title: Ecological differentiation of members of the Culex pipiens complex, potential vectors of West Nile virus and Rift Valley fever virus in Algeria.
abstract: We investigated the ecological differentiation of two members of the Culex pipiens complex, Cx. p. pipiens form pipiens and Cx. p. pipiens form molestus in three sites, El-Kala, M'Sila and Tinerkouk in Algeria. These two forms are the most widespread mosquito vectors in temperate regions exhibiting important behavioural and physiological differences. Nevertheless, this group of potential vectors has been poorly studied, particularly in North Africa.
  
  
  
  Ten larval populations of Cx. p. pipiens were sampled from various above- and underground habitats in three zones representing the three bioclimatic regions in Algeria. The reproduction characteristics were also investigated in the laboratory to define the rates of autogeny and stenogamy. Identification of Cx. p. pipiens members present in Algeria was achieved using a molecular analysis with the microsatellite CQ11 locus.
  
  
  
  We detected larvae of Cx. p. pipiens in all areas suggesting that the species is a ubiquitous mosquito well adapted to various environments. To our knowledge, this study provides the first molecular evidence of the presence of the Cx. p. pipiens form molestus and hybrids (molestus/pipiens) in Algeria with a high proportion of molestus form (48.3 %) in comparison with hybrids (36.8 %) and pipiens form (14.9 %).
  
  
  
  Some unexpected correlations between the proportion of forms pipiens, molestus and hybrids, and mosquito biological characteristics were observed suggesting some epigenetic effects controlling Cx. p. pipiens mating and reproduction. Consequences for pathogen transmission are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Ecologie des Systèmes Terrestres et Aquatiques, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Badji Mokhtar, Annaba, Algérie. amarakorbaraouf@hotmail.com.|Institut Pasteur d'Alger, Unité d'Entomologie Médicale, Service d'Eco-épidémiologie parasitaire et génétique des populations, Alger, Algérie. amarakorbaraouf@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Raouf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amara Korba
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie Animale Appliquée, Faculté des Sciences, Département de Biologie, Université Badji Mokhtar, Annaba, Algérie.
authors.forename: Moufida Saoucen
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Alayat
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur d'Alger, Unité d'Entomologie Médicale, Service d'Eco-épidémiologie parasitaire et génétique des populations, Alger, Algérie.
authors.forename: Lazhari
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bouiba
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur d'Alger, Unité d'Entomologie Médicale, Service d'Eco-épidémiologie parasitaire et génétique des populations, Alger, Algérie.
authors.forename: Abdelkarim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boudrissa
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Ecologie des Systèmes Terrestres et Aquatiques, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Badji Mokhtar, Annaba, Algérie.
authors.forename: Zihad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bouslama
authors.affiliation: Unit of Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors.forename: Slimane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boukraa
authors.affiliation: Unit of Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur, Department of Virology, Arboviruses and Insect Vectors, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Anna-Bella
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Failloux
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur d'Alger, Unité d'Entomologie Médicale, Service d'Eco-épidémiologie parasitaire et génétique des populations, Alger, Algérie.
authors.forename: Saïd Chaouki
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Boubidi
mesh_terms: D000462:Algeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D003465:Culex / Q000145:classification* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology; D017753:Ecosystem; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000821:virology*; D007814:Larva / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology; D012296:Rift Valley fever virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: Algeria; Autogeny; CQ11; Culex pipiens complex; Hybrid; Molestus; Stenogamy