Identification of species related to Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis by random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (Diptera: Culicidae).

Species-specific Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR) markers were used to identify four species related to Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis Lynch-Arribàlzaga from 12 sites in Brazil and 4 in Venezuela. In a previous study (Wilkerson et al. 1995), which included sites in Paraguay and Argentina, these four species were designated "A", "B", "C" and "D". It was hypothesized that species A is An. (Nys.) albitarsis, species B is undescribed, species C is An. (Nys.) marajoara Galvão and Damasceno and species D is An. (Nys.) deaneorum Rosa-Freitas. Species D, previously characterized by RAPD-PCR from a small sample from northern Argentina and southern Brazil, is reported here from the type locality of An. (Nys.) deaneorum, Guajará-Mirim, State of Rondônia, Brazil. Species C and D were found by RAPD-PCR to be sympatric at Costa Marques, State of Rondônia, Brazil. Species A and C have yet to be encountered at the same locality. The RAPD markers for species C were found to be conserved over 4,620 km; from Iguape, State of São Paulo, Brazil to Rio Socuavo, State of Zulia, Venezuela. RAPD-PCR was determined to be an effective means for the identification of unknown specimens within this species complex.