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Barcode index numbers expedite quarantine inspections and aid the interception of nonindigenous mealybugs (Pseudococcidae)

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Abstract

Quarantine interception of invasive and nonindigenous insect pests at ports of entry is often impeded by the lack of robust identification methods. Because of their inconspicuous morphology and wax-covered bodies, mealybugs present a particular challenge. The present study employs DNA barcoding (658 base pairs near the 5′-terminus of the cytochrome c oxidase I gene) as a tool for their discrimination because of its proven utility in discriminating closely related species. The current study considers DNA barcodes from 914 mealybugs (Pseudococcidae) collected in 31 countries. Most (836) of these specimens were assigned to a named species, but others were only identified to a genus or family. Their sequence analysis revealed substantial COI diversity with maximum divergences reaching 27%. While the identified specimens included representatives of 62 species, the Barcode Index Number (BIN) system assigned the 914 sequences to 120 BINs, nearly doubling the putative species count and revealing cases of potential cryptic species and misidentifications. With a single exception, intraspecific divergence values for named species were less than their nearest-neighbor distances, but 13 species showed BIN splits and two species were merged in a BIN. High genetic diversity and presence of cryptic species in the known mealybugs, revealed in this study, underscore the limitations of morphology and potential utility of BINs for the rapid recognition of nonindigenous insect pests.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by Chinese National Key Research and Development Program for Bio-safety (2016YFC1201201). Many thanks to Dr. Suh Soo-jung (National Plant Quarantine Service, Busan 600-016, Korea), Dr. Cai Bo (Hainan Inspection and Quarantine Technology Center), Mr. Deng Yu-liang (Xishuangbanna Inspection and Quarantine Technology Center) and Mr. Bai Yong-hua (Mohan Exit and Entry Inspection and Quarantine Bureau) for their assistance in sample collection. David Plotkin (University of Florida) provided useful suggestions during phylogenetic analysis. This is a contribution from the “Food from Thought” research program enabled by an award from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund to the University of Guelph.

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  1. Jing-Mei Ren and Muhammad Ashfaq have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Quarantine Laboratory, Guangdong Inspection and Quarantine Technology Center, Guangzhou, 510623, People’s Republic of China

    Jing-Mei Ren, Xu-Nan Hu, Jun Ma, Fan Liang & Li Lin

  2. Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada

    Muhammad Ashfaq & Paul D. N. Hebert

  3. ANSES, Laboratoire de la Santé des Végétaux, Unité d’entomologie et Plantes Invasives, Campus International de Baillarguet, CS 30016, 34988, Montferrier-sur-Lez Cedex, France

    Jean François Germain

  4. Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, People’s Republic of China

    Jing-Mei Ren

  5. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, 1911 SW 34th Street, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA

    Muhammad Z. Ahmed

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  1. Jing-Mei Ren
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Ren, JM., Ashfaq, M., Hu, XN. et al. Barcode index numbers expedite quarantine inspections and aid the interception of nonindigenous mealybugs (Pseudococcidae). Biol Invasions 20, 449–460 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-017-1546-6

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