Mitochondrial COI and II provide useful markers forWiseana(Lepidoptera: Hepialidae) species identification

Abstract

AbstractA method for identifying the members of the endemic genusWiseanaViette from New Zealand is described. Seven species have been described in the genus:W. cervinata(Walker),W. copularis(Meyrick), W. fuliginea(Butler), W. jocosa(Meyrick), W. mimica(Philpott), W. signata(Walker) andW. umbraculata(Guenée). No morphological characters have been identified to distinguish between the larvae of each species and adult females exhibit high levels of intra and interspecific morphological variation making identification difficult or impossible. Adult males can be distinguished by a combination of scale, antennal and genital characters, but this requires considerable taxonomic experience. Molecular markers were generated via amplification of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I and II (COI and II) of the mitochondrial DNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amplified DNA was digested with restriction enzymes to give characteristic fragment patterns. Fourteen restriction enzymes were surveyed and a combination of four of these distinguish allWiseanataxa exceptW. fuligineaandW. mimica.