Molecular phylogenetic analysis of Culex sitiens (Diptera: Culicidae) based on the mitochondrial COI sequence

Abstract

Culex is mosquito commonly known to transmit several arboviral diseases which have a significant impact on human health. An earlier study shows the dominancy of Culicine having 57 mosquito species under 12 genera were in coastal regions of Odisha state. Culex sitiens Weidmann is a proficient coastal vector of the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). Bio-ecology of mosquito vector and their precise identification is of paramount importance to develop species specific vector control strategies. In this study, molecular identification of Cx. sitiens was made using mitochondrial COI after collection. Genetic divergence study was performed to analyze the intra-specific distance among the studied mosquito species. Additionally, a haplotype network was constructed based on the nucleotide differences, to determine the genealogical relationship between haplotypes. The current study shows the abundance and efficiency of use of the mt COI gene marker which strongly supports the positioning of Cx. sitiens by clustering with their respective group. Further, the study of population genetics illustrated the occurrence of genetic differentiation within the population and the haplotype network study suggested that the Indian Cx. sitiens population shows a certain level of genetic differences.