ABUNDANCE OF MOSQUITO SPECIES

The study was conducted to determine the abundance of mosquito species within Sokoto metropolis. Three (3) locations, which are Danbuwa, Gobirawa and GidanIgwai, in three (3) Local Government Areas, namely; DangeShuni, Sokoto South and Sokoto North Local Government Areas respectively, were sampled out of the five (5) Local Government Areas that make up Sokoto Metropolis were sampled. A total of 341 Mosquitoes species belonging to two genera were collected. The genera identified are Anopheles and Culex. The number of Culex and Anopheles were 213(62.5%) and128(37.5%) respectively, showing a significant difference between the two genera. The total number of males was 194, representing 56.9% of the sample and a total number of females was 147, representing 43.1% of the total sample, showing a significant difference between the gender (P >0.05) The total number of the engorged Mosquitoes collected were 57, representing 39% of the total sample, while the total number of the not engorged mosquitoes collected were 90, representing 61% of the total sample collected. There was no significant difference between the engorged and the not engorged mosquitoes P <0.05. The number of males recorded in Danbuwa area was more than the number of females. In Gobirawa area also, more males than females were recorded. Also in GidanIgwai area, the number of males recorded was more than the number of females. However, these values were insignificant (p<0.05). Finally, only Danbuwa had more number of engorged females than the not engorged, the other two areas had lesser number of engorged than the not engorged. The values were, however, also insignificant (p<0.05). The results of the study is of Public Health concern as the species of mosquitoes encountered have been known for the transmission of one form of disease or the other.