title: Morphological and Genotypic Variations among the Species of the Subgenus Adlerius (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotomus) in Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Female sand flies of subgenus Adlerius are considered as probable vectors of visceral leishmaniasis in Iran. The objective of this study was to determine the morphological and genotypic variations in the populations of this subgenus in the country.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sand flies collected using sticky traps from 17 provinces during 2008-2010. The morphometric measurements were conducted with an Ocular Micrometer. Data was analyzed by SPSS. The Cytb gene was used to estimate population genetic diversity and identify the female specimens. UPGMA phenetic tree was used for DNA haplotypes of Cytb gene.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six species of subgenus Adlerius identified from which one species, P. (Adlerius) kabulensis, is new record. The identification key is provided for males. Results revealed the molecular systematic in the species of subgenus Adlerius and determine the relationship of three females of P. comatus, P. balcanicus and P. halepensis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The positions of three females and the males in the UPGMA tree are correct and the similarities among them confirm our results. The branches of each species are not genetically distinct which justify the overlapping morphological characters among them. Molecular sequencing of Cytb-mtDNA haplotypes can be used for female identification for different species of subgenus Adlerius in Iran.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zahraei-Ramazani
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Centre of Advanced Study, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, India.
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mirhendi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, India.
authors.forename: Shyam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sundar
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Centre of Advanced Study, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, India.
authors.forename: Rajnikan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Vahideh
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Moin-Vaziri
authors.affiliation: Yazd Health Research Station, National Institute of Health Research, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Soleimani
authors.affiliation: Communicable Disease Management Centre, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Shirzadi
authors.affiliation: Esfahan Health Research Station, National Institute of Health Research, Esfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jafari
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Hanafi-Bojd
authors.affiliation: School of Health, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran.
authors.forename: Sodabe Hamedi
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Shahraky
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Yaghoobi-Ershadi
keywords: Mitochondrial DNA Cytochrome b gene; P. comatus; P. kabulensis; Phlebotomine sand flies; subgenus Adlerius