A Narrative Review of the Control of Mosquitoes by Larvivorous Fish in Iran and the World

Background and purpose: Mosquitoes are responsible for the transmission of many pathogens such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, and so on. The control of mosquitoes using chemical insecticides is not always a sensible approach, so, alternative biological control methods, especially the use of larvivorous fishes, can play a significant role in controlling of mosquito larvae. Materials and Methods: In this narrative review study, papers and dissertations were collected without time and language limits from international electronic databases in Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Ovid, Medline and WHO site, and Iranian scientific databases including: Barakatkns, SID, Civilica, Magiran, and Medlib using appropriate keywords from 1937 to 2018. Finally, 55 sources were selected and criticized, interpreted, and analyzed. Results: In the study, some of larvivorous fishes including Aphanius dispar, Carassius auratus (goldfish), Gambusia affinis, and Poecilia reticulate (guppy) have been investigated as important predators of mosquito larvae. Among these fish, Gambusia, Aphanius dispar, Colisa Lalia, Danio rerio, Goldfish, Guppy and Oreochromis mossambica are present in different regions of Iran. Conclusion: Given the fact that malaria carriers are present in many regions of Iran and the climate of Iran is also potentially suitable for the transmission of malaria, it is recommended to use larvivorous fishes that are compatible with the environmental conditions of each area.