title: Anopheles(Kerteszia)lepidotus(Diptera: Culicidae), not the malaria vector we thought it was: Revised male and female morphology; larva, pupa, and male genitalia characters; and molecular verification.
abstract: The nameAnopheles (Kerteszia) lepidotusZavortink, commonly used for an important malaria vector in the eastern cordillera of the Andes, is here corrected toAn. pholidotusZavortink. We discovered thatAn. (Ker.)specimens from Peru, and reared-associated specimens from Ecuador, had unambiguous habitus characters that matched those on the male holotype ofAn. lepidotus.However, the specimens do not exhibit characters of the female allotype and female paratypes ofAn. lepidotus, which are actuallyAn. pholidotus. Our specimens are the first correctly associated females ofAn. lepidotus, which allow us to provide a new morphological interpretation for the adult habitus of this species. This finding is also corroborated by molecular data from a portion of theCytochrome Oxidase I(COI)gene and ribosomal DNA Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (rDNA ITS2). The pupal stage ofAn. lepidotusis described for the first time, and additional larval characters are also noted. Diagnostic morphological characters for the adult, pupal, and larval stages ofAn. pholidotusare provided to separate the two species. All stages ofAn. lepidotusare easily separated from other currently known species in subgenusKertesziaand a new key to the females ofAn. (Kerteszia) is given. Previously published distribution, bionomics, and medical significance data are corrected and enhanced.
authors.affiliation: 661 Drumheller Road, Clemmons, NC 27012 USA.
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, 4210 Silver Hill Rd, Suitland, MD 20746 USA.
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Lopez
authors.affiliation: Avenue Los Precursores 1160 Urb. Maranga/Astete, San Miguel Lima 32 Peru.
authors.forename: Guillermo Calderon
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Falero
authors.affiliation: Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3150 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521 USA.
authors.forename: Harry M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.affiliation: Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, 4210 Silver Hill Rd, Suitland, MD 20746 USA ; Entomology Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA.
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Pecor
authors.affiliation: Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, 4210 Silver Hill Rd, Suitland, MD 20746 USA ; Entomology Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA.
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Wilkerson
keywords: Anopheles lepidotus; Anopheles pholidotus; COI; ITS2; key; malaria; morphology; redescription