Description of Culex (Culex) kodaikanalensis sp. nov. (Diptera: Culicidae) from India with phyletic analysis using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and 16S rRNA genes

Culex mosquitoes are important vectors of various pathogens to both humans and animals. The present study describes a new species to science as Culex (Culex) kodaikanalensis Suman, Veer and Chandra sp. nov. based on morphology, morphometrics of adult females and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and 16S rRNA genes. This species, Cx. kodaikanalensis, belongs to Mimeticus subgroup of Culex genus represented by banded or spotted wings. It can be identified with the absence of longitudinal pale stripes on anterior surface of all tibiae and presence of pale spot on furcation of both R and M veins. In addition, the length of pale spots on R 4+5 (0.18 to 0.9) and Anal (0.1 to 0.5) veins of Cx. kodaikanalensis also differ from other species of the subgroup. The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (562 bp) and 16S rRNA (539 bp) gene sequences of Cx. kodaikanalensis established the close affinity with Mimeticus subgroup species in comparison to other culicine species being the closest to Culex gaugleri . These pieces of evidence confirm the status of Cx. kodaikanalensis as an individual species. Culex kodaikanalensis is prevalent at high altitudes (> 1500 m) of Kodaikanal hills in Tamil Nadu, India. The prevalence of the larval habitats near the residential areas suggests further studies on host feeding behaviour of the species.