Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae) is a new invasive insect in our area, and the most destructive insect
on cactus species. It is often referred to as prickly pear cochineal and produces large economic losses all over the globe. Tis
research investigates the molecular genetics of D. opuntiae. Molecular studies exploring the evolutionary relationships of recently
established and naturally occurring D. opuntiae populations are crucial in determining the routes of entrance. Here, the sequence
variation in the mtCOI, 12S and 18S gene markers from specimens isolated from the Palestinian territories in 2023 were assessed to
gain greater insight into the variations in DNA within and between Palestinian D. opuntiae populations. Te results showed the
presence of 12, 18, and 12 haplotypes for COI, 12S, and 18S gene markers, respectively. Furthermore, the results indicated low
nucleotide diversity (π) (0.00133 for COI, 0.00258 for 12S, and 0.00085 for 18S) and high haplotype diversity (Hd) within
haplotype phylogenetic trees (0.0.563 for COI, 0.628 for 12S, and 0.425 for 18S). Because the sequences deposited in GenBank are
from few countries, it was difcult to track the origin of Palestinian sequences with COI, 12S, and 18S sequences deposited in
GenBank from few areas of the world. In conclusion, the Palestinian D. opuntiae population exhibited the highest Hd and lowest π
based on investigated gene markers. In addition, negative results for neutral tests indicated that a high number of uncommon
mutations found in the populations, which may suggest new colonization events and increase in population number.
 

العنوان

Psyche: A Journal of Entomology

الناشر

John Wiley & Sons Ltd

بلد الناشر

الصين

Indexing

Thomson Reuters

معامل التأثير

1,6

نوع المنشور

إلكتروني فقط

المجلد

--

السنة

2024

الصفحات

11