Bulletin of Entomological Research (1999) 89, 111-117

M. Charalambous, H. Townson, R.E. Harbach and L.G. Mukwaya (1999)
Electrophoretic and DNA identification of Anopheles bwambae and A. gambiae (Diptera : Culicidae) in western Uganda
Bulletin of Entomological Research 89 (2), 111-117
Abstract: Collections of mosquitoes of the Anopheles gambiae Giles complex were made from the geothermal springs and surrounding area in the Semliki Valley, Bwamba County, Uganda, which is the only known locality of A. bwambae White. Specimens were analysed in one of three ways: rDNA-PCR for unequivocal species identification, allozyme electrophoresis to determine superoxide dismutase (Sod) and octanol dehydrogenase (Odh) genotypes, or both methods. Ribosomal DNA-PCR identification revealed the presence of A. bwambae and A. gambiae. Allozyme electrophoresis of 181 individuals showed that A. bwambae possessed the Sod¹⁰⁵and Sod¹⁰⁰ alleles and was not monomorphic for Sod¹⁰⁵as reported previously. In adults reared from collections made in the vicinity of the geothermal springs, the frequency of Sod¹⁰⁵ was found to be 0.614. Anopheles gambiae was fixed for Sod¹⁰⁰. The majority of individuals homozygous for the Sod¹⁰⁰ allele could be identified to species using Odh. Odh⁹⁵ was found to be common in A. bwambae (frequency = 0.988) while A. gambiae appeared to be fixed for Odh¹⁰⁰. Since Odh¹⁰⁰occurred at a frequency of 1.2% in A. bwambae (concomitant with Sodgenotypes of 105/105, 100/105 or 100/100), individuals homozygous for Sod¹⁰⁰ and Odh¹⁰⁰ could be either species. Among 25 A. bwambae specimens homozygous for Sod¹⁰⁰, one (4%) was also homozygous for Odh¹⁰⁰. At present, this subset of the A. bwambae population can only be correctly identified to species using rDNA-PCR analysis.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Ralph E. Harbach

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 gambiae		Uganda
	Anopheles bwambae		Uganda