A public health team in a malaria-endemic country is choosing between Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto and Anopheles arabiensis as the primary target s...

Question

A public health team in a malaria-endemic country is choosing between Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto and Anopheles arabiensis as the primary target species for their IRS programme. What behavioural difference between these sibling species is most relevant?

Accepted Answer

A. gambiae s.s. is predominantly endophilic (rests indoors) and anthropophilic, making it more susceptible to IRS, whereas A. arabiensis is more exophilic and zoophilic

Answer

A. arabiensis feeds only on animals and never bites humans

Answer

A. arabiensis is found only in urban areas

Answer

A. gambiae s.s. breeds only in salt water

Answer

There is no behavioural difference between the two species

uk-dtmh MCQ (SBA): Anopheles Sibling Species Behaviour

A public health team in a malaria-endemic country is choosing between Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto and Anopheles arabiensis as the primary target species for their IRS programme. What behavioural difference between these sibling species is most relevant?