Wing Geometric Morphometrics as a Tool for the Identification ofCulexSubgenus Mosquitoes ofCulex(Diptera: Culicidae)

Author(s)

Simoes, Roseli Franca ^[1] ; Bruno Wilke, Andre Barretto ^[2] ; Fernandes Chagas, Carolina Romeiro ^{[3, 4]} ; Tironi de Menezes, Regiane Maria ^[5] ; Suesdek, Lincoln ^{[6, 1]} ; Multini, Laura Cristina ^[7] ; Silva, Fabiana Santos ^{[1, 5]} ; Grech, Marta Gladys ^{[8, 9]} ; Marrelli, Mauro Toledo ^{[7, 1]} ; Kirchgatter, Karin ^{[1, 5]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Inst Trop Med, BR-05403000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Miami, Miller Sch Med, Dept Publ Hlth Sci, Miami, FL 33136 - USA

^[3] Nat Res Ctr, Inst Ecol, LT-08412 Vilnius - Lithuania

^[4] Zool Pk Fdn, Appl Res Dept, BR-04301905 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[5] SUCEN, Dept Specialized Labs, Superintendence Endem Dis Control, BR-01027000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[6] Butantan Inst, BR-05503900 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[7] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Publ Hlth, Dept Epidemiol, BR-01246904 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[8] Consejo Nacl Invest Cient & Tecn, Ctr Invest Esquel Montana & Estepa Patagon CIEMEP, RA-9200 Esquel, Chubut - Argentina

^[9] UNPSJB, Fac Ciencias Nat & Ciencias Salud, Sede Esquel, RA-9200 Esquel, Chubut - Argentina

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: INSECTS; v. 11, n. 9 SEP 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Simple Summary Different mosquito species have different ecology and behaviors. Therefore, the correct identification of vector mosquito species is essential for the development of targeted mosquito control operations. Traditionally, the identification of mosquitoes to species relies on differences in their external morphological characters. Identifying mosquitoes can be challenging if the specimen is either damaged or if only a few morphological characters can be used to sort them apart. For this reason, this study focused on the use of wing geometric morphometrics to identifyCulexspecies from the subgenusCulexthat are not easily identified by their external morphology. We analyzed the wing shape variation of 11 different species. Our results indicated that the species in this study were identified with high degrees of confidence based on their wing shape variation. From all possible comparisons in the cross-validated reclassification test, 87 yielded values higher than 70%, with 13 comparisons yielding 100% reclassification scores. Overall, our results are suggesting that wing geometric morphometrics is a reliable tool to identifyCulexspecies of the subgenusCulex. Culexis the largest subgenus within the genusCulexthat includes important vectors of diseases. The correct identification of mosquitoes is critical for effective control strategies. Wing geometric morphometrics (WGM) has been used to identify mosquito species alongside traditional identification methods. Here, WGM was used for elevenCulexspecies from Sao Paulo, Brazil, and one from Esquel, Argentina. Adult mosquitoes were collected using CDC (Centers for Disease Control) traps, morphologically identified and analyzed by WGM. The canonical variate analysis (CVA) was performed and a Neighbor-joining (NJ) tree was constructed to illustrate the patterns of species segregation. A cross-validated reclassification test was also carried out. From 110 comparisons in the cross-validated reclassification test, 87 yielded values higher than 70%, with 13 comparisons yielding 100% reclassification scores.Culexquinquefasciatusyielded the highest reclassification scores among the analyzed species, corroborating with the results obtained by the CVA, in whichCx.quinquefasciatuswas the most distinct species. The high values obtained at the cross-validated reclassification test and in the NJ analysis as well as the segregation observed at the CVA made it possible to distinguish amongCulexspecies with high degrees of confidence, suggesting that WGM is a reliable tool to identifyCulexspecies of the subgenusCulex. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/23407-0 - Mosquitoes (Culicidae, Diptera) in avian malaria transmission area: identification of potential vector species
• Grantee: Roseli França Simões
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 12/51427-1 - Plasmodium spp. in wild birds from the São Paulo Zoo: species Identification by microscopy and DNA barcoding
• Grantee: Karin Kirchgatter Hildebrand
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants