Wednesday, 20 November 2002
D0481

This presentation is part of : Display Presentations, Section A. Systematics, Morphology, and Evolution

Mitochondrial DNA diversity in Aphthona sp. beetles and characterization of Wolbachia infection of A. nigriscutis

Richard L. Roehrdanz, USDA-ARS RRVARC Biosciences Research Laboratory, Insect Genetics and Biochemistry, 1605 Albrecht Blvd, Fargo, ND and Denise L. Olson, North Dakota State University, Entomology, Hultz Hall, Fargo, ND.

Flea beetles of the genus Aphthona have been successfully introduced as a biological control agent for the rangeland weed, leafy spurge. We have examined the mitochondrial DNA diversity in two species, A. lacertosa and A. nigriscutis using long PCR-RFLP. Preliminary results suggest that the latter has more genetic diversity than the former. We have also examined the Wolbachia endosymbiont that is present in A. nigriscutis. Portions of the Wolbachia ftsZ and wsp genes have been sequenced and the sequences compared to Wolbachias from other insects.

Species 1: Coleoptera Chrysomelidae Aphthona lacertosa
Species 2: Coleoptera Chrysomelidae Aphthona nigriscutis
Keywords: mtDNA diversity, Wolbachia

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