Abstract:
Meaningful epidemiological studies and effective vector control
programmes depend on efficient methods for differentiating among major
vector, poor vector and non-vector of anopheline species complexes.
Anopheles culicifacies, has a wide distribution in India, extending to
Ethiopia, Yemen, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the West and
Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam in the East. It is also
found in Nepal and Southern China to the North and extends to Sri Lanka
in the South. This species exist as a complex of five sibling species
provisionally designated as A, B, C, D and E. Species A and Bare
predominant in Northern and Southern part of India whereas species B is
recorded all over the Indian subcontinent. Species Band E are found in
Sri Lanka to date. Various methods and techniques have been used for
identifying sibling species ranging from crossing experiments
cytogenetics, isoenzymes, hydrocarbon profile, DNA probes, rDNA-PCR,
mt DNA-PCR and RAPD-PCR. Studies of the suitability among
different methods delineating the complex of An. culicifacies, the major
malaria vector, mainly in the Indian subcontinent and in Sri Lanka have
been discussed here.
