Abstract
MUCH has already been written on the control of mosquitoes in India by introducing larvi-cidal fishes, and the researches of Hora and Nair resulted in successfully freeing the valve chambers of the Pulta Pumping Station of mosquito larvae by introducing the killifish, Aplocheilus panchax. It was, however, still a vexed question as to whether this fish feeds preferably on mosquito larvae in natural conditions. An interesting paper by T. J. Job1, based on detailed experiments, shows that this fish is definitely of great practical utility in anti-mosquito campaigns. The efficiency of Aplocheilus panchax in mosquito control has been studied by estimating: (a) the mosquito ratio in its diet, (b) the extent of check exercised by the fish in natural pieces of water, and (c) the effect, in the field, of introducing and of withdrawing the fish.
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References
Efficiency of the Killiflsh Aplocheilus panchax (Hamilton) in the Control of Mosquitoes. By T. J. Job, Proc. Nat. Inst. Sci. India, 7, No. 3 (1941).
"Food and Feeding Habits of the Glassflshes (Ambassis Cuv. and Val) and their Bearing on the Biological Control of the Guinea-worm and Malaria", by T. J. Job, Indian J. Med. Research, 29, No. 4 (1941)
"Life History and Bionomics of the Spiny Eel, Mastacembelus pancalus (Hamilton), with Notes on the Systematics of the Mastacelidae", by T. J. Job, Rec. Ind. Mus., 48, Part II (1941).
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INDIAN FISHES AND MOSQUITO CONTROL. Nature 149, 644–645 (1942). https://doi.org/10.1038/149644a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/149644a0
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