Genetic differentiation of Anopheles claviger s.s. in France and neighbouring countries

• Published in: Medical and veterinary entomology Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 264 - 271
• Main Authors: Schaffner, F., Raymond, M., Pasteur, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.09.2000; Wiley
• Subjects: An. petragnani; Animals; Anopheles - genetics; Anopheles claviger; Anopheles petragnani; Biodiversity and Ecology; Culicidae; Electrophoresis, Starch Gel - veterinary; Environmental Sciences; Female; France; Genetic Variation; Germany; isoenzymes; Larva; Polymorphism, Genetic; population genetics; sibling species; Switzerland; France; population genetics; An. petragnani; isoenzymes; sibling species; F-statistics; France; Anopheles claviger
• ISSN: 0269-283X; 1365-2915
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2915.2000.00232.x

Summary An investigation of polymorphism of 11 autosomal and one sex‐linked allozyme loci was made on 18 samples of Anopheles claviger Meigen (Diptera: Culicidae) from localities across France and neighbouring sites in Germany and Switzerland, plus one sample of Anopheles petragnani Del Vecchio from the French Pyrénées. Genetic differentiation between these two sibling species was confirmed (Nei genetic distance 0.33–0.44) and two genetically distinct groups of populations were identified within An. claviger. These two forms of An. claviger showed contiguous geographical distributions, Group I found across western and Central France, Group II in eastern France and nearby parts of Germany and Switzerland. The two groups were in contact in a region near the Rhone Valley where two intermediate samples were found. The taxonomic significance of this finding is discussed in the context of the recent climatic history of Europe and in relation to the vector potential of each member of the An. claviger complex.