Habitat biodiversity of mosquito richness in certain parts of Garhwal (Uttaranchal), India.

ABSTRACT

The present study gives an overview of data on the habitat biodiversity of mosquitoes occurring in certain parts (viz, Pauri, Tehri and Uttarkashi) of Garhwal (Uttaranchal), India. The study was based on the mosquito sampling in 450 sites/spots in all the 3 districts, each spot having an area of 25 km2 and geographically located at varying altitudes between 300 to 3,000 m. While compiling the data, published sources in the recent past were also considered. The species richness was categorized as most species and least species by estimating the top and least 5 percentile of species density in each grid cells/spots, respectively. Our database showed that the area harbors 45 species from 3 genera. As many as 17 species of Anopheles and 15 species of the genus Aedes were recorded during November 2000 to October 2002. Further, there were 13 species of Culex, besides few specimens that could not be identified correctly because of damage body parts. Collected species of Anophelines were grouped as common, uncommon, and rare species depending to their percentage of occupying in grid cells/spots. There were 9 common species, while the number of rare species and uncommon species were 3 and 5, respectively. The sites/ spots nearer to riverine areas or thick-forested areas showed more diversity of mosquitoes than those nearer to non-forested or thin-forested areas. However, the biodiversity rich spots were up to 1,200 m altitudes.