Differences in morphology, mitochondrial genomes, and reproductive compatibility between two clades of parasitic wasps Aphelinus mali (Hymenoptera: Aphelindae) in China

Abstract

Aphelinus mali (Haldeman) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) in China is comprised of two clades (termed, the Shandong and Liaoning clades). In order to clarify the genetic relationship between these two clades, we compared and analyzed the morphological characteristics and the mitochondrial genome of each, and performed a hybridization experiment. Morphological results showed that both males and females of the Liaoning clade were larger than Shandong clade, in terms of whole body, abdominal, wing and antennal lengths, however, there were no significant differences between clades for total length of the middle or hind leg of females. The length of the mitochondrial genome of the Shandong clade was 14415 bp and, for the Liaoning clade, it was 14804 bp. Each contained 31 genes, including 13 protein-encoded genes, 16 tRNA genes, and 2 rRNA genes. The highest AT level among the 13 protein-coding genes for the two clades were the same gene (ATP8) (Shandong clade, 91.52%; Liaoning clade, 90.91%). By hybridization and backcrossing, we found that there was no cross incompatibility between these two clades of A. mali. Our results indicate that the historic geographical isolation between these clades has not yet caused reproductive isolation of these populations, and they belong to the same species.