecology, vectors; Anopheles