EVALUATION OF THE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING MEMBERS OF THE ANOPHELES-GAMBIAE (DIPTERA, CULICIDAE) COMPLEX IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

Chromosomally and electrophoretically identified field samples of members of the Anopheles gambiae Giles complex from southern Africa and colony material were used to test the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method of identification. The samples included An. arabiensis Patton, An. quadriannulatus Theobald, and An. merus Donitz. Only one of the 217 specimens examined was disputed. Twenty specimens (9%) were reamplified because of the presence of multiple bands or lack of amplification after the first assay. Specimens of An. merus from this region displayed both the diagnostic An. merus PCR band as well as the An. quadriannulatus band, possibly because of interspecific hybridization or random variation within the population. This work extends the geographical range over which the PCR technique has been verified to southern Africa.