Abstract
The family Miridae is the most diverse and one of the most economically important groups in Heteroptera. However, identification of mirid species on the basis of morphology is difficult and time-consuming. In the present study, we evaluated the effectiveness of COI barcoding for 123 species of plant bugs in seven subfamilies. With the exception of three Apolygus species—A. lucorum, A. spinolae, and A. watajii (subfamily Mirinae)—each of the investigated species possessed a unique COI sequence. The average minimum interspecific genetic distance of congeners was approximately 37 times higher than the average maximum intraspecific genetic distance, indicating a significant barcoding gap. Despite having distinct morphological characters, A. lucorum, A. spinolae, and A. watajii mixed and clustered together, suggesting taxonomic revision. Our findings indicate that COI barcoding represents a valuable identification tool for Miridae and can be economically viable in a variety of scientific research fields.
Highlights
Heteroptera (Insecta: Hemiptera)—commonly termed true bugs—comprises the largest global group of hemimetabolous insects, having more than 42,000 described species in 5,800 genera and 140 families (Henry, 2009)
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency of c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding as an identification tool for Miridae, and to obtain COI barcoding data for 274 individuals belonging to 123 species in this family
We investigated the barcoding gap and evaluated the effectiveness of COI barcoding for Miridae, by determining the level of intraspecific variation
Summary
Heteroptera (Insecta: Hemiptera)—commonly termed true bugs—comprises the largest global group of hemimetabolous insects, having more than 42,000 described species in 5,800 genera and 140 families (Henry, 2009). The family Miridae (plant bugs) represents the largest and one of the most economically important heteropteran groups. This group contains many well-known insect pests such as alfalfa bugs (Adelphocoris lineolatus) and tarnished plant bugs (Lygus rugulipennis), as well as predators that can be used as biological control agents (e.g., Nesidiocoris tenuis and Cyrtorhinus lividipennis) (Schaefer & Panizzi, 2000; Wheeler, 2001). ‘barcoding gap’, a significant difference between intraspecific and interspecific genetic distance is detected.
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