Aquatic Vegetation as a Basis for Classification of Anopheles albimanus Weideman (Diptera: Culicidae) Larval Habitats

Larvae of Anopheles albimanus were collected on the Pacific coastal plain of Chiapas, Mexico, from 131 sampling sites representing different larval habitats. For each habitat the total percentage of emergent vegetation, floating vegetation, or both, percentage of cover of individual plant species, amount of phytoplankton, water conductivity, and the number of mosquito larvae collected in 30 dips were recorded. Individual habitats were classified into higher units, or habitat-types, by cluster analysis based on 37 environmental variables. Sixteen clusters, or habitat-types, were distinguished and defined by dominant plant species. Habitat-types were ranked by larval density and categorized as either low, medium, or high producers of A. albimanus .