Medical and Veterinary Entomology (2021) 35, 442-450

N. Smitz, K. De Wolf, A. Gheysen, I. Deblauwe, A. Vanslembrouck, K. Meganck, J. De Witte, A. Schneider, I. Verlé, W. Dekoninck, S. Gombeer, A. Vanderheyden, M. De Meyer, T. Backeljau, R. Müller and W. Van Bortel (2021)
DNA identification of species of the Anopheles maculipennis complex and first record of An. daciae in Belgium
Medical and Veterinary Entomology 35 (3), 442-450
Abstract: The present study aimed at identifying the members of the Anopheles maculipennis complex (Diptera: Culicidae) occurring in Belgium. Therefore, the second internal transcribed spacer of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS2) and the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) loci were sequenced in 175 and 111 specimens, respectively, collected between 2007 and 2019. In parallel, the suitability of two species-diagnostic PCR-RFLP assays was tested. The identified specimens included: An. maculipennis s.s. (N = 105), An. daciae (N = 62), An. atroparvus (N = 6) and An. messeae (N = 2). Each species was characterized by unique ITS2 haplotypes, whereas COI only supported the monophyly of An. atroparvus, a historical malaria vector in Belgium. Species identification results were further supported by unique PCR-RFLP banding patterns. We report for the first time An. daciae in Belgium, where it was found to co-occur with An. maculipennis s.s. The latter was the most prevalent in the collection studied (60%) and appears to have the widest distribution in Belgium. As in other studies, An. daciae and An. messeae appeared the most closely related species, up to the point that their species status remains debatable, while their ecological differences, including vector competences, need further study.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Wouter Dekoninck, Wim van Bortel

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Anopheles messeae		Belgium
	Anopheles maculipennis		Belgium
	Anopheles atroparvus		Belgium
	Anopheles daciae		Belgium