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Issue: Vol. 939 No. 1: 15 Apr. 2005
Type: Articles
Published: 2005-04-15
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.939.1.1
Page range: 1–8
Abstract views: 38
PDF downloaded: 19

A newly recognized species in the Anopheles Hyrcanus Group and molecular identification of related species from the Republic of South Korea (Diptera: Culicidae)

Department of Entomology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Ave., Silver Spring Maryland, 20910-7500, USA
U.S Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Frederick Maryland, 21702
U.S Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Frederick Maryland, 21702
5th Medical Detachment,18th Medical Command, U.S. Army, APO AP 96205-5247
18th MEDCOM, Unit 15281, APO AP 96205-0054
U.S Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Frederick Maryland, 21702
Department of Entomology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Ave., Silver Spring Maryland, 20910-7500, USA
Diptera malaria Anopheles PCR identification Hyrcanus Group South Korea

Abstract

We report here a previously unrecognized mosquito species from the Republic of South Korea that is closely related to Anopheles (Anopheles) sinensis. We also present an rDNA ITS2-based method for identification of this and the other morphologically similar Anopheles from the country. The PCR assay is a multiplex of seven primers in a single reaction that unambiguously identifies all included species. The other species include An. sinensis, An. lesteri, An. pullus, and a previously reported unknown Anopheles. Based on the ITS2 sequence, the two unnamed species have genetic distances from An. sinensis of 9.1% (unknown 1) and 10.7% (unknown 2), and are 10.6% different from each other. Adult females of An. sinensis and unknown 2 are morphologically indistinguishable, while unknown 1, An. lesteri and An. pullus can usually be separated from each other and from An. sinensis using available keys and descriptions. This PCR identification tool offers vector biologists and malaria epidemiologists a means to identify the potential vectors of malaria parasites in South Korea.

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