Landmark based geometric morphometric analysis of wing size and wing shape among Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1894) populations in Turkey

Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1894) has a widespread distribution that includes both temperate and tropical climates. It is a potential vector of several important worldwide arboviruses, including chikungunya, zika, and dengue, and its geographical distribution expands rapidly. Despite its vectorial importance, the bioecological features of this species in newly established environments are still not very well known. Thus, this study investigated phenotypic variations among Ae. albopictus populations from different regions in Turkey. This is the first comparative morphological study of Ae. albopictus populations in Turkey. The procrustes distances phenogram derived from wing data indicates that the shape differences among some populations and the population from the Aegean coast differ from the Black Sea populations. Size differences were also detected between some populations.

Automated summary

This study conducted a comparative morphological analysis on Ae. albopictus populations from different regions in Turkey, revealing shape and size differences among populations. The procrustes distances phenogram derived from wing data illustrated these variations.