Abstract / Summary
Abstract Background Characterization of mosquito breeding sites is important for efficient, targeted vector control. Such information is lacking for the tropical African island of São Tomé where malaria cases are low but persistent and larvicidal control is regularly utilized. Here, we investigated the temporal stability and physical–chemical water parameters of 32 potential breeding sites in the village of Bairro Verde, Água Grande, over a two-year period. Methods We sampled sites daily for one month recording presence of the major malaria vector on the island, Anopheles coluzzii, in each of the wet and dry season in 2023 and 2024 . At each site we monitored water availability, breeding site dimensions, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, sunlight, and presence of vegetation. Results Anopheles coluzzii were present in both permanent and temporary breeding sites but were strongly associated with sites that remained stable long enough to permit development. Colonization of newly wetted sites peaked after eight days of water availability, but larvae were present within the first day, potentially indicating that immatures can survive over short dry periods or are washed between sites. Immatures could survive in a markedly wide range of physical–chemical water conditions and were more likely to be present at high to intermediate values of conductivity. Presence of An. coluzzii was also associated with waterbodies which supported vegetation. Conclusions These findings demonstrate substantial ecological flexibility in An. coluzzii , including the capacity to exploit both stable and unstable habitats across diverse physical–chemical conditions. This adaptability likely contributes to the persistence of An. coluzzii in anthropogenic landscapes and has direct implications for optimizing larval source management strategies in São Tomé and wider tropical Africa.