Electrophoretic
 protein profiles of female salivary glands of five sibling species
within the Anopheles barbirostris complex, namely A. barbirostris
species A1 (Forms A, B, and D), A2, A3, and A4 and Anopheles
campestris-like (Forms B and E), were analyzed. At least eight major and
 several minor protein bands were detected in the glands of each
species, of which each morphological region contained different major
proteins. The protein profiles distinguished the five sibling species.
The variability in major proteins among species was observed in the
40-48, 32-37, and 10-18 kDa ranges. No difference in protein profiles
was found in different cytogenetic forms. Polymorphism of the protein
profiles within species was only noted in species A4. The lowest major
protein (marker) band of each species showed remarkably different
relative mobility on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. NanoLC-MS analysis
revealed that the marker protein of some species matched with a protein
involving in blood feeding, gSG6, of Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles
freeborni. These results might be useful for construction of an
additional tool to distinguish the five sibling species and lead to
further study on the evolution of blood feeding and pathogen
transmission.