DNA Barcoding and Analysis of Nine Butterfly Species And Three Moth Species From Entopia Penang Butterfly Farm

Abstract

This study aims to utilize cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) DNA sequences in the classification of 22 butterfly and 8 moth species that were morphologically identified by Entopia Penang Butterfly Farm. COI of the mitochondrial gene has been chosen for evolutionary study of butterflies and moths because COI mitochondrial gene is maternally inherited with little or no recombination. This research revealed that 20 out of 22 butterflies were correctly classified while two butterflies and three moths were misidentified after the sequences were analyzed using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST). Morphologically identified Cepora nadina (Sample ID: NCN1) was identified as Cepora iudith while Prioneris thestylis (NPT2) was identified as Prioneris philonome. Three moths; Dysphania malayanus (RDMA1), Nyctemera coleta (RNC1) and Nyctemera coleta (RNC2) were discovered as Bracca matutinata, Nyctemera regularis and Nyctemera baulus respectively. The outcome of this study further classified four butterfly species into subspecies, including Cepora nadina with subspecies andersoni, Prioneris philonome with subspecies themana, Pareronia valeria with subspecies lutescens and Elymnias nesaea classified into subspecies Elymnias nesaea lioneli. Analysis of nine butterfly species and three moth species demonstrates the value in attaching subspecies names to DNA barcode records and further helps to correct misidentified species. Overall, the relationship between butterfly and moth proves that butterfly and moth are distantly related.