title: Genetic and phenotypic variation of the malaria vector Anopheles atroparvus in southern Europe.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for pathogen transmission by insect species that are vectors of human diseases. One of these species is the former European malaria vector, Anopheles atroparvus. Levels of population differentiation of An. atroparvus from southern Europe were characterized as a first attempt to elucidate patterns of population structure of this former malaria vector. Results are discussed in light of a hypothetical situation of re-establishment of malaria transmission.
  
  
  METHODS
  Genetic and phenotypic variation was analysed in nine mosquito samples collected from five European countries, using eight microsatellite loci and geometric morphometrics on 21 wing landmarks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of genetic diversity were comparable to those reported for tropical malaria vectors. Low levels of genetic (0.004 <FST <0.086) and phenotypic differentiation were detected among An. atroparvus populations spanning over 3,000 km distance. Genetic differentiation (0.202 <FST <0.299) was higher between the sibling species An. atroparvus and Anopheles maculipennis s.s. Differentiation between sibling species was not so evident at the phenotype level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Levels of population differentiation within An. atroparvus were low and not correlated with geographic distance or with putative physical barriers to gene flow (Alps and Pyrenées). While these results may suggest considerable levels of gene flow, other explanations such as the effect of historical population perturbations can also be hypothesized.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Malária e outras Doenças Tropicais/UEI Malária, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vicente
authors.forename: Carla A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alten
authors.forename: Selim S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Caglar
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Falcutá
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Latorre
authors.forename: Celine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Toty
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Barré
authors.forename: Berna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Demirci
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Luca
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Toma
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salgueiro
authors.forename: Teresa L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Maria D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Bargues
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mas-Coma
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boccolini
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romi
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nicolescu
authors.forename: Virgílio E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: do Rosário
authors.forename: Nurdan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozer
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fontenille
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pinto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D005060:Europe; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005843:Geography; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000033:anatomy & histology