Applied and theoretical significance of electrohoretic studies in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae)

The more relevant results obtained in the past decade with the use of electrophoretic techniques in studying mosquitoes are reviewed and discussed. These results mainly concern the evaluation of genetic variability of natural and laboratory populations; the study of the role of natural selection and genetic drift in the maintenance and evolution of enzyme polymorphisms; the estimate of genetic differentiation between populations, subspecies and species; the identification of sibling species and of their possible hybrids; the field study of precopulatory isolating mechanisms by the release of electrophoretically recognizable population samples; the elaboration of genetic maps; the study of the phenomenon of multiple insemination; and the evaluation of sexual competitiveness, particularly in connection with the planning of genetic control measures. The importance of this approach in the study of mosquito biology from the applied and theoretical points of view is stressed.