DNA Barcoding Culicoides Biting Midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Northeast Brazil

• Published in: Journal of medical entomology Vol. 60; no. 3; pp. 608 - 614
• Main Authors: Abreu Bandeira, Maria da Conceição, Rodrigues, Bruno Leite, Corrêa, Soares, Gustavo Henrique, Ferreira, André Leite, Carvalho Costa, Luís Fernando, Brazil, Reginaldo Peçanha, Macário Rebêlo, José Manuel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Entomological Society of America 12.05.2023; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Analysis; Animals; Bar codes; biting midges; Brazil; Ceratopogonidae - genetics; Cytochrome c; Cytochrome oxidase; DNA; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; integrative taxonomy; molecular systematics; molecular taxonomy; Phylogeny; SHORT COMMUNICATION; species delimitation; Brazil; integrative taxonomy; species delimitation; molecular taxonomy; biting midges; molecular systematics
• ISSN: 0022-2585; 1938-2928
• DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad013

Biting midges of the genus Culicoides are small insects associated with the transmission of several pathogens, which requires the correct identification of the species, for implementation of effective strategies against these insects. However, many species are difficult to identify only by morphological characters. Therefore, the use of molecular methods can help in the taxonomy and systematics of this group. Here, the DNA barcode approach was evaluated for nine species of Culicoides from the State of Maranhão, Brazil. We generated 39 sequences from a 476 bp (base pairs) fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) mitochondrial gene. To assess the usefulness of COI barcodes for the identification of these species, paired genetic distances from intra and interspecific comparisons and phylogenetic trees were generated in MEGA and RAxML/BEAST softwares, respectively. In addition, species delimitation was performed using the PTP, GMYC, and ABGD algorithms. The intra and interspecific genetic distances showed a clear distinction between them, demonstrating that, for the taxa studied, there can hardly be ambiguous identifications with barcodes. In the same sense, the phylogenetic reconstruction resulted in well-supported clades for all morphospecies analyzed.