Cocktail polymerase chain reaction assay to identify members of the Anopheles funestus (Diptera: Culicidae) group

Anopheles funestus Giles is a major malaria vector in Africa belonging to a group of species with mor-phologically similar characteristics. Morphological identification of members of the A. funestus group is difficult because of overlap of distinguishing characteristics in adult or immature stages as well as the necessity to rear isofemale lines to examine larval and egg characters. A rapid rDNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method has been developed to accurately identify five members of the A. funestus group. This PCR is based on species-specific primers in the ITS2 region on the rDNA to identify A. funestus (approximate to505bp), Anopheles vaneedeni Gillies and Coetzee (approximate to587bp), Anopheles rivulorum Leeson (approximate to411bp), Anopheles leesoni Evans (approximate to146bp), and Anopheles parensis Gillies (approximate to252bp).