STUDY ON THE ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF CULEX (DIPTERA-CULICIDAE) MOSQUITOES IN GWAGWALADA AREA COUNCIL, ABUJA, NIGERIA
NJE Vol. 42(1) : 200-211, 2026
DOI.10.36108/NJE/6202/24.0141
Arowolo, O. Bukola1, Malann, Y. David2and Mohammed, B. Rabiu1
1Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, University of Abuja, Nigeria
2Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, University of Abuja, Nigeria
Abstract
Culex is a genus of mosquitoes, distributed worldwide. They are vectors of major infections of zoonotic significance, which remain the most neglected agents of disease transmission in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria. This work was designed to ascertain the abundance and distribution of Culex mosquitoes in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria. Mosquitoes were collected from three different locations in Gwagwalada Area Council: New Kutunku, Passo and Kuje road using Center for Disease Control (CDC) light traps between January 2022 and July 2022. They were sorted out based on genera using morphological keys. A total of one thousand two hundred and sixty-three (1,263) mosquitoes, which included: Culex, Anopheles and Aedes, were collected from 3 different locations. Culex spp were more abundant, with 1,000/1263 (79.18%) compared to Anopheles spp and Aedes spp 151/1263 (11.96%) and 112/1263 (8.86%), respectively. Out of the 1000 Culex spp, 586/1000 (58.60%) were females. Mosquitoes collected from homes with livestock recorded the highest incidence of Culex mosquitoes, 604/1000 (60.40%) compared with those without livestock, 396/1000 (39.60%). The two homes examined in this study showed no statistically significant difference (P≤0.05). The three locations sampled showed Culex more abundantly distributed in New Kutunku 409 (40.90%) compared to other locations, Passo 293 (29.30%) and Kuje road 298 (29.80%). This study provides information on the abundance of Culex spp which has potential zoonotic significance.
Keywords: Culex spp, Anopheles spp Aedes spp, Gwagwalada