Culex pipiens, Linnaeus, 1758

Akiner, Muhammet Mustafa, Öztürk, Murat, Beriş, Fatih Şaban, Karacaoğlu, Çağaşan, Şimşek, Fatih Mehmet & Akgeyik, Aytül Uzun, 2022, Distribution and molecular differentiation of Culex pipiens complex species in the Middle and Eastern Black Sea Regions of Turkey, Turkish Journal of Zoology 46 (2), pp. 207-219 : 210

3.1. Occurrence and distribution of Culex pipiens complex and Culex torrentium

Ace-2 marker molecular results revealed that all samples contained Cx. pipiens , and some points also included Cx. torrentium . Cx. torrentium specimens were identified from only seven collection points (Posof, Galler, Gümüşhane, Ispir Bayburt road, Savsat Artvin, Karakoy, and Sarp). Distribution preferences of Cx. pipiens complex and Cx. torrentium in habitat types of CORINE level 1 were significantly different (Chi-square = 14.692, df = 3, p = 0.002). Although Cx. torrentium is preferred in Agricultural and Forest, seminatural areas, Cx. pipiens complex preferred all habitat types (Agriculture, Artificial, Forest and seminatural, water bodies). Significant differences were found in level 2 habitat type distribution for Cx. pipiens complex and Cx. torrentium (Chi-square = 19.994, df = 8, p = 0.01). Although complex species and Cx. torrentium mainly occurred in the heterogeneous agricultural areas in 2014 and 2015, complex species were found in all level-classified areas except mine, dump and construction sites, and maritime wetland areas. In level 3, complex species mainly occurred in fruit trees and berry plantation areas, and Cx. torrentium mainly occurred in complex cultivation pattern areas. Statistical analysis showed significant differences (Chi-square = 34.020, df = 14 p = 0.002) in CORINE level 3.

According to the CQ11 marker results, Cx. pipiens pipiens and Cx. pipiens molestus biotypes were found in the study areas. Cx. pipiens pipiens include two haplotypes, and Cx. pipiens molestus has one haplotype. The distribution pattern showed significant differences whole 3 CORINE level. Cx. pipiens pipiens haplotype 1 and 2 and Cx. pipiens molestus were mainly found in agricultural areas for CORINE level 1, but significant differences were found at whole four level 1 habitat types (Chi-square = 26.158, df = 3, p = 0.000). In level 2, Cx. pipiens pipiens haplotype 1 and Cx. pipiens molestus were found mainly in heterogeneous agricultural areas, while Cx. pipiens pipiens haplotype 2 distribution patterns were the same with three habitat types (heterogeneous agricultural areas, arable land, and urban fabric). Although proportional differences were found in the distribution pattern in whole level 2 areas, there were no significant differences (Chi-square = 11.171, df = 7, p = 0.131). In level 3, there are no significant differences between the preferences of the area while differences were found in the distribution in the level three areas (Chi-square = 10.867, df = 12, p = 0.540).