Diversity and habitat characteristics of mosquitoes in selected lowland areas of Cavite / by Salvador B. Litan III.

Thesis (Bachelor of Science in Biology) Cavite State University

Includes bibliographical references.

College of Arts and Science (CAS)

LITAN, SALVADOR III BERNIDO. Diversity and Habitat Characteristics of Mosquitoes in Selected Lowland Areas of Cavite. Undergraduate Thesis. Bachelor of Science in Biology, Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite. April 2016. Adviser: Jonathan R. Digma

This study was conducted to identify mosquito species present in the lowland areas of Cavite; determine the habitat characteristics of the study sites and selected physic-chemical characteristics of larval habitat; assess the different population parameters in the different study sites; determine the relationship between mosquito species and the environmental parameters in the study sites; and determine the mosquito species- habitat relationships from January to February 2016.
Mosquito larva collection employed a simple random sampling method in the
randomly selected study sites with the use of dippers, plankton nets and
pipettes/droppers. Samples were preserved in 95% ethanol prior to microscopic examination. Identification of mosquito larva was based on established morphological characteristics from larval identification keys. Three municipalities and two cities of lowland Cavite were surveyed. Mosquito species were collected and identified up to the species level. Habitat characteristics like latitude, longitude, altitude, air temperature, humidity, wind speed, light intensity, and sound were observed and recorded. Water analysis was also conducted in-situ where selected physic-chemical parameters were temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen were determined.

Different mosquito species were found to be present in the lowland areas of Cavite. Five mosquito species were identified to the species level. Aedes aegypti (30.08%) Aedes albopictus (3.84%) Culex quinquefasciatus (65.48%) Culex mimeticus (0.17%) and an unknown species (0.44%). The habitat characteristics and selected physic-chemical characteristics of the larval habitat were recorded, these environmental parameters were elevation (4.98 to 19m above sea level), air temperature (31.01 to 33.59 °C), humidity (51.38 to 57.1%), wind speed (0.10 to 0.78 m/s), light intensity (4221.13 to 12860.4 lux) and sound (52.93 to 60.52db). The three physico-chemical parameters like water temperature (28.32 to 31 °C), pH (6.76 to 7.74), and DO (0.37 to 1.74 mg/L) were also evaluated. The relationship between mosquito species and important environmental parameters were found to have significant correlation. Species — habitat association showed that habitat characteristics in the different study sites have supported larval survival and distribution. It also showed association and dependence between Cx. mimeticus and other mosquito species.

The different population parameters were found to have direct influence on mosquito development, described in the canonical correspondence analysis. The relationship between mosquito species and important environmental parameters such as elevation, air temperature, and humidity was found to have moderate to high correlation. Data suggested that the most abundant species in the lowland area of Cavite was Cx. quinquefasciatus, followed by Ae. aegypti. It was found that Kawit harbors all mosquito species despite the small land area of the municipality. Habitat conditions in the study sites supported the survival and distribution of this important mosquito species. Cx. mimeticus showed its dependence with other mosquito species during its larval stage.

Submitted copy to the University Library. 02/14/2017 T-6255