African Entomology (2002) 10, 235-239

L.L. Koekemoer, K. Hargreaves, R.H. Hunt and M. Coetzee (2002)
Identification of Anopheles parensis (Diptera : Culicidae) using ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) sequence variation
African Entomology 10 (2), 235-239
Abstract: Anopheles funestus Giles (Diptera : Culicidae) is arguably the most efficient vector of malaria in Africa. It belongs to a group of nine morphologically similar species, most of which play no role in malaria transmission. Studies on the An. funestus group are hampered by the difficulties in identifying members of the group. A polymerase chain reaction single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR SSCP) assay can accurately distinguish three species within the group, namely An. funestus Giles, An. rivulorum Leeson and An. leesoni Evans. However, the SSCP gel profiles of two additional species, An. parensis Gillies and An. vaneedeni Gillies and Coetzee, although different from the above three species, overlap in their profiles, leading to misidentification. We report on the development of an additional PCR assay able to discriminate between An. vaneedeni and An. parensis on the basis of fragment size variation after amplification of the ITS2 region of rDNA. Combining these two assays it is possible to identify five of the most common species of the An. funestus group found in southern Africa.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Lizette L. Koekemoer, Maureen Coetzee

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
identification/taxonomy

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Anopheles funestus
	Anopheles vaneedeni
	Anopheles rivulorum