Lutzomyia longipalpis is a species complex: genetic divergence and interspecific hybrid sterility among three populations

The sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis is the vector of Leishmania donovani chagasi in Latin America. An analysis of genetic variability at 27 enzyme coding loci among three laboratory populations of Lu. longipalpis revealed substantial genetic polymorphism. Levels of genetic distance between all pairwi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inThe American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene Vol. 48; no. 6; p. 839
Main Authors Lanzaro, G C, Ostrovska, K, Herrero, M V, Lawyer, P G, Warburg, A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.06.1993
Subjects
Animals
Brazil
Colombia
Costa Rica
Female
Genetic Variation
Hybridization, Genetic
Infertility, Male
Insect Vectors - classification
Insect Vectors - genetics
Insect Vectors - physiology
Isoenzymes - analysis
Male
Polymorphism, Genetic
Psychodidae - classification
Psychodidae - genetics
Psychodidae - physiology
Brazil
Colombia
Costa Rica
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:The sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis is the vector of Leishmania donovani chagasi in Latin America. An analysis of genetic variability at 27 enzyme coding loci among three laboratory populations of Lu. longipalpis revealed substantial genetic polymorphism. Levels of genetic distance between all pairwise comparisons of colonies were very high, and consistent with those previously reported among separate species in the genus Lutzomyia. Between 7% and 22% of the loci studied were diagnostic for any two of the colony populations. Experimental hybridization between colonies resulted in the production of sexually sterile male progeny. Our results provide strong evidence that Lu. longipalpis exists in nature as a complex of at least three distinct species. The possible effects of colonization on the genetic makeup of laboratory populations is considered in extending our results to natural populations.
ISSN:0002-9637
DOI:10.4269/ajtmh.1993.48.839