Population cytogenetic evidence for sibling species in Anopheles annularis (Diptera: Culicidae)

Anopheles annularis van der Wulp populations from 6 districts in India were cytologically examined. An ovarian nurse cell polytene chromosome map for 5 arms is presented. Nine inversions-w,i(1),j(1), and k(1) on chromosome arm 2; j(1) and z in arm 3; h(1) and s(1) on arm 4; and k on arm 5-were polymorphic in these populations. In districts Shahjahanpur and Ghaziabad populations, for j(1) inversion on arm 2, there were no heterozygotes. This was taken as evidence for reproductive isolation between 2 populations. The 2 were provisionally designated as species A and B, characterized respectively by +j(1) and j(1) arrangements in chromosome arm 2. The other 4 populations were identified as species A.