Altitudinal population structure and microevolution of the malaria vector Anopheles cruzii (Diptera: Culicidae).

ABSTRACT:

Background

In Brazil, the autochthonous transmission of extra-Amazonian malaria occurs mainly in areas of the southeastern coastal Atlantic Forest, where Anopheles cruzii is the primary vector. In these locations, the population density of the mosquito varies with altitude (5-263 m above sea level), prompting us to hypothesise that gene flow is also unevenly distributed. Describing the micro-geographical and temporal biological variability of this species may be a key to understanding the dispersion of malaria in the region. We explored the homogeneity of the An. cruzii population across its altitudinal range of distribution using wing shape and mtDNA gene analysis. We also assessed the stability of wing geometry over time.

Methods

Larvae were sampled from lowland (5-20 m) a

SUBMITTER: Lorenz C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4334843 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature