Use of inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers for discrimination between and within species of blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae)

The present study is the first report of fingerprinting in blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae), using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Among five primers tested, three tetranucleotide repeat primers ((GACA)4, (ACTG)4, (ACAG)4) generated a high proportion of polymorphic bands. Seven species representing various genera, subgenera or species groups were compared. No similar profiles were found. Intraspecific and interspecific banding patterns were analysed for two species in the Prosimulium hirtipes (Fries, 1824) species group and four species in the Simulium variegatum (Meigen, 1818) species group. The UPGMA cluster analysis based on Jaccard’s coefficient demonstrated the intraspecific and interspecific diversity and the resolving power of the ISSR markers to differentiate blackfly species and populations. In Simulium maximum (Knoz, 1961), geographically defined populations were successfully discriminated.