ESTUDO DA TRAJETÓRIA DE MOSQUITOS DO GÊNERO Anopheles (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) DURANTE A BUSCA POR HOSPEDEIRO EM DUAS ÁREAS RURAIS DO BAIXO PARNAÍBA

Abstract

The flight behavior of Anopheles mosquitoes in host seeking remains a little-explored behavioral aspect in entomological studies. Understanding the flight patterns of these species is essential for clarifying their epidemiological role in malaria transmission. This study investigated whether Anopheles mosquitoes follow specific trajectories to locate blood sources. The research was conducted in two rural areas of the Baixo Parnaíba region, the municipalities of Chapadinha-MA (area 1) and Santa Quitéria do MaranhãoMA (area 2). A total of twelve Silva traps were used, distributed across four sectors around an animal shelter. In area 1, collections were carried out in two sampling periods: Moment 1 (M1), with 4 traps, and Moment 2 (M2), with 12 traps. In area 2, 12 traps were also used. Collections took place between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Data were analyzed using GraphPad Prism, with Kolmogorov-Smirnov, ANOVA, Tukey, Kruskal-Wallis, and Dunn’s tests. A total of 2,099 Anopheles specimens were captured: 398 (M1) and 1,087 (M2) in Area 1, and 614 in Area 2. In Chapadinha, Anopheles argyritarsis (87.69% in M1; 86.11% in M2) and Anopheles triannulatus (7.03% in M1; 8.28% in M2) were the most frequent species. In Santa Quitéria, Anopheles peryassui (83.06%) predominated, followed by Anopheles argyritarsis (13.19%). Statistical analyses indicated significant differences in mosquito density among capture sectors in both areas. The spatial distribution of specimens was non-uniform, with higher concentrations in sectors located in specific directions relative to the host shelters. The results presented in this study contribute to the understanding of the dispersal behavior of Anopheles mosquitoes, potentially guiding future research on the biology and ecology of anophelines, as well as the development of monitoring and control strategies for vector species and environmental conservation policies.