Anopheline mosquitoes of the western province of Papua New Guinea.

A survey of the Anopheles species of Western Province, Papua New Guinea, was made in April-May 1992. A total of 6,427 specimens was collected from 74 sites within the province using carbon dioxide-baited light traps and larval sampling. Eleven species were identified using morphological characteristics, allozyme analysis, and species-specific DNA probes. These were, in order of prevalence: Anopheles farauti 2 (51 sites), An. bancroftii (17 sites), An. farauti s. s. (16 sites), An. longirostris (9 sites), An. farauti 3 (7 sites), An. punctulatus (4 sites), An. koliensis (4 sites), Anopheles sp. near punctulatus (4 sites), An. meraukensis (4 sites), An. farauti 4 (3 sites), and An. novaguinensis (2 sites). Members of the An. farauti complex made up 93.3% of the specimens collected with An. farauti 2 being the most abundant and widespread species inland and An. farauti s. s. the dominant species on the coast. The abundance and distribution of the species are discussed.