Suggesting new species? Comments on "Evidence for a new species of Anopheles minimus from the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan".

Species recognition and identification are crucial for the planning and evaluation of vector control. In recent years, considerable effort has been made to clarify the species composition of vector taxa. The danger exists, however, that new species are suggested on little evidence and that intraspecific variation is insufficiently surveyed. We discuss these topics on the basis of recent studies on the Anopheles minimus complex, one of the most widespread vector groups in Southeast Asia.