Morphological and Molecular Characterization Using Genitalia and CoxI Barcode Sequence Analysis of Afrotropical Mosquitoes with Arbovirus Vector Potential

Potential arboviral Afrotropical mosquito vectors are underrepresented in public databases of CoxI barcode sequences. Furthermore, available sequences for many species often not associated with voucher specimens to match the corresponding fine morphological characterization specimens. Hence, this study focused on Culicine mosquitoes from South Africa, Mozambique, and Angola their classification using a complementary approach including analysis specimens’ genitalia phylogenetic based maximum likelihood Bayesian inference methods, alongside Median-Joining Network PCOORD analyses. Overall, 800 (652 males 148 females) 67 species, were analyzed. Genitalia 663 allowed identification 55 10 genera. A total 247 partial gene 65 obtained, 11 which (Aedes capensis, Ae. mucidus, Culex andersoni, Cx. telesilla, inconspicuosus, Eretmapodites subsimplicipes, Er. quinquevittatus, Ficalbia uniformis, Mimomyia hispida, Uranotaenia alboabdominalis, Ur. mashonaensis) are, best our knowledge, provided here first time. The presence pipiens ecotypes molestus hybrids, as well infula, is newly reported region. rates correct sequence BOLD BLASTn (?95% identity) 64% 53%, respectively. Phylogenetic revealed that, except subgenus Eumelanomyia Culex, there was support tribes Aedini, Culicini, Ficalbiini, Mansoniini. divergence >2% observed conspecific sequences, e.g., Aedeomyia africana, cumminsii, unilineatus, metallicus, furcifer, caballus, Mansonia uniformis. Conversely, groups complexes, namely, simpsoni, mcintoshi, bitaeniorhynchus, insufficiently separated. contribution has been made library identifications.