Identification of species related to Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis by random amplified polymorphic DNA-Polymerase chain reaction (Diptera: Culicidae)

species-specific random amplified polymorphic dna-polymerase chain reaction (rapd-pcr) markers were used to identify four species related to anopheles (nyssorhynchus) albitarsis lynch-arribàlzaga from 12 sites in brazil and 4 in venezuela. in a previous study (wilkerson et al. 1995), which included sites in paraguay and argentina, these four species were designated "a", "b", "c" and "d". it was hypothesized that species a is an. (nys.) albitarsis, species b is undescribed, species c is an. (nys) marajoara galv？o and damasceno and species d is an. (nys.) deaneorum rosa-freitas. species d, previously characterized by rapd-pcr from a small sample from northern argentina and southern brazil, is reported here from the type locality of an. (nys.) deaneorum, guajará-mirim, state of rond？nia, brazil. species c and d were found by rapd-pcr to be sympatric at costa marques, state of rond？nia, brazil. species a and c have yet to be encountered at the same locality. the rapd markers for species c were found to be conserved over 4,620 km; from iguape, state of s？o paulo, brazil to rio socuavo, state of zulia, venezuela. rapd-pcr was determined to be an effective means for the identification of unknown species within this species complex.