Capture-recapture studies with mosquitoes of the group of Anopheles punctulatus Dönitz (Diptera: Culicidae) from Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Five capture-recapture experiments with three species of the group of Anopheles punctulatus Dönitz were undertaken in four villages in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. Females were collected in landing catches, blood-fed, marked with fluorescent powder according to time and location of capture, and released. Recaptures took place for 4–13 nights after release. A proportion of the recaptured mosquitoes was dissected for evidence of recent oviposition and gonotrophic age determination. Two models were developed to test a number of the assumptions that underlie the analysis of capture-recapture data from mosquitoes. Species abundance and numbers collected varied within and between villages, but marked mosquitoes dispersed at random within the mosquito population. No heterogeneity was found between indoor and outdoor biters of any of the three species. Survival rates were similar in all species. Significant differences were found in the duration of the oviposition cycle between species and village. This was 2·7–3·7 days for A. punctulatus, 2·4–3·2 days for A. koliensis Owen and 2·1–3·0 days for A. farauti Laveran. No differences were found in the duration of the oviposition cycle of nulliparous and parous females of A. farauti. Thus temporary pool breeders had a longer cycle than permanent pool breeders. This tended to be due to a delay in returning to feed rather than a delay in oviposition. It is concluded that differences between local environments exert a greater influence on the duration of the oviposition cycle than do species specific differences.