Recent pathogen and mosquito host records from Penang Island, Malaysia.

The search for biological control agents of mosquitoes is an important component of the Steering Committee of the Scientific Workine Group on Biological Control of Vectors (UNDP7 WORLD BANK/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases). Such searches may eventually provide additional biological control agents for use against disease vectors in tropical countries and also further our knowledge of the host range distribution and systematics of such agents. Because of the absence of records of pathogens in mosquitoes from Penang Island, Malaysia, both the senior and second authors collected and examined larval mosquito populations from many different localities and diverse habitats during three separate 3-4 week consultantship periods in 1983 and 1985. Larval collections were examined in the laboratory against a black background under a bright light for signs of patent infections or abnormal behavior. Additionally, larvae were checked in clear spot plates under a binocular microscope for patency symptoms. Larvae with such symptoms were smeared on a slide and examined under a compound microscope for identification of the pathogen. Tissues from selected specimens were fixed in either Bouin's solution or glutaraldehyde for subsequent examination with light or electron microscopy. Table 1 contains information on the host, pathogen, date, locality, habitat and percent infection level. Coelomomyces africanus: This fungus was found principally infecting larvae of Anopheles nigerrimus Giles but a few infected Iarvae of An. sinewis Wiedemann were also noted. This is only the second record both of An. ni.gerrimus as a host of Coelnrnomyces and for this fungus in Malaysia. In this collection, 83 of 130 larvae (64%) were infected with this fungus.