Enzymes for species identification in the Simulium damnosum complex form West Africa.

An electrophoretic survey of 44 enzyme systems of the Simulium damnosum complex has revealed only two that are of value in species diagnosis, namely PGM and trehalase. S. yahense has a unique PGM variant, and S. yahense and S. squamosum have a different trehalase variant from S. sirbanum, S. damnosum s.s., S. sanctipauli and S. soubrense. Examination of S. damnosum s.l. from Mali, Ivory Coast and Ghana has shown that PGM and trehalase can be used to distinguish accurately adult S. yahense from S. squamosum and these two from S. sirbanum, S. damnosm s.s., S. sanctipauli and S. soubrense.