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Title: DNA barcode development for three recent exotic whitefly (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) invaders in Florida

Author
item DICKEY, AARON - University Of Florida
item STOCKS, IAN - Florida Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services
item SMITH, TREVOR - Florida Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services
item OSBORNE, LANCE - University Of Florida
item McKenzie, Cindy

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/23/2015
Publication Date: 6/1/2015
Citation: Dickey, A.M., Stocks, I.C., Smith, T., Osborne, L.S., McKenzie, C.L. 2015. DNA barcode development for three recent exotic whitefly (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) invaders in Florida. Florida Entomologist. 98(2):473-478.

Interpretive Summary: Several new whitefly species have become established in Florida in the past decade. Three in particular have caused significant damage to residential plants in the landscape: fig whitefly, rugose spiraling whitefly, and Bondar’s nesting whitefly. Whiteflies are difficult to identify them good candidates for identification using a DNA barcoding bioassay. We developed a method of amplifying a whitefly gene and associated procedures for identifying/distinguishing these whitefly species based on DNA. The method can be expanded to include other whitefly species.

Technical Abstract: Several new whitefly species have become established in Florida in the past decade. Three, in particular, have caused noticible damage to residential plants in the landscape such as ficus hedges, palms, and bird of paradise. These are fig whitefly (FW), rugose spiraling whitefly (RSW), and Bondar’s nesting whitefly (BNW). Whiteflies are difficult to identify and fourth instar nymphs are needed for morphological identification making whiteflies good candidates for identification via DNA barcoding. A DNA barcoding cocktail to amplify the 5' end of the coxI mitochondrial gene was developed using the nucleoside inosine coupled with traditional degeneracy and non-degenerate oligonucleotides. Subsequently, species specific primers were developed for each species, validated with multiple populations collected throughout Florida, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed for placement of the three species in the whitefly tree of life. Besides FW, RSW, and BNW; two additional species of whiteflies were detected in collections, Paraleyrodes pseudonaranjae Martin (Hemiptera:Aleyrodidae), and a species provisionally designated Aleurodicinae sp1. RSW and BNW clustered with congeners within the phylogeny and FW was resolved as a possible sister taxa to the genus, Bemisia. The barcoding cocktail should allow sequencing of 5' coxI for a wide diversity of whiteflies and the species specific primers developed will facilitate rapid identification of these three invasive whiteflies.