Occurrence ofAnopheles algeriensis in Attica region, Greece: identification of a breeding habitat

Anopheles algeriensis is a species generally rare in many European countries, locally abundant only in the presence of suitable breeding sites. Due to limited collection,Anopheles algeriensis biology has been poorly investigated, and the involvement of the species in autochthonous malaria transmission is still debated. Mostly adult specimens had been recorded in several regions of Greece. This study describes the collection of a larval sample ofAnopheles algeriensis in Schinia-Marathona National Park, a wetland area in Attica Region, Greece. The present study identifies a breeding site ofAnopheles algeriensis and provides data on its larval habitat in this area, where only adults had been collected in previous surveys. Knowledge of the larval biology is essential for planning, implementing, and evaluating control strategies of potential mosquito vectors. ForAnopheles algeriensis such information has so far been limited.