Systematics of the Culex coronator complex (Diptera: Culicidae): morphological and molecular assessment

LAURITO, MAGDALENA; ANDREW BRISCOE ; ALMIRÓN, WALTER R.; HARBACH, RALPH E

ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2017 vol. XX p. 1 - 23

0024-4082

The Culex coronator complex of the mosquito subgenus Culex includes five currently recognized species: Cx. camposi,Cx. coronator, Cx. ousqua, Cx. usquatissimus and Cx. usquatus. Because of the confusing taxonomic history of thecomplex, we aimed to clarify the specific status of these nominal forms based on an examination of holotypes andlectotypes and molecular data from other specimens. Critical assessment of published descriptions and study of typespecimens revealed that the known distributions of the five species overlap considerably and exhibit biotic sympatryin some areas. Sequences from the COI barcode region and complete mitochondrial genomes were used to assess therelationships and degree of genetic divergence of the species and two newly discovered morphological forms, Cx. coronatorForms1 and 2.Geneticdistances in the COIdataset varied from 0.00 to 2.67%,with the largest relative divergencebeing4.41 between specimens of Cx.coronatorand Cx.coronatorForm1.BayesianPoissontree process analysis of theCOIbarcode region also failed to provide support for the nominal species.Evidence from the morphological and moleculardata thus leads us to conclude(at least provisionally) that the Cx.coronatorcomplex is a single polymorphic species.Theforms constitute a monophyletic group but there is no support for the specific status of the five nominal forms.