Differentiation of anopheles culicifacies Giles (Diptera: Culicidae) sibling species by analysis of cuticular components

Abstract

Cuticular wax was extracted from adult females of Anopheles culicifacies Giles and analysed by gas liquid chromatography. The flies were taken from pure cage stocks of three sibling species: 56 individuals of species A, 43 of species B and 51 of species C. The three cytospecies were found to be significantly different in their cuticular hydrocarbon composition by a multivariate analysis of variance. Using discriminant analysis, each cytospecies was characterized by the amounts of C25-C33 hydrocarbons extracted from the cuticle, allowing criteria to be established for the identification of flies. By these criteria, specimens from stocks of known identity were allocated to the correct group with a high success rate. These results may reflect ecological differences among the sibling species.