Anopheles stephensi, an urban malaria vector in India, breeds in which type of water habitat?

• A Slow-flowing paddy field water
• B Brackish mangrove water
• C Tree holes and leaf axils
• D Overhead tanks, cisterns, and construction site water collections ✓

Explanation

Anopheles stephensi is the principal urban malaria vector in India and breeds characteristically in artificial water containers such as overhead tanks, cisterns, coolers, and water collections in construction sites and tyres. This gives it a unique urban-adapted niche, distinct from rural/rural-forest Anopheles species that breed in paddy fields, seepages, and swamps. Aedes mosquitoes (not Anopheles) breed in tree holes and leaf axils.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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