Use of a mitochondrial COI sequence to identify species of the subtribe Aphidina (Hemiptera, Aphididae)

By

WANG, Jianfeng
Jiang, Li-Yun
Qiao, Gexia. 乔格侠, 1966-

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2011

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

122

Pages

1-17

Subjects

Aphidina , Aphidinae , DNA taxonomy , Hemiptera , mitochondrial COI gene , species identification

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.122.1256

 

Abstract

Aphids of the subtribe Aphidina are found mainly in the North Temperate Zone. The relative lack of diagnostic morphological characteristics has obscured the identification of species in this group. However, DNA-based taxonomic methods can clarify species relationships within this group. Sequence variation in a partial segment of the mitochondrial COI gene was highly effective for resolving species relationships within Aphidina. Forty-five species were correctly identified in a neighbor-joining tree. Mean intraspecific sequence divergence was 0.17%, with a range of 0.00% to 1.54%. Mean interspecific divergence within previously recognized genera or morphologically similar species groups was 4.54%, with variation mainly in the range of 3.50% to 8.00%. Possible reasons for anomalous levels of mean nucleotide divergence within or between some taxa are discussed.