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Background <p>Accurate identification of <i>Aedes</i> mosquitoes is essential for effective surveillance of arboviral diseases. Due to morphological similarities and vectorial potential of <i>Aedes vittatus</i> (Bigot), an important bridge vector of several arboviruses, i.e., dengue, chikungunya and Zika, was initially classified with <i>Aedes aegypti</i> (Linn.) and <i>Aedes albopictus</i> (Skuse). This study applied an integrative taxonomic approach to compare <i>Ae. aegypti</i>, <i>Ae. albopictus</i> and <i>Ae. vittatus</i> using a combination of visual morphological diagnostics, quantitative morphometric measurements and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequencing. Comparative analyses included cluster analysis of phenotypic traits and phylogeny based on COI sequences.</p> Results <p>Morphologically, 61% of the 31 adult attributes in <i>Ae. vittatus</i> differed from both <i>Ae. aegypti</i> and <i>Ae. albopictus</i>. Morphometrics of <i>Ae. vittatus</i> on banding patterns of the abdomen, tarsi, and palpi showed 28 distinct attributes out of 51 total attributes from both <i>Aedes</i> species (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05). Cluster analyses based on both morphological and morphometric datasets consistently grouped <i>Ae. aegypti</i> and <i>Ae. albopictus</i> together, while <i>Ae. vittatus</i> formed a distinct cluster. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of COI sequences corroborated these findings, with <i>Ae. vittatus</i> forming a well-supported monophyletic clade clearly separated from the other two vectors. Genetic distance estimates further confirmed low intraspecific divergence and pronounced interspecific differentiation.</p> Conclusion <p>The strong concordance between phenotypic and genotypic attributes provides a robust and reliable framework for discriminating morphologically similar <i>Aedes</i> vectors. These datasets may help assess ecological variations and evolutionary patterns in these species.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>

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Discrimination of three closely related Aedes vectors using integrated morphological, morphometric and molecular approaches

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月14日

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  • Sushmita Swain,
  • Mukta Mayee Kumbhar,
  • Devi Shankar Suman

摘要

Background

Accurate identification of Aedes mosquitoes is essential for effective surveillance of arboviral diseases. Due to morphological similarities and vectorial potential of Aedes vittatus (Bigot), an important bridge vector of several arboviruses, i.e., dengue, chikungunya and Zika, was initially classified with Aedes aegypti (Linn.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse). This study applied an integrative taxonomic approach to compare Ae. aegypti, Ae. albopictus and Ae. vittatus using a combination of visual morphological diagnostics, quantitative morphometric measurements and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequencing. Comparative analyses included cluster analysis of phenotypic traits and phylogeny based on COI sequences.

Results

Morphologically, 61% of the 31 adult attributes in Ae. vittatus differed from both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. Morphometrics of Ae. vittatus on banding patterns of the abdomen, tarsi, and palpi showed 28 distinct attributes out of 51 total attributes from both Aedes species (P < 0.05). Cluster analyses based on both morphological and morphometric datasets consistently grouped Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus together, while Ae. vittatus formed a distinct cluster. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of COI sequences corroborated these findings, with Ae. vittatus forming a well-supported monophyletic clade clearly separated from the other two vectors. Genetic distance estimates further confirmed low intraspecific divergence and pronounced interspecific differentiation.

Conclusion

The strong concordance between phenotypic and genotypic attributes provides a robust and reliable framework for discriminating morphologically similar Aedes vectors. These datasets may help assess ecological variations and evolutionary patterns in these species.

Graphical abstract