1.Genetic diversity and DNA barcoding of the black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) vectors of parasites causing human onchocerciasis in Guatemala
Pramual, P. ; Bunchom, N. ; Saijuntha, W. ; Tada, I. ; Suganuma, N. ; Agatsuma, T.
Tropical Biomedicine 2019;36(4):938-957
Genetic variation based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and II
(COII) sequences was investigated for three black fly nominal species, Simulium metallicum
Bellardi complex, S. callidum Dyar & Shannon, and S. ochraceum Walker complex, which are
vectors of human onchocerciasis from Guatemala. High levels of genetic diversity were
found in S. metallicum complex and S. ochraceum complex with maximum intraspecific
genetic divergences of 11.39% and 4.25%, respectively. Levels of genetic diversity of these
nominal species are consistent with species status for both of them as they are cytologically
complexes of species. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the S. metallicum complex from
Guatemala divided into three distinct clades, two with members of this species from several
Central and South American countries and another exclusively from Mexico. The Simulium
ochraceum complex from Guatemala formed a clade with members of this species from
Mexico and Costa Rica while those from Ecuador and Colombia formed another distinct
clade. Very low diversity in S. callidum was found for both genes with maximum intraspecific
genetic divergence of 0.68% for COI and 0.88% for COII. Low genetic diversity in S. callidum
might be a consequence of the result being informative of only recent population history of
the species.