, H. Abdullahi-Sani

Copyright © 2014 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. ABSTRACT: The peculiar challenges associated with mosquito vector control in developing urban areas, occasioned by the complex heterogeneity in vector behaviour and population dynamics, informed this study to elucidate the influence of eco-type on Mosquito species occurrence and responses to presence of mineral salts in oviposition sites. Two distinct ecotypes namely, semi-mineral and Urban, were selected as ovitrap stations, in Minna, Nigeria. In addition to the control experiment, adequately replicated ovitraps enriched with individual and combinations of nitrates, sulphates and phosphates were setup in the two ecotype sites and monitored for mosquito oviposition activities. The results indicated significantly (P<0.05) lower number of species and aggregate Mosquito densities in the urban (Mean=17.14±4.52 larvae/ovitrap) than semi-rural ecotype (21.76±3.93 larvae/ovitrap). While, three mosquito species: Aedes aegypti, Culex p. pipiens and Cx. restuans, were common to both ecotypes, additional three species namely; Anopheles quadrimaculatus, Cx. Tarasalis and Cx. quinquefasciatus were encountered in the semi-rural ecotype, though in low densities. Significantly higher larval densities were recorded in ovitraps enriched with mineral salts (range = 19.75±4.57 to 24.25±4.62 larvae/ovitrap) than the control (14.50±4.86 larvae/ovitrap)