DNA barcode of the Lanzones scale insect, Unaspis mabilis Lit & Barbecho (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)
The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) nucleotide sequences of Unaspis mabilis Lit & Barbecho (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), are provided for the first time. The total genomic DNA of each scale insect was extracted from individuals infesting lanzones leaves from three selected sites in Los Baños, Laguna. A partial COI gene amplicon with approximately 750 bp was obtained using the primer pair PcoF1 and LepR1. Nucleotide sequence alignment showed no variation among the COI sequences from all the samples. BLASTn search yielded no significant match with any of the available sequences for Unaspis species. The closest hit was Aulacaspis tubercularis Newstead (GenBank Accession No. HM474091) with 87.4% nucleotide similarity. Nonetheless, phylogenetic analyses revealed that generated COI sequences from U. mabilis form a monophyletic clade with U. yanonensis and U. euonymi, with closer proximity to the former. These findings also strengthen the species status of U. mabilis under the genus Unaspis. The DNA barcodes generated from this study (GenBank Acc. Nos. MN114099, MN14101, and MN114102), could, therefore, be used to verify the species identity of other lanzones scale accessions, as well as monitor the distribution and spread of U. mabilis, which would greatly influence possible pest management options. KEYWORDS: cytochrome C oxidase I, COI, Lansium domesticum Correa, lanzones