He, Y.-B., Liu, Y.-H., Zhan, R.-L., Xu, Z.F., Sun, G.-M., Zhao, Y.-L., Li, G.-P., & Chang, J.-M. 2014 The occurrence of two species of pineapple mealybugs (Dysmicoccus spp.) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in China and their genetic relationship based on rDNA ITS sequences. Caryologia 67(1): 36-44

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DNA

Notes: The genetic variations of pineapple mealybugs from China, Brazil and Hawaii of USA have been analyzed. The results showed that two pineapple mealybug species belong to two different clades based on the sequences of ITS. Pink pineapple mealybug (PPM), Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) from China was found to have four haplotypes, and gray pineapple mealybug (GPM), Dysmicoccus neobrevipes Beardsley had two haplotypes. The genetic variation of PPM is greater than that of GPM, though both of them had one predominant haplotype. One haplotype of PPM was found in samples from mainland China, and three from Hainan Island. Another haplotype of PPM was observed among the samples from Brazil and Hawaii. However, mealybugs from Wanning City of Hainan Island in China represented a different lineage that clearly diverged from other populations, which would be of a cryptic lineage or species in the pink pineapple mealybug complex. Mealybugs from Wanning City are probably native and were present long before the exotic pink pineapple mealybug was introduced in the early twentieth century. Most GPM, represented by a predominant haplotype, was widely found on sisal in plantations in south China. Other GPM, often found on sisal in urban green belt in south China, was of different haplotype from samples on sisal in plantations, probably originating from Taiwan.