Preliminary observation on the gradient distribution of hibernating females of Anopheles sinensis and Anopheles pullus in the Republic of Korea

Abstract

Hibernating females of the Anopheles hyrcanus complex were collected at 4 different latitudes at the end of the hibernation period in March of 2005 and 2006, and species were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identification. At Paju (37.8 degrees N; average temperature in December February = -3.5 degrees C) 74.6% of the females collected were An. pullus and 22.4% were An. sinensis. At Seosan (36.8 degrees N; December-February average temperature = -1.0 degrees C) and Buan (35.7 degrees N; December-February average temperature = 0.4 degrees C) 14.7% and 14.8% were An. pullus, and 85.3% and 85.2% were An. sinensis, respectively. At Haenam (34.6 degrees N; December-February average temperature = 3.1 degrees C) only An. sinensis was found. Our preliminary results indicate that An. sinensis, unlike An. pullus, is not adapted to survive in cold weather.