Staff directory
Nathalie Smitz
Biology
Invertebrates
Invertebrates
Publication details
Vanderheyden, A., Smitz, N., Deblauwe, I., De Wolf, K., Gombeer, S., Meganck, K., Schneider, A., De Witte, J., Vanslembrouck, A., Dekoninck, W., Backeljau, T., De Meyer, M., Müller, R. & Van Bortel, W. 2021. ‘COI haplotype diversity in three exotic Aedes species in Belgium’. Xth International EMCA Conference. Book of abstracts, 39. Wageningen : Wageningen Academic Publisher, S48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52004/jemca2021.s1.
Conference abstract
Exotic Aedes mosquitoes are introduced and established in several European countries. Some of these species are of public health concern (vectors of pathogens). Successive monitoring projects have been undertaken in Belgium since 2007, during which three exotic Aedes species were identified at multiple points of entry (PoE), viz. Ae. japonicus, Ae. koreicus and Ae. albopictus. To validate their identity and investigate their genetic diversity (COI), 301, 144 and 95 specimens of each species, respectively, were screened for sequence variation. The haplotype composition of Ae. albopictus differed between PoE at international import companies and highway parking lots. A similar pattern was observed for Ae. japonicus, when comparing the haplotype composition at an international used tyre company vs sampling locations along the Belgian-German border. The difference in haplotype composition between PoE may reflect different introduction pathways. This is in accord with monitoring activities, where passive ground transport was proposed as new pathway in Belgium for Ae. albopictus, probably from a nearby population (French/German). Likewise, it was predicted that Ae. japonicus might cross the German border. The results of the present study are in line with these assumptions. Concerning Ae. koreicus, haplotypes were identical at the two PoE (5.4 km apart). Further genetic investigations to better understand the species’ population dynamic are required