A mark-recapture experiment with the filariasis vector Anopheles punctulatus in Papua New Guinea

A capture-recapture experiment with the filariasis vector Anopheles punctulatus from Papua New Guinea (PNG) is described. Eight hundred and ninety-seven engorged females collected indoor resting or in landing catches were released, and 82 were subsequently recaptured. Infection rates were higher in recaptured mosquitoes than in unmarked ones. Recapture rates declined exponentially with distance from the release site, but an infected female was recaptured 1.8 km from the release site. The estimated oviposition interval of 2.90 days was shorter than that obtained from the same species elsewhere in PNG, but daily survival rates were similar. Infection with Wuchereria bancrofti did not appear to affect the survival of the mosquito. Collections adequately sampled the resting population from inside a room of an experimental house.