Lutzomyia longipalpis is a Species Complex: Genetic Divergence and Interspecific Hybrid Sterility among Three Populations

Phylogeography of the neotropical sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences

“…We describe these as follows: species A (Laran Clade), species B (Brazilian Clade), species C (cis-Andean Clade) and species D (trans-Andean Clade). These results are consistent with earlier studies based on isozyme analysis (Lanzaro et al, 1993Mutebi et al, 1998Mutebi et al, , 1999Lampo et al, 1999).…”

“…The occurrence, in sympatry, of closely related haplotypes among samples from Bucaramanga and Trujillo do not support monophyly of the trans-and cis-Andean Clades, as suggested by Brower (1999). However, in cross-mating studies Lanzaro et al (1993) demonstrated post-mating reproductive barriers, in the form of hybrid male sterility, in reciprocal crosses between members of these two clades. In addition, we have found morphological characters that can be used to distinguish members of these two clades (Arrivillaga, unpublished).…”

“…The notion that the cis-and trans-Andean Clades represent biological species is supported by isozyme studies of these populations that revealed levels of genetic distance consistent with species in the genus Lutzomyia (Lanzaro and Warburg, 1995;Lanzaro et al, 1998;Mutebi et al, 1998). In addition, crosses made between individuals belonging to the two clades resulted in sterile male progeny (Lanzaro et al, 1993).…”

“…1). Populations were selected based on previous isozyme studies that suggested these populations represent three or more species (Lanzaro et al, 1993;Mutebi et al, 1998Mutebi et al, , 1999Yin et al, 1998;Arrivillaga et al, 2000, in press). Adult flies were collected in Colombia, Costa Rica, Brazil, Honduras and Venezuela using aspirators from domestic animals (chickens, cattle, pigs or dogs) or from resting sites near animal enclosures, and with Centers for Disease Control (CDC, Atlanta, USA) light traps.…”

“…Its geographic range includes climatic and physiogeographic discontinuities that are associated with patterns of population divergence. There is now a consensus that L. longipalpis is a complex of sibling species distinguishable on the basis of male pheromone composition (Ward et al, 1988;Hamilton et al, 1996a,b,c), allozyme frequencies (Lanzaro et al, 1993;Arrivillaga, 1999;Lampo et al, 1999), interspecific male hybrid sterility (Lanzaro et al, 1993), chromosome patterns (Yin et al, 1998) and larval morphology (Arrivillaga et al, 2000, in press). However, the number of species within the complex and their geographic distributions remain unclear.…”