Cytotaxonomical examination for sibling species in the taxon Anopheles culicifacies Giles in Sri Lanka
Abhayawardana, T.A.; Dilrukshi, R.K.; Wijesuriya, S.R.
Indian Journal of Malariology 33(2): 74-80
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0367-8326 PMID: 8952171 Document Number: 468760
Ovarian polytene chromosomes of A. culicifacies collected in July 1990 to February 1992 from different climatic and eco-epidemiological localities in Sri Lanka were examined to study the composition and distribution of sibling species. During the study period, 4328 ovaries were prepared for examination, of which 1937 were suitable for the reading of polytene chromosomes. Among these, 458 specimens were identified as belonging to species B based on diagnostic inversion on x-chromosome and 1479 definitively were identified as sibling species B on the basis of x-chromosome and chromosome arm-2 inversion. Other sibling species were not encountered among the specimens identified from 31 Health Areas. The occurrence of sibling species B of A. culicifacies in Sri Lanka is confirmed, but no evidence of other sibling species (A, C or D) was found.