Molecular and morphological systematics of the sandfly Sergentomyia (Sintonius) clydei Sinton, 1928 and questions about its record in the Seychelles

• Published in: Infection, genetics and evolution Vol. 21; pp. 41 - 53
• Main Authors: Depaquit, J., Randrianambinintsoa, F.J., Jaouadi, K., Payard, J., Bounamous, A., Augot, D., Krueger, A., Brengues, C., Couloux, A., Robert, V., Léger, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-01-2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aldabra atoll; Animals; Biodiversity; Colonization; Female; Genetic Markers; Genetic Variation; Genetics; Genome, Insect; Island; Life Sciences; Phlebotomine sandflies; Phylogeny; Phylogeography; Populations and Evolution; Psychodidae - classification; Psychodidae - genetics; Psychodidae - physiology; Sequence Analysis, DNA - methods; Seychelles; Systematics; The Seychelles; Seychelles; Systematics; cac; Cyt b; Aldabra atoll; The Seychelles; NJ; Phlebotomine sandflies; Island; Colonization
• ISSN: 1567-1348; 1567-7257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2013.10.016

•We carry out a molecular and morphological study on Sergentomyia clydei.•A population from the atoll of Aldabra (the Seychelles) is individualized.•The age of the population from Aldabra is not in agreement with molecular clock.
In the Phlebotomine sandflies, a few molecular studies related on the genus Sergentomyia have been published. The present study explored the genetic variability within Sergentomyia (Sintonius) clydei (Diptera, Psychodidae). The sampling included 15 populations originating from 12 countries. A morphological approach was coupled to the sequencing of two molecular markers (cytochrome b mtDNA and cacophony nuclear DNA). The most variable morphological characters resided in the cibarium of the females, especially (i) the pigment patch pattern and (ii) the number of cibarial teeth and denticles in the armature. However this morphological approach was unable to individualize any population within S. clydei. The NJ trees based on both molecular markers individualized the specimens from the Aldabra group of islands in the Seychelles. Surprisingly, cyt b variability was not compatible with the known data about the complete submersion of Aldabra occurring relatively recently some 125,000years ago. The settlement of these islands by S. clydei from continental Africa, the Middle East or Asia, and the value of mtDNA markers are discussed.