COI DNA Barcode Research Articles

DNA barcode library of Portuguese water mites, with the descriptions of two new species (Acari, Hydrachnidia).

This study presents the first results from the analysis of water mites collected in Portugal as part of the Biodiversity Genomics Europe project. 307 COI DNA barcodes clustered into 75 BINs are provided, with 38 BINs being unique and deposited for the first time in the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD). 65 species have been identified, of which 36 are new to the water mite fauna of Portugal. Two species, Torrenticolasoniae Pešić, sp. nov. and T.elisabethae Pešić, sp. nov. (Torrenticolidae), are described as new to science. 47% of the water mite species currently known from Portugal now have reference barcodes in BOLD. High intraspecific distances were recorded for some species, suggesting the presence of cryptic diversity and species complexes that needs further study. Our results improve the DNA barcode reference database for Portuguese water mites, enhancing species identification accuracy and stimulating future investigation.

Identification of Southeast Asian Anopheles mosquito species using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Malaria elimination in Southeast Asia remains a challenge, underscoring the importance of accurately identifying malaria mosquitoes to understand transmission dynamics and improve vector control. Traditional methods such as morphological identification require extensive training and cannot distinguish between sibling species, while molecular approaches are costly for extensive screening. Matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has emerged as a rapid and cost-effective tool for Anopheles species identification, yet its current use is limited to few specialized laboratories. This study aimed to develop and validate an online reference database for MALDI-TOF MS identification of Southeast Asian Anopheles species. The database, constructed using the in-house data analysis pipeline MSI2 (Sorbonne University), comprised 2046 head mass spectra from 209 specimens collected at the Thailand-Myanmar border. Molecular identification via COI and ITS2 DNA barcodes enabled the identification of 20 sensu stricto species and 5 sibling species complexes. The high quality of the mass spectra was demonstrated by a MSI2 median score (min-max) of 61.62 (15.94-77.55) for correct answers, using the best result of four technical replicates of a test panel. Applying an identification threshold of 45, 93.9% (201/214) of the specimens were identified, with 98.5% (198/201) consistency with the molecular taxonomic assignment. In conclusion, MALDI-TOF MS holds promise for malaria mosquito identification and can be scaled up for entomological surveillance in Southeast Asia. The free online sharing of our database on the MSI2 platform (https://msi.happy-dev.fr/) represents an important step towards the broader use of MALDI-TOF MS in malaria vector surveillance.

Population genetic diversity and structure of Tephritis angustipennis and Campiglossa loewiana (Diptera: Tephritidae) based on COI DNA barcodes in the three-river source region, China.

Tephritis angustipennis (Diptera: Tephritidae)and Campiglossa loewiana (Diptera: Tephritidae) are phytophagous pests in China. Their damage has significantly impacted the collection and cultivation of germplasm resources of native Asteraceae plants. However, the genetic characteristics and structure of their population are unclear. This study focused on the highly damaging species of T. angustipennis and C. loewiana collected from the three-river source region (TRSR). We amplified the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) gene sequences of these pests collected from this area and compared them with COI sequences from GenBank. We also analyzed their genetic diversity and structure. In T. angustipennis, 5 haplotypes were identified from 5 geographic locations; the genetic differentiation between France population FRPY (from Nylandia, Uusimaa) and China populations GLJZ (from Dehe Longwa Village, Maqin County), GLDR (from Zhique Village, Dari County), and GLMQ (from Rijin Village, Maqin County) was the strongest. GLJZ exhibited strong genetic differentiation from GLDR and GLMQ, with relatively low gene flow. For C. loewiana, 11 haplotypes were identified from 5 geographic locations; the genetic differentiation between the Chinese population GLMQ-YY (from Yangyu Forest Farm, Maqin County) and Finnish population FDNL (from Nylandia, Uusimaa) was the strongest, with relatively low gene flow, possibly due to geographical barriers in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Only 1 haplotype was identified across GLDR, GLMQ, and GLBM. High gene flow between distant locations indicates that human activities or wind dispersal may facilitate the dispersal of fruit flies and across different geographic. Geostatistical analysis suggested a recent population expansion of these 2 species in TRSR. Our findings provide technical references for identifying pests in the TRSR region and theoretical support for managing resistance, monitoring pest occurrences, analyzing environmental adaptability, and formulating biological control strategies for Tephritidae pests on Asteraceae plants.

DNA barcoding, phylogeography and evolutionary dynamics of Chrysichthys auratus

This study embarked on an exploration into the genetic structure and evolutionary history of the Chrysichthys auratus species, leveraging PCR amplification, phylogenetic trees, and haplotype networks. Specific DNA segments were successfully amplified and visualized through electrophoresis. Newly obtained sequences were Bank into GenBank and given accession numbers (OR730807-OR730808-OR730809). The Neighbor-Joining method provided insights into the evolutionary relationships among taxa, further augmented by bootstrap values and the Tamura 3-parameter method. A comprehensive geographical haplotype network showcased pronounced genetic differentiation, especially between remote populations. Nonetheless, shared haplotypes between proximate regions indicated either ancestral genetic connections or ongoing gene flow. Employing the COI-DNA barcodes, an in-depth understanding of intra- and inter-populational genetic diversity was achieved. The study's findings unravel the intricate genetic landscape and evolutionary dynamics of C. auratus, offering novel perspectives into its demographic history across its vast native habitat.

New descriptions of the larval and pupal stages of Orthocladiusnitidoscutellatus and Psectrocladiusnevalis from Xizang, China (Diptera, Chironomidae).

Tibetan Plateau is one of the most typical areas of biodiversity in the world because of its unique environmental and regional units, which breed unique biological communities and concentrate on many unique and rare wild animals and plants. Research on Chironomidae in the Tibetan Plateau is relatively weak. At present, the identification of Chironomidae species mainly depends on male adults, while identification of larvae and pupae is relatively difficult and there is less research on them. During the investigations of insect diversity in the Tibetan Plateau, larval and pupal stages of Orthocladiusnitidoscutellatus Lundström, 1915 and Psectrocladiusnevalis Akhrorov, 1977 were described and illustrated. Matching and identification of larval and pupal stages were based on DNA barcodes. Neighbour-joining trees were reconstructed, based on known Orthocladius and Psectrocladius COI DNA barcodes, respectively.

Telenomus gregalis Rajmohana sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), a gregarious egg parasitoid of the jujube lappet moth, Streblote siva (Lefèbvre) (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) from India

ABSTRACT Streblote siva (Lefèbvre) (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) is a polyphagous pest of many economically important crops, including moringa (Moringa oleifera Lamarck). The present study reports, for the first time, a species of Telenomus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) as an egg parasitoid of S. siva. The rearing data revealed that this egg parasitoid was gregarious in nature, and upon further taxonomic examination it was found that the parasitoid represented an undescribed species of Telenomus. In this study, an mt COI DNA barcode was generated for this new species from India. Additionally, with the mt COI gene data and the published 28S sequence data concatenated, a two-gene phylogenetic tree was constructed to ascertain the placement of this new species within the genus Telenomus. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7F97EBD0087C4324A601-EE8194E8E577

Review of subfamily Prodiamesinae (Diptera: Chironomidae) from the Russian Far East and bordering territory.

Based on material from the Russian Far East and Eastern Siberia, a revision of the chironomids of the subfamily Prodiamesinae was carried out. A new species Monodiamesa fontinalis sp. nov., is here described, ten species from four genera-Monodiamesa bathyphila Kieffer, M. kamora Makarchenko et Yavorskaya, M. improvisa Makarchenko, M. nitida Kieffer, Odontomesa fulva Kieffer, Prodiamesa levanidovae Makarchenko, Propsilocerus amurensis Makarchenko, P. jacuticus (Zvereva), P. paradoxus Lundström and P. taimyrus Zelentzov are redescribed with varying degrees of completeness. Propsilocerus taimyrus Zelentzov, 2000 is proposed as senior synonym of P. saetheri Wang, Liu et Paasivirta, 2007. DNA barcoding of four species, M. fontinalis sp. nov., M. bathyphila, P. olivacea Meigen and P. akamusi (Tokunaga) was provided. Species delimitation and phylogenetic relationships using COI DNA barcodes confirms the species validity of M. fontinalis sp. nov.

Launching insectphylo.org; a new hub facilitating construction and use of synthesis molecular phylogenies of insects.

The Holy Grail of an Insect Tree of Life can only be 'discovered' through extensive collaboration among taxon specialists, phylogeneticists and centralized frameworks such as Open Tree of Life, but insufficient effort from stakeholders has so far hampered this promising approach. The resultant unavailability of synthesis phylogenies is an unfortunate situation given the numerous practical usages of phylogenies in the near term and against the backdrop of the ongoing biodiversity crisis. To resolve this issue, we establish a new online hub that centralizes the collation of relevant phylogenetic data and provides the resultant synthesis molecular phylogenies. This is achieved through key developments in a proposed pipeline for the construction of a species-level insect phylogeny. The functionality of the framework is demonstrated through the construction of a highly supported, species-comprehensive phylogeny of Diptera, built from integrated omics data, COI DNA barcodes, and a compiled database of over 100 standardized, published Diptera phylogenies. Machine-readable forms of the phylogeny (and subsets thereof) are publicly available at insectphylo.org, a new public repository for species-comprehensive phylogenies for biological research.

Global Terrapin Character-Based DNA Barcodes: Assessment of the Mitochondrial COI Gene and Conservation Status Revealed a Putative Cryptic Species.

Technological and analytical advances to study evolutionary biology, ecology, and conservation of the Southern River Terrapin (Batagur affinis ssp.) are realised through molecular approaches, including DNA barcoding. We evaluated the use of COI DNA barcodes in Malaysia's Southern River Terrapin population to better understand the species' genetic divergence and other genetic characteristics. We evaluated 26 sequences, including four from field specimens of Southern River Terrapins obtained in Bota Kanan, Perak, Malaysia, and Kuala Berang, Terengganu, Malaysia, as well as 22 sequences from global terrapins previously included in the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) Systems and GenBank. The species are divided into three families: eight Geoemydidae species (18%), three Emydidae species (6%), and one Pelomedusidae species (2%). The IUCN Red List assigned the 12 species of terrapins sampled for this study to the classifications of critically endangered (CR) for 25% of the samples and endangered (EN) for 8% of the samples. With new haplotypes from the world's terrapins, 16 haplotypes were found. The intraspecific distance values between the COI gene sequences were calculated using the K2P model, which indicated a potential cryptic species between the Northern River Terrapin (Batagur baska) and Southern River Terrapin (Batagur affinis affinis). The Bayesian analysis of the phylogenetic tree also showed both species in the same lineage. The BLASTn search resulted in 100% of the same species of B. affinis as B. baska. The Jalview alignment visualised almost identical sequences between both species. The Southern River Terrapin (B. affinis affinis) from the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia was found to share the same haplotype (Hap_1) as the Northern River Terrapin from India. However, B. affinis edwardmolli from the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia formed Hap_16. The COI analysis found new haplotypes and showed that DNA barcodes are an excellent way to measure the diversity of a population.

DNA barcoding of Schizothoracinae fishes from the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet

The nine endemic species of the genus Schizothorax from the Yarlung Zangbo River, Tibet comprise a putative cyprinid species flock. In this study, the effectiveness of the COI DNA barcode for Schizothoracinae species identification was verified by using 45 COI sequences covering nine species in four genera of Schizothoracinae fishes. The average Kimura two parameter (K2P) genetic distances within and among species were 0.13% and 8.57%, respectively. The results revealed that most of the species were clearly discriminated by their estimated genetic distances and monophyletic clustering in a maximum likelihood tree. However, insignificant genetic distances were noticed in two reportedly valid species: Schizothorax molesworthi and S. integrilabiatus (0.1%), and the monophyly of S. macropogon could not be recovered in the schizothoracine group. The fishes of S.curilabiatus living in the lower course of Yalung Zangbo River were clustered together with three species from the upper course, which is inconsistent with the geographical distribution of the populations.

First records of adventive populations of the parasitoids Ganaspis brasiliensis and Leptopilina japonica in the United States

We report the first known incidence of two parasitoid species of the invasive pest, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), in the United States (US). The discovery of Ganaspis brasiliensis (Ihering) (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) and Leptopilina japonica (Novković & Kimura) (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) in northwestern Washington State (US) was made shortly after their discovery in nearby southwestern British Columbia (Canada), indicating that contiguous populations of these species are established in both countries. The first specimen of L. japonica from Washington was collected in the fall of 2020, when it was found in a rice wine/orange juice trap deployed to survey for Vespa mandarinia Smith (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Subsequent examination of trap contents from the 2020–2021 seasons indicated the presence of both L. japonica and G. brasiliensis. In September of 2021, live collections of both G. brasiliensis and L. japonica were made, reared from D. suzukii-infested Himalayan blackberry in Whatcom County, WA. Adult parasitoid identifications were based on morphology and COI DNA barcodes. All sequenced specimens to date from Washington and British Columbia belong to the G1 group of G. brasiliensis, the only group approved for release as a classical biological control agent in the US. This study provides an example of how even small changes in the geographic range of a natural enemy, now extending across an international border, may have significant consequences for the future of a biological control program.

DNA Barcoding of Potential Mosquito Disease Vectors (Diptera, Culicidae) in Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia.

The conventional morphological characterization of mosquito species remains heavily used for species identification in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. It requires substantial expertise and time, as well as having difficulty in confirming identity of morphologically similar species. Therefore, to establish a reliable and accurate identification system that can be applied to understanding spatial distribution of local mosquito species from the Jazan region, DNA barcoding was explored as an integrated tool for mosquito species identification. In this study, 44 adult mosquito specimens were analyzed, which contain 16 species belong to three genera of potential mosquito disease vectors (Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex). The specimens were collected from the Jazan region located in southwest Saudi Arabia. These included old and preserved mosquito voucher specimens. In addition, we assessed the genetic distance based on the generated mitochondrial partial COI DNA barcodes to detect cryptic diversity across these taxa. Nine mosquito species belonging to three genera were successfully barcoded and submitted to GenBank, namely: Aedes aegypti, Aedes caspius, Aedes vexans, Aedes vittatus, Anopheles arabiensis, Culex pipiens, Culex quinquefasciatus, Culex sitiens, and Culex tritaeniorhynchus. Of these nine species, Aedes vexans, Aedes vittatus, Culex sitiens, and Culex tritaeniorhynchus were registered in GenBank for the first time from Saudi Arabia. The DNA barcodes generated a 100% match to known barcodes of these mosquito species, that also matched with the morphological identification. Ae. vexans was found to be either a case of cryptic species (subspecies) or a new species from the region. However, more research has to be conducted to prove the latter. This study directly contributes to the development of a molecular reference library of mosquito species from the Jazan region and Saudi Arabia. The library is essential for confirmation of species in support of existing mosquito surveillance and control programmes.

DNA Barcoding of Mosquitoes from the Pantanos de Centla Biosphere Reserve, Southeastern Mexico.

Accurate identification of mosquito species is essential to support programs that involve the study of distribution and mosquito control. Numerous mosquito species are difficult to identify based only on morphological characteristics, due to the morphological similarities in different life stages and large numbers of some species that are members of morphologically similar species complexes. In the present study, the mosquitoes collected in the Pantanos de Centla Biosphere Reserve, southeastern Mexico, were evaluated using a combination of morphological and molecular approaches (mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I [COI] DNA barcode). A total of 1,576 specimens of 10 genera and 35 species, mostly adult stages, were collected. A total of 225 COI DNA barcode sequences were analyzed; most species formed well-supported groups in the neighbor joining, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference trees. The intraspecific Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) genetic distance averaged 1.52%. An intraspecific K2P distance of 6.20% was observed in Anopheles crucians s.l., while a deep split was identified in Culex erraticus and Cx. conspirator. This study showed that COI DNA barcodes offer a reliable approach to support mosquito species identification in Mexico.

Toward a global DNA barcode reference library of the intolerant nonbiting midge genus Rheocricotopus Brundin, 1956.

Environmental DNA metabarcoding is becoming a predominant tool in biodiversity assessment, as this time‐ and cost‐efficient tactics have the ability to increase monitoring accuracy. As a worldwide distributed genus, Rheocricotopus Brundin, 1956 still does not possess a complete and comprehensive global DNA barcode reference library for biodiversity monitoring. In the present study, we compiled a cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) DNA barcode library of Rheocricotopus with 434 barcodes around the world, including 121 newly generated DNA barcodes of 32 morphospecies and 313 public barcodes. Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD) was applied on the 434 COI barcodes to provide a comparison between the operational taxonomic units (OTU) number calculated from the Barcode Index Number (BIN) with the “Barcode Gap Analysis” and neighbor‐joining (NJ) tree analysis. Consequently, these 434 COI barcodes were clustered into 78 BINs, including 42 new BINs. ABGD yielded 51 OTUs with a prior intraspecific divergence of Pmax = 7.17%, while NJ tree revealed 52 well‐separated clades. Conservatively, 14 unknown species and one potential synonym were uncovered with reference to COI DNA barcodes. Besides, based on our ecological analysis, we discovered that annual mean temperature and annual precipitation could be considered as key factors associated with distribution of certain members from this genus. Our global DNA barcode reference library of Rheocricotopus provides one fundamental database for accurate species delimitation in Chironomidae taxonomy and facilitates the biodiversity monitoring of aquatic biota.

Diversity and life-cycle analysis of Pacific Ocean zooplankton by video microscopy and DNA barcoding: Crustacea

Determining the DNA sequencing of a small element in the mitochondrial DNA (DNA barcoding) makes it possible to easily identify individuals of different larval stages of marine crustaceans without the need for laboratory rearing. It can also be used to construct taxonomic trees, although it is not yet clear to what extent this barcode-based taxonomy reflects more traditional morphological or molecular taxonomy. Collections of zooplankton were made using conventional plankton nets in Newport Bay and the Pacific Ocean near Newport Beach, California (Lat. 33.628342, Long. -117.927933) between May 2013 and January 2020, and individual crustacean specimens were documented by video microscopy. Adult crustaceans were collected from solid substrates in the same areas. Specimens were preserved in ethanol and sent to the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada for sequencing of the COI DNA barcode. From 1042 specimens, 544 COI sequences were obtained falling into 199 Barcode Identification Numbers (BINs), of which 76 correspond to recognized species. For 15 species of decapods (Loxorhynchus grandis, Pelia tumida, Pugettia dalli, Metacarcinus anthonyi, Metacarcinus gracilis, Pachygrapsus crassipes, Pleuroncodes planipes, Lophopanopeus sp., Pinnixa franciscana, Pinnixa tubicola, Pagurus longicarpus, Petrolisthes cabrilloi, Portunus xantusii, Hemigrapsus oregonensis, Heptacarpus brevirostris), DNA barcoding allowed the matching of different life-cycle stages (zoea, megalops, adult). The results show the utility of DNA barcoding for matching life-cycle stages as well as for documenting the diversity of this group of organisms.

Orange fringes, crenulate hindwings and genomic DNA identify a new species of Jonaspyge from Honduras (Hesperiidae: Pyrrhopyginae).

Jonaspyge elizabethae n. sp. is described from southwestern Honduras. It is similar to the other two Jonaspyge O. Mielke, 2002 species in having metallic dark-blue wings with purple sheen, crenulate hindwing outer margin, and black body with orange palpi and an orange abdomen tip. It is diagnosed by bright-orange (instead of white) fringes and dark (instead of orange) cheeks. Genomic sequence analysis of Jonaspyge reveals that it is a close relative of Jonaspyge jonas (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1859) and Jonaspyge tzotzili (H. Freeman, 1969), differing from them by 5.3% in the COI DNA barcode. This new, third species of Jonaspyge is the most divergent member of the genus.

Genetic structure of Culex tritaeniorhynchus (Diptera: Culicidae) based on COI DNA barcodes

Culex tritaeniorhynchus Gile is a major vector of Japanese encephalitis in China. The population genetics study is crucial as it helps understanding the epidemiological aspects of mosquito-brone diseases and improving vector control measures. Here, the genetic population structure of C. tritaeniorhynchus in the mainland China were estimated using the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) DNA barcodes region. 485 individuals of C. tritaeniorhynchus were collected from 38 sampling sites in 21 geographic populations in the mainland China. In total, 485 sequences were used to explore the population structure and genetic diversity. The results showed that the populations of C. tritaeniorhynchus had high haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.98, with 303 haplotypes), low nucleotide diversity (p = 0.02245) and high gene flow (Nm = 47.11) with two maternal lineages and four groups. An AMOVA indicated that 98.8% of the total variation originated from variation within populations. In addition, the population genetic structure exhibited by C. tritaeniorhynchus filling the vacant of the genetic structure in the mainland China. Human activities may also assist mosquito movement and migration. Gene flow among the populations of C. tritaeniorhynchus can facilitate the spread of insecticide resistance genes over geographical areas, and it will be a challenging for controlling the populations.

Four new species of parasitoid wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) described through a citizen science partnership with schools in regional South Australia.

Involving the community in taxonomic research has the potential to increase the awareness, appreciation and value of taxonomy in the public sphere. We report here on a trial citizen science project, Insect Investigators, which partners taxonomists with school students to monitor Malaise traps and prioritise the description of new species collected. In this initial trial, four schools in regional South Australia participated in the program and all collected new species of the braconid subfamily Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). These four species are here described as new, with the names being chosen in collaboration with the participating school students: Choeras ramcomarmorata Fagan-Jeffries Austin sp. nov., Glyptapanteles drioplanetus Fagan-Jeffries Austin sp. nov., Dolichogenidea franklinharbourensis Fagan-Jeffries Austin sp. nov. and Miropotes waikerieyeties Fagan-Jeffries Austin sp. nov. All four species are diagnosed against the known members of the genera from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa and Papua New Guinea, and images and COI DNA barcodes are provided of the holotypes. Students had positive feedback about their experiences of the program, and there is significant potential for it to be expanded and used as a means to connect communities with taxonomic science.

A small effect of conservation agriculture on soil biodiversity that differs between biological kingdoms and geographic locations

SummaryLarger easily visible animals and plants are negatively affected by agrochemicals used for intensive food production, but we do not understand the general spatial and temporal effects of agrochemicals on the multitudes of bacteria, fungi, and small invertebrate animals that underpin ecosystem productivity. We sequenced the 16S, ITS2, and COI DNA barcode regions from 648 New Zealand vineyard soil samples managed under either conventional or low-agrochemical-input conservation approaches across two regions and three seasons in 1 year and discovered at least 170,000 phylotypes (taxa) with >97% genetic identity. Management approach correlated with a significant 2%–10% difference in the abundances of phylotypes that differed over regions and seasons. Although the data show that agrochemicals do not have a large effect on soil biodiversity on average, the important finding is that the magnitude of impact differs between taxa types and locations, and some taxa most affected also influence the quality of agricultural produce.

DNA barcode analysis of the endangered green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in Mexico1.

Technological and analytical advances to study evolutionary biology, ecology, and conservation of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) are realized through molecular approaches including DNA barcoding. We characterized the usefulness of COI DNA barcodes in green turtles in Mexico to better understand genetic divergence and other genetic parameters of this species. We analyzed 63 sequences, including 25 from green turtle field specimens collected from the Gulf of Mexico and from the Mexican Pacific and 38 already present in the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD). A total of 13 haplotypes were identified with four novel haplotypes from the Pacific Ocean and three novel haplotypes from the Atlantic Ocean. Intraspecific distance values among COI gene sequences by two different models were 0.01, demonstrating that there is not a subdivision for green turtle species. Otherwise, the interspecific distance interval ranged from 0.07 to 0.13, supporting a clear subdivision among all sea turtle species. Haplotype and total nucleotide diversity values of the COI gene reflect a medium genetic diversity average. Green turtles of the Mexican Pacific showed common haplotypes to some Australian and Chinese turtles, but different from the haplotypes of the Mexican Atlantic. COI analysis revealed new haplotypes and confirmed that DNA barcodes were useful for evaluation of the population diversity of green turtles in Mexico.