Radiation with reticulation marks the origin of a major malaria vector
Scott T. Small, Frédéric Labbé, Neil F. Lobo, Lizette L. Koekemoer, Chadwick Sikaala, Daniel E. Neafsey, Matthew W. Hahn, Michaël C. Fontaine, Nora J. Besansky
Abstract
Significance Introgressive hybridization is prevalent in recent and rapid animal radiations, and emerging evidence suggests that it leads to the sharing of genetic variation that can facilitate adaptation to new environments and generate novel phenotypes. Here we study a recent and rapid radiation of African mosquitoes in which only one species, An. funestus , is a primary human malaria vector with a continent-wide geographic distribution. We trace the evolutionary history of the group and demonstrate introgression events between multiple species, the most recent of which involved substantial gene flow into An. funestus that preceded its range expansion across tropical Africa. Our findings point to introgression as an underappreciated factor contributing to the acquisition of high malaria vectorial capacity.