[Molecular and morphological characterisation of two closely related species belonging to the subgenus Phlebotomus chabaudi Croset, Abonnenc & Rioux, 1970 et P. riouxi Depaquit, Killick-Kendrick & Léger, 1998 (Diptera: Psychodidae)].
In 1998, the description of Phlebotomus riouxi emphasised the difficulty to differentiate the female from the closely related P. chabaudi, a suspected vector of Leishmania killicki in several foci in Tunisia. In order to be able to distinguish the females of these two species, we started a molecular study based on 37 Algerian and Tunisian specimens. The alignment of the sequences of the cytochrome b of the mitochondrial DNA and their analysis using Neighbor-Joining, maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony shows the individualisation of two species including an intraspecific variability. Following a morphological approach, it is not possible to distinguish the females on the basis of their spermathecae. A new character is proposed: the presence of anterolateral teeth of the pharyngeal armature for P. chabaudi, never observed in P. riouxi. However, a molecular typing is necessary at the present time for a sure identification of the females.
Bounamous
A
A
JE 2533-USC AFSSA "VECPAR", Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France.
Boudabous
R
R
Jouet
D
D
Augot
D
D
Ferté
H
H
Babba
H
H
Berchi
S
S
Depaquit
J
J
D000462:Algeria; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013045:Species Specificity; D014416:Tunisia
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D045303:Cytochromes b