Despite tremendous efforts over the past century, malaria remains the major health burden
in the state Odisha, India. In view of designing a situation specific malaria control strategy,
baseline data on bionomics of major Anopheles vectors were collected from three malariogenical
stratified districts of Odisha. A comparative study of vector abundance, seasonal prevalence,
habit/habitats, resting sites preference, parity rate, proportion of human blood fed
vectors and Anopheline species composition was established in a high (Kalahandi), moderate
(Bargarh) and a low endemic (Cuttack) districts, when malaria transmission was at its
peak level. The mosquito collection showed a wide range of Anopheline fauna diversification
with collection of two efficient malaria vectors i.e. An. culicifacies, the primary vector
with a high peak value during monsoon and An. annularis, the secondary vector in three
study districts. Both vectors was significantly more in indoor than outdoor in the three districts
and among indoor collections, the density was higher in CS than HD whereas the density
was more in HD than CS in Cuttack district for annularis. Similarly, their feeding, biting
pattern as well as parity rate varies among these districts. The molecular identification of An.
culicifacies revealed the presence of all five sibling species viz. A, B, C, D & E whereas only
species A was detected out of two sibling species A & B of An. annularis. These entomological
indicators such as vector density, distribution, biology and bionomics as well as their
vectorial attributes are important parameters to measure the pattern and intensity of malaria
transmission. Proper monitoring and evaluation of these indices during the peak transmission
period can reduce the increasing trend of malaria.