Background
Understanding local
Anopheles
species compositions and bionomic traits are vital for an effective malaria vector intervention strategy. Though eight malaria vectors, including species complexes, have been documented across the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia, a comprehensive survey linking morphological and molecular species identification has not been conducted in this global hotspot of biodiversity.
Results
Eighteen distinct species of
Anopheles
were molecularly identified in a 1 km
2
area in Karama village, West Mamuju Province, Sulawesi. Known species included
An. aconitus
,
An. karwari
,
An. peditaeniatus
,
An. vagus
,
An. barbirostris
,
An. tessellatus
,
An. nigerrimus
,
An. crawfordi
,
An. maculatus, An. flavirostris
and
An. kochi
. Of the 18 distinct sequence groups identified through both ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region 2, and mitochondrial DNA cytochrome
c
oxidase subunit 1 loci, 8 could not be identified to species through comparison to published sequences. The comparison of morphological and molecular identities determined that interpretations of local species compositions for primary and expected species in Karama (
An. barbirostris
and
An. vagus
) had the highest rate of accuracy (92.1% and 87.6%, respectively) when compared to molecular analysis. However, the remaining distinct sequences molecularly identified to species were identified correctly by morphological methods less frequently, from 0 to 83%.
Conclusions
Karama, Indonesia has a high diversity of
Anopheles
spp. The unexpected high number of
Anopheles
species in a small area points to possible complex transmission dynamics and limitations with vector control based on possible varying behaviors and interactions with both humans and interventions. Morphological identification of
Anopheles
spp. in this study was more accurate for primary and expected species than secondary or unexpected species. Finally, the inability to identify seven sequence groups to species with consensus sequences implies that future studies employing sequencing are required to clarify species compositions in the Nigerrimus Subgroup, among others, as well as their distribution and vector status. Use of molecular methods in conjunction with morphological investigations for analysis of species composition, population dynamics and bionomic characteristics is directly implicated in understanding drivers of malaria transmission, intervention effectiveness, and the pursuit...