Abstract
Mosquitoes of four Iranian islands (Abu-Musa, Hormuz, Larak and Qeshm), Hormozgan Province of southern Iran, were surveyed between Citation2005 and Citation2007. In 521 specimens collected, 14 species belonging to four genera were identified: Anopheles culicifacies Giles sensu lato (s.l.), An. dthali Patton, An. fluviatilis James s.l., An. stephensi Liston, An. turkhudi Liston, Culex bitaeniorhynchus Giles, Cx. perexiguus Theobald, Cx. pseudovishnui Colless, Cx. quinquefasciatus Say, Cx. sitiens Wiedemann, Cx. theileri Theobald, Cx. tritaeniorhynchus Giles, Culiseta longiareolata (Macquart) and Ochlerotatus (= Aedes) caspius (Pallas) s.l. This is the first record of all of these species on the islands. Cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) barcode sequences were used to confirm the taxonomic identity of An. stephensi, Cx. quinquefasciatus and Oc. caspius s.l. from the islands and mainland of Hormozgan Province, with genetic isolation noted in both Oc. caspius s.l. and Cx. quinquefasciatus samples collected in Abu-Musa Island. Morphological anomalies in island specimens of Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. pseudovishnui are discussed.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to S. Cook, F. Ruiz and M. Zarowiecki, Department of Entomology, the Natural History Museum (NHM), London, for assistance in the Molecular Systematics Laboratory. This study was financially supported by the Institute of Public Health Research, Academic Pivot for Education and Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Project No: 241.83.77). Molecular work conducted at the NHM was supported through funds provided by the senior author (R.E.H.).