INTERSPECIFIC GENETIC DISTANCES IN THE GENUS YPONOMEUTA LATR. (LEPIDOPTERA: YPONOMEUTIDAE) ON COI AND COII FRAGMENTS AND THE USE OF THE RESULTS OF THEIR COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS FOR SOLVING TAXONOMIC TASKS

Abstract

Comparative genetic analysis of the nucleotide sequences of COI and COII mitochondrial fragments showed that the degree of divergence of ermine moths of the genus Yponomeuta on both fragments is comparable. In the studied taxa, interspecific genetic distances are within 0.2–9.9% for the COI fragment and 0.5–9.6% for the COII fragment. Based on the results of the nucleotide sequences analysis of the COI fragment, the conspecificity of Y. refrigeratus and Y. evonymella, the interval of genetic distances between samples of which is 0.2–0.5%, was proved, and the validity of the synonymization of these species was confirmed. Analysis of nucleotide sequences by COI and COII fragments in samples collected on the Sakhalin Is., as well as the rooting of their clusters in groups with conspecific species, made it possible to identify them and confirm the habitat of Y. polystictus and Y. spodocrossus on Sakhalin Is. In general, the molecular genetic method, based on a comparative analysis of interspecific genetic distances by mitochondrial fragments of COI and COII, is effective for determining the status of a taxon, specimen identification in morphologically weakly divergent and variable species, or in species described by one sex, with an unknown other sex, as well as for delimitation of the species in heterogeneous series.