ABUNDANCE OF MOSQUITO SPECIES WITHIN SOKOTO METROPOLIS. RESEARCH TOPICS ON BIOLOGY
ABSTRACT
The study was conducted to determine the abundance of mosquito species within Sokoto metropolis. Three (3) locations, which are Danbuwa, Gobirawa and GidanIgwai, in three (3) Local Government Areas, namely; DangeShuni, Sokoto South and Sokoto North Local Government Areas respectively, were sampled out of the five (5) Local Government Areas that make up Sokoto Metropolis were sampled. A total of 341 Mosquitoes species belonging to two genera were collected. The genera identified are Anopheles and Culex. The number of Culex andAnopheles were 213(62.5%) and 128(37.5%) respectively, showing a significant difference between the two genera. The total number of males was 194, representing 56.9% of the sample and a total number of females was 147, representing 43.1% of the total sample, showing a significant difference between the gender (P >0.05)
The total number of the engorged Mosquitoes collected were 57, representing 39% of the total sample, while the total number of the not engorged mosquitoes collected were 90, representing 61% of the total sample collected. There was no significant difference between the engorged and the not engorged mosquitoes P <0 .05.=”” also=”” area=”” danbuwa=”” females.=”” females=”” gidanigwai=”” gobirawa=”” however=”” in=”” insignificant=”” males=”” more=”” number=”” of=”” p=”” recorded.=”” recorded=”” span=”” than=”” the=”” these=”” values=”” was=”” were=””>
Finally, only Danbuwa had more number of engorged females than the not engorged, the other two areas had lesser number of engorged than the not engorged. The values were, however, also insignificant (p<0 .05=”” span=””> The results of the study is of Public Health concern as the species of mosquitoes encountered have been known for the transmission of one form of disease or the other.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0Â Â Â Â Â Â Â INTRODUCTION
Mosquitoes are slender and relatively small insects, usually measuring about 3– 6 mm in length. Some species, however, can be as small as 2mm while others may be as long as 19 mm (Service, 2008). The long antennae have numerous whorls of hair, short in the female and long and bushy in the male. In most species of mosquitoes, the mouth parts of the female are long, adapted for piercing and for sucking blood. The male, which feeds on nectar and water, has rudimentary mouth parts.
