Barcoding bugs: DNA-based identification of the true bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera).

ABSTRACT:

Background

DNA barcoding, the analysis of sequence variation in the 5' region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene, has been shown to provide an efficient method for the identification of species in a wide range of animal taxa. In order to assess the effectiveness of barcodes in the discrimination of Heteroptera, we examined 344 species belonging to 178 genera, drawn from specimens in the Canadian National Collection of Insects.

Methodology/principal findings

Analysis of the COI gene revealed less than 2% intra-specific divergence in 90% of the taxa examined, while minimum interspecific distances exceeded 3% in 77% of congeneric species pairs. Instances where barcodes fail to distinguish species represented clusters of morphologically similar species, excep

SUBMITTER: Park DS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3078146 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature