Analysis of the cuticular hydrocarbons among species of the Anopheles quadrimaculatus complex (Diptera: Culicidae).

Cuticular hydrocarbons were extracted from females of 5 species of the Anopheles quadrimaculatus complex and studied by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The data were analyzed by multivariate techniques to determine the degree of divergence in hydrocarbon patterns and to develop models that allow the discrimination of these species. Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say, Anopheles smaragdinus Reinert, and Anopheles maverlius Reinert could be separated at 100% from each other and from Anopheles diluvialis Reinert and Anopheles inundatus Reinert; however, separation of An. diluvialis from An. inundatus was 80% using a 2-way model.