Abstract: 【Aim】 To study the population genetic variation and the diversity level of Anopheles lesteri from China. 【Methods】 The 139 specimen of 9 populations from China and South Korea were identified by PCR assay. Mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase sununit I gene was amplified, and the mtDNA-COI gene sequences were sequenced and analyzed. 【Results】 In this study, 49 haplotypes were obtained, which were at a high level of homoplasy, and the haplotypes of Yunnan population showed to be the expansion origin. The results of the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that the percentage of variation within a population (64.95%) was greater than that among populations (35.05%). The FST value was 0.3504, and the genetic divergence among populations was significant. Mantel test results indicated that the level of gene flow was negatively correlated with geographic distances (R²＝0.1322). The population genetic structure fits the isolation-by-distance model. 【Conclusion】 The greatest difference is found between the populations of South Korea and Liaoning and other populations from China, and they have exhibited obvious differentiation. The level of variation among populations except those of Liaoning and South Korea is low.

Key words: Anopheles lesteri, population genetic structure, mitochondrial DNA, haplotype, China