Biodiversity of Culicidae Mosquitoes in District Bagh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Present study explored the biodiversity of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the district of Bagh, and at some adjoining areas, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, during the period May 2017 to October 2017. The specimens were identified under the binocular microscope by following the taxonomic keys of Christophers (1933), Barraud (1934) and Rueda (2004). A total of 2895 specimens of mosquitoes were collected from the study area, belonging to family Culicidae and two subfamilies, Anophilinae and Culicinae. Eleven species were identified as Anopheles barianensis (sub-family Anophilinae), Culex barraudi, Cx. epidesmus, Cx. fuscocephala, Cx. pipirms fatigans, Cx. pipiens pipiens, Cx. pseudovishnui, Cx. vishnui, Aedes aegypti, Ae. micropterus and Armigeres subalbatus (subfamily culicinae). The most abundant species was Armigeres subalbatus.