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Diversity of Culex torrentium Martini, 1925 — a potential vector of arboviruses and filaria in Europe

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Abstract

Culex torrentium is one of the most common mosquito species in Germany. Due to its sympatric occurrence as well as its similar morphological and ecological characteristics, it has often been confused with another common species, Culex pipiens. Both species are known to be potential vectors for different arboviruses (not only in Germany) with C. torrentium being a possible vector for Sindbis or Ockelbo virus. In our study, we analyzed the genetic variability in a 658 bp fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (coxI) of C. torrentium, from nine localities in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region. The results of our genetic survey indicate a higher genetic diversity in this gene region for C. torrentium than for the morphologically similar C. pipiens. Our findings may explain the difficulties in the past to find morphological characteristics that apply to all populations of C. torrentium, when attempting to separate them clearly from C. pipiens, by any other criteria than male genitalia. Being ornithophilic, possible hybrids between C. torrentium and the humanophilic C. pipiens biotype molestus, could potentially serve as important vectors for zoonotic diseases. Therefore, we recommend that greater emphasis is placed on the ecological characteristics, population structure, and the taxonomy of this often neglected species, in the future.

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Acknowledgments

The present study was financially supported by the research funding program “LOEWE — Landes-Offensive zur Entwicklung Wissenschaftlich-ökonomischer Exzellenz” of Hesse's Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and the Arts and by the SAW (Senate Competition Committee) grant (SAW-2011-BNI-3) of the Leibniz Association. We also thank Melissa Anderton, Portsmouth for editing the text.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Medical Biodiversity and Parasitology; Goethe-University (GO), Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity; Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung (SGN), Senckenberganlage 25, Frankfurt am Main, 60325, Germany

    Antje Werblow, Sarah Bolius, Christian Melaun & Sven Klimpel

  2. Senckenberg German Entomological Institute (SDEI), Eberswalder Str. 90, Müncheberg, 15374, Germany

    Antje Werblow & Christian Melaun

  3. Institute for General Zoology and Developmental Biology, Justus Liebig University (JLU), Stephanstrasse 24, Giessen, 35390, Germany

    Sarah Bolius & Adriaan W. C. Dorresteijn

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  1. Antje Werblow
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  2. Sarah Bolius
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  3. Adriaan W. C. Dorresteijn
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  4. Christian Melaun
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  5. Sven Klimpel
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Correspondence to Christian Melaun.

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Werblow, A., Bolius, S., Dorresteijn, A.W.C. et al. Diversity of Culex torrentium Martini, 1925 — a potential vector of arboviruses and filaria in Europe. Parasitol Res 112, 2495–2501 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3418-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3418-z

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