With the introduction of molecular taxonomy of mosquitoes, polytene chromosome maps have become indispensable as standard references for locating genes, puffs, and inversion breakpoints of unique DNA sequences. We present a line map and a photomap of the salivary polytene chromosomes of Anopheles (Cellia) subpictus Grassi, an important emerging vector of malaria in India. In addition, we discuss the nature of this species complex consisting of sibling species A, B, C, and D. The comparative study is in relevance to the X chromosome heterozygous inversion differences between 2 allopatric populations of the species and the recognition of 4 X-chromosome inversion genotypes viz: species A-X(+a+b), B-X(ab), C-X(a+b) and D-X(+ab).

-Mosquito cytogenetic studies have revealed that the majority of disease vector species exist as cryptic species complexes. In relevance to this, the present results include the sequence analysis of r-DNA internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of two populations of Anopheles subpictus Grassi collected from Chandigarh (Pop.A) and Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India (Pop.B). These sequences were compared with fi ve other populations C, D, E, F and G worked out earlier. ITS2 sequence in Pop. A was 681 bp compared to 491 bp in Pop. B. All the sequences were G:C rich. In populations A-E, which form the Indian component of An. subpictus, the ts/tv frequencies ranged from 0.25 to 0.77. Populations F and G, which represent the Srilankan fauna, were much higher at 0.83 to 0.90 in inland and coastal populations respectively. The SRF revealed various common interspersed repeats in the form of dimers, trimers, tetramers, pentamers and polymers. The TG repeat motif, which was repeated 50 to 60 times, was common in Indian and Srilankan populations of An. subpictus. Further, there were as many as seven different types of polymers/repeats in populations A-E of Indian region but none was shared by F and G of Srilanka. Phylogeny analysis of ITS2 sequence had well supported India and Srilanka clades in accordance with their allopatric status.

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Cufex vishnui is a member of the vishnui group comprising six closely resembling species. The salivary gland chromosomes are longer than those found in Anopheles, more fragile and spread with difficulty. The banding pattern is compared with that of Culexpipienspipiens and Culexpipiensfatigans. Homologies are closest between vishnui and fatigans. The incidence of asynapsis between the homologues is very high.

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