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Distribution of members of *Anopheles quadrimaculatus* Say s.l. and implications for their roles in malaria transmission in the United States
Levine, Rebecca S. Peterson, A. Townsend Benedict, Mark Q.
Levine, Rebecca S.
Peterson, A. Townsend
Benedict, Mark Q.
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Abstract
The Anopheles quadrimaculatus s.l. (Say) complex consists of at least five species
distinguished by distribution, genetic incompatibility, and allele frequencies. However, the distributions
of the members have only been described by collection locations. Building on this information
and environmental data, preliminary predictions of their distribution were produced using a genetic
algorithm and point occurrence data. Based on resulting predicted border areas and undersampled
regions, we obtained and analyzed additional geo-referenced specimens and compared their distribution
with our preliminary predictions. We found good agreement between the preliminary predictions
and the subsequent collections, regardless of the fact that additional specimens were deliberately
sought from areas most likely to reveal inconsistencies. Final predicted distributions describe
widespread distribution of A.quadrimaculatus throughout the eastern United States. A. maverlius and
A. smaragdinus have similar predicted ranges limited to the southeastern United States. The predicted
ranges of the sister taxa A. diluvialis and A. inundatus were similar to one another along the
southeastern coast even though they seem to be allopatric. The historical role of A. quadrimaculatus
s.l. in transmission of malaria was also examined.We conclude that A. quadrimaculatus s.s. was the only
species of the complex capable of vectoring malaria in the United States throughout the area in which
malaria occurred. However, any or all the members of the complex may have been regionally
important, particularly in areas of most intense transmission.
Description
Date
2004-07
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Publisher
Entomological Society of America
Research Projects
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Keywords
Model, Spatial, Genetic algorithm, Vector
Citation
Levine, R. S., M. Q. Benedict, and A. T. Peterson. 2004a. Distribution of Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say s.l. and implications for its role in malaria transmission in the US. Journal of Medical Entomology 41:607-613.