The molecular characterization of species of subgenera Anopheles and Cellia in fever area in Khanh Hoa and Binh Phuoc, Vietnam, 2018 - 2019

Abstract

The molecular characterization of species of subgenera Anopheles and Cellia was conducted using sequences of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA), second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2), and the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). Anopheles dissidens Taai & Harbach and An. saeungae Taai & Harbach, were recognized based on both
ITS2 and COI sequences, and recorded for the frst time in Vietnam. The ITS2 and COI was useful to distinguish species complex/group. However, compared to COI, ITS2 corroborated with the correct arrangement of subgenus, series and group within both subgenera Anopheles and Cellia, and COI did not match with the morphological classifcation within subgenera category. This result may be a consequence of differences in the evolution rate of each gene.This study provides molecular taxonomic information, and emphasizes the signifcance on the use of molecular data as an integrated systematic approach in mosquito taxonomy.