Malaria vector species composition and relative abundance in Mutare and Mutasa districts, Zimbabwe

Regular entomological monitoring is important to determine changes in mosquito species composition and relative densities of malaria vectors in relation to vector control interventions. A study to gain insights into malaria vector species composition and relative abundance was undertaken in Mutare and Mutasa districts, Zimbabwe. Two methods; indoor resting catches and larval sampling were used to collect indoor resting adults and larvae from May 2013 to April 2014. Mosquitoes collected as adults and reared from larvae that were identified morphologically as potential malaria vectors were further processed to sibling species by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Morphological identification of anopheline mosquitoes showed presence of two complexes: <em>An. funestus</em> and <em>An. gambiae</em>. The total number of female members of the <em>An. funestus</em> group and <em>An. gambiae</em> complex collected by both methods from the two sites was 840 and 31 respectively. Malaria vector species of both complexes were more abundant in Mutare than in Mutasa. The PCR-based assays showed the presence of four sibling species: <em>An. funestus</em> <em>sensu</em> <em>stricto</em> (90.8%, 267/294) and <em>An. leesoni</em> (5.1%, 15/294), of <em>An. funestus</em> group; <em>An. arabiensis</em> (41.9%, 13/31) and <em>An. quadriannulatus</em> (48.4%, 15/31) of the <em>An. gambiae</em> complex. About 4% and 5% of specimens of <em>An. gambiae</em> complex and A<em>n. funestus</em> group respectively did not amplify. Of the two identified malaria vector sibling species, An. funestus sensu stricto was more abundant (95.4%, 267/280) than <em>An. arabiensis</em> (4.6%, 13/280), suggesting the replacement to secondary vector of <em>An. arabiensis</em>, which was previously the predominant vector species. <em>An. funestus</em> <em>sensu</em> <em>stricto</em> and <em>An</em>. <em>arabiensis</em>, the most important vectors of human malaria were identified in this study, but their resting and biting habits as well as insecticide susceptibility are unclear. Further studies on vector behaviour are therefore recommended.