Blood-feeding behavior of Anopheles species (Diptera: Culicidae) in the district of Ilha de Santana, state of Amapa, eastern Brazilian Amazon

The present study aimed identifying the behavioral patterns of Anopheles species as well as to estimate the parity rate and natural infection analysis for Plasmodium species in the district of Ilha de Santana, state of Amapa, Brazil. The samples were obtained in four and 12-hours collections. In the intradomiciliary and peridomiciliary conditions and also in environments with the presence of animals from January/2017 to December/2018. The entomological parameters evaluated were human biting rate (HBR): Indexes of Anthropophily (I-A) and Zoophily (I-Z); Parity Rate (PR); Natural Infection Rate (NIR); Monthly and annual entomological inoculation rate (EIR). A total of 1,330 Anopheles specimens were collected, distributed in nine species. All captured species showed preference biting in outdoor enviroment. Anopheles darlingi was the most frequent species collected in indoor environment and the most anthropophilic (I-A = 0.39) compared with the remaining species captured. It was also the unique species positive for Plasmodium vivax had the highest anthropophily degree, highest biting activity and HBR in the first hours with a bight rate of parous females. Anopheles nuneztovari s.l. was the most zoophilic species (I-Z = 0.65). These findings suggest that A. darlingi is the main malaria vector in the studied area. Anopheles albitarsis s.l. was the second species more anthropophilic (I-A = 0.31) and revealed a stable pattern with a biting activity peak after sunset, consequently this species may contribute with malaria transmission in area.