Salivary polytene chromosome mapping of Anopheles (Cellia) subpictus Grassi (Culicidae: Diptera)

With the introduction of molecular taxonomy of mosquitoes, polytene chromosome maps have become indispensable as standard references for locating genes, puffs, and inversion breakpoints of unique DNA sequences. We present a line map and a photomap of the salivary polytene chromosomes of Anopheles (Cellia) subpictus Grassi, an important emerging vector of malaria in India. In addition, we discuss the nature of this species complex consisting of sibling species A, B, C, and D. The comparative study is in relevance to the X chromosome heterozygous inversion differences between 2 allopatric populations of the species and the recognition of 4 X-chromosome inversion genotypes viz: species A-X(+a+b), B-X(ab), C-X(a+b) and D-X(+ab).