Observations on the breeding sites of mosquitoes in Lake Manyara, a saline lake in the East African Rift Valley

Abstract

Larvae of 18 species of mosquitoes were found in the region of Lake Manyara, a saline lake in Tanzania.Aedes natroniusEdw.,Culex tenagiusvan Som. andC. nakuruensisMattingly bred in salinities ranging from 0 to over 8% NaCl; five species, includingAnopheles gambiaeGiles, bred only in fresh and brackish waters, while the remainder were found only in fresh water. The saline habitats were also alkaline.C. tenagiusoccurs only in association with hot springs throughout East Africa, but larvae were found in salinities of 0- > 8% NaCl, alkalinities of 0.05–0.32N, pH 7.8- > 11 and at temperatures of 22–42 C.C. tenagius,C. nakuruensisandC. telesillaDe Meillon & Lavoipierre were new records for Tanzania, as wasAe. lineatopennis(Ludl.) collected from a nearby settlement. It is considered that the species able to breed in both fresh and salt water, namely,Ae. natronius,C. tenagiusandC. nakuruensis, may comprise a complex of fresh-water and salt-water races, or even species.