PoPulation Dynamics of aDult mosquitoes Vol 42 No. 2 March 2011 259 Correspondence: Wan Najdah Wan Moha- mad Ali, Medical Entomology Unit, Infectious Disease Research Center, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, 50588 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: 603 2616 2690; Fax: 603 2616 2689 E-mail: w_najdah@yahoo.com malaria control activities over the past few decades have greatly reduced the in- cidence of malaria (MOH, 1994). Malaria is a disease caused by protozoa and trans- mitted by the bite of infective mosquitoes (Sadonsham and Thomas, 1965). Anopheles maculatus is the principal vector of human malaria in Peninsular Malaysia (Reid, 1968). The Malaria Eradication Program (MEP) was launched in Malaysia in 1969. In 1980, the MEP objectives were modiied to a more realistic approach towards con- trolling the disease, known as the Malaria POPULATION DYNAMICS OF ADULT MOSQUITOES (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) IN MALARIA ENDEMIC VILLAGES OF KUALA LIPIS, PAHANG, MALAYSIA Wan Najdah Wan Mohamad Ali 1 , Rohani Ahmad 1 , Zurainee Mohamed Nor 2 , Zamree Ismail 1 and Lee Han Lim 1 1 Medical Entomology Unit, Institute for Medical Research, Kuala Lumpur; 2 Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Abstract. Mosquitoes in malaria endemic areas needs to be monitored constantly in order to detect demographic changes that could affect control measures. A 12-month mosquito population survey was conducted in several malaria endemic areas in Pos Lenjang, Kuala Lipis, Pahang, Malaysia. Collection of mosquitoes us- ing a human landing catch technique was carried out indoors and outdoors for 12 hours from 7:00 Pm to 7:00 am for 42 nights. Anopheles maculatus Theobald (31.0%), Armigeres lavus Leicester (11.3%), Armigeres annulitarsis Leicester (11.0%), Culex vishnui Theobald (9.6%) and Aedes albopictus Skuse (7.0%) were the predominant species caught in the study area. The salivary gland and midgut of all anopheline mosquitoes were dissected to determine the presence of malaria parasites but none were positive. A high rate of human biting by An. maculatus was detected during December, but the rate was lower in January. Mosquito larvae were carried by the rapid current of the river downstream causing a decrease in the larvae popula- tion. Of the ive predominant species, only Ar. annulitarsis exhibited a signiicant positive correlation in numbers with monthly rainfall (p<0.05). An. maculatus biting activity peaked during 10:00 Pm to 11:00 Pm. Ae. albopictus, Ar. annulitarsis, and Ar. lavus exhibited similar activities which peaked during 7:00 Pm to 8.00 Pm. Keywords: adult mosquito, population dynamic, malaria endemic villages, Ma- laysia INTRODUCTION Malaria remains the most signiicant vector-borne parasitic disease in the tropi- cal and subtropical world (Sungsit et al, 2006), including Malaysia, even though