Speciation and Distribution of the Members of theAnopheles punctulatus(Diptera: Culicidae) Group in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Mosquito collections were made throughout the mainland of Papua New Guinea to identify the members of the Anopheles punctulatus group present and to determine their distribution. Identification was made using morphology, DNA hybridization, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-RFLP analysis. Nine members of the group were identified: An. farauti s.s. Laveran, An. farauti 2, An. koliensis Owen, and An. punctulatus Dönitz, were common and widespread; An. farauti 4 was restricted to the north of the central ranges where it was common; An. farauti 6 was found only in the highlands above 1,000 m; and An. farauti 3, An. sp. near punctulatus and An. clowi Rozeboom & Knight were uncommon and had restricted distributions. Identification of An. koliensis and An. punctulatus using proboscis morphology was found to be unreliable wherever An. farauti 4 occurred. The distribution and dispersal of the members of the An. punctulatus group is discussed in regard to climate, larval habitats, distance from the coast, elevation, and proximity to human habitation.

High Throughput Multiplex Assay for Species Identification of Papua New Guinea Malaria Vectors: Members of the Anopheles punctulatus (Diptera: Culicidae) Species Group

“…hinesorum (n = 12), and An. farauti 4 (n = 16) showed considerable ITS2 sequence divergence between species (from 65.0% to 92.9% pairwise percent identity; includes previously published sequences 10 Given the variability of proboscis coloration and overlapping geographic distribution of morphologically similar Punctulatus group sibling species previously documented by Cooper and others 4 and Beebe and Cooper, 14 we anticipated that we would observe discordance between the two classification schemes (ITS2 LDR-FMA and morphological identification). At 10 of the 18 collection sites, 100% concordance was observed between DNA probe and morphologic classification of An.…”

“…by morphological characteristics. 4,22 A set of 340 mosquitoes morphologically identified as members of the An. punctulatus group were then kept in coded vials containing silica gel until DNA extraction could be completed.…”

“…5 Beebe and others, and Cooper and others have extended molecular characterization of the Punctulatus group by DNA sequence analyses of ribosomal RNA loci. 4,[8][9][10][11][12] Additional diversity has been suggested among isolates of An. koliensis between collection sites in East Sepik and Madang Provinces in Papua New Guinea.…”

“…rennellensis ). [1][2][3][4][5] Studies by Bryan and Foley and others initially described species diversity within the Farauti complex by cross-mating, 6,7 and allozyme polymorphisms. 5 Beebe and others, and Cooper and others have extended molecular characterization of the Punctulatus group by DNA sequence analyses of ribosomal RNA loci.…”

“…near species punctulatus , found in inland habitats of southern and northern Papua New Guinea. 4,[14][15][16] Anopheles farauti s.l. larvae are found most frequently in coastal streams and brackish pools or swamps.…”