Adler, Peter H. and Low, Van Lun and Tan, Tiong Kai and Takaoka, Hiroyuki and Otsuka, Yasushi (2024) Genetic relationships of three species of black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Taiwan. Acta Tropica, 259. ISSN 0001-706X, DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107399.
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
As an island about 150 km from the mainland, Taiwan would be expected to have endemic species. About 64 % of its 36 species of black flies are considered endemic, more than twice the level of endemicity that has been recorded for all insects on the island. To begin assessing the validity of the high level of endemism for the Simuliidae, we used giant chromosome banding patterns and cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) sequences, against a well-defined morphological backdrop, to evaluate three of Taiwan's black flies, Simulium chungi Takaoka & Huang, S. pingtungense Huang & Takaoka, and S. sakishimaense Takaoka. Molecular data revealed high similarity of populations of S. sakishimaense in Taiwan and at the type locality on Ishigaki Island, Japan, about 180 km to the east. Thus, populations referred to as S. sakishimaense in Taiwan are conspecific with typical S. sakishimaense in Japan, confirming their non-endemicity in Taiwan. Simulium sakishimaense might have reached Ishigaki by island hopping via Taiwan from the Chinese mainland. Chromosomes and the COI gene agree with morphology that S. sakishimaense is a member of the S. multistriatum species group although the chromosomal banding patterns do not indicate that it is distinct from S. fenestratum Edwards on the mainland. Although molecular sequences indicate S. sakishimaense is monophyletic, this taxon falls within the same Operational Taxonomic Unit as nine other members of the S. multistriatum group, including S. fenestratum. Simulium pingtungense, in agreement with morphology, is molecularly distinct from the 10 other analyzed members of the S. striatum species group, tentatively suggesting that it is endemic to Taiwan, pending analysis of samples from mainland China. Simulium chungi in Taiwan is chromosomally and molecularly unique, with larvae resembling those of S. saskishimaense. It is not, however, a member of either the S. multistriatum or S. striatum species groups. For now, the S. chungi species group remains a legitimate taxon consisting of two species. Strengthening the case for endemic taxa in Taiwan awaits analysis of key samples from the Chinese mainland.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Funders: | National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Clemson University Experiment Station, Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia [Grant no. MO002–2019, TIDREC-2023], U.S. Department of Agriculture [Grant no. SC-1700596, 7337] |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | COI gene; Endemicity; Islands; Phylogeny; Polytene chromosomes |
| Subjects: | Q Science > Q Science (General) |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Medicine > Parasitology Deparment Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation) Office > Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre |
| Depositing User: | Ms. Juhaida Abd Rahim |
| Date Deposited: | 22 Oct 2025 02:11 |
| Last Modified: | 22 Oct 2025 02:11 |
| URI: | http://eprints.um.edu.my/id/eprint/46485 |
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