Genetic differentiation ofCulex pipiens(Diptera: Culicidae) in China

Abstract

AbstractThe population genetic structures ofCulex pipiensLinnaeus were evaluated in China over a 2000 km transect that encompasses the two subspecies,C. p. pallensandC. p. quinquefasciatus. Four polymorphic allozyme loci were investigated in 1376 mosquitoes sampled from 20 populations across four provinces. These loci were not statistically dependent with no apparent heterozygote deficit or excess. On a regional scale (intra-province), a low (Fst=0.007–0.016) and significant genetic differentiation was found, with no clear geographical pattern. On a wider scale (inter-province), the genetic differentiation was higher (Fst=0.059), and an isolation by distance emerged. The results are compared with previous population genetic surveys of this mosquito species in different geographic areas over the world. The overall pattern suggests thatCulex pipiensrequires considerable distance (500–1000 km) to show isolation by distance, irrespective of the subspecies (C. p. pipiens,C. p. quinquefasciatusandC. p. pallens) or the geographic location.