First insights on the diversity of the genus Psychoda Latreille (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Corsica using DNA barcoding

Abstract

Among the 44 European Psychoda species identified to date, we expected to observe in Corsica species with large distribution ranges and/or that are frequent in adjacent territories (i.e. south mainland France, mainland Italy, and Sardinia). Each studied specimen was morphologically identified and then barcoded using cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and subunit II (COII) to confirm its identification, and to detect potential cryptic species. From 211 mounted specimens, 16 Psychoda sensu lato morphotypes were recorded in Corsica and mainland France. While 14 out of the 15 species recorded in Corsica are new records for the island, two species are also new records for France and Europe, P. (Psychodocha) uncinula Quate, 1954 and P. (Chodopsycha) divaricata Duckhouse, 1968. Moreover, our barcoding approach allowed us to detect 18 haplotypes in total, including three undescribed Corsican haplotype complexes, namely P. (Tinearia) alternata, P. (Logima) satchelli and P. (Psychodocha) cinerea. With only mitochondrial COI barcodes, it cannot be asserted whether these complexes represent the within-species coexistence of various haplotypes or the existence of distinct cryptic species. In BOLD (Barcode of Life Datasystems), only 30 out of the 58 barcode indice numéros (BINs) corresponding to the genus Psychoda have a species name. All of the COI barcodes generated in this study already exist in BOLD, suggesting that the barcodes of most of the temperate Psychoda diversity are already known, but not properly named.