Papanastasiou, I., Evangelou, V., Papoutsis, L., Bouga, M., & Emmanouil, N. 2018 Molecular taxonomy of the genus Physokermes (Hemiptera: Coccidae) species in Greece, based on mtDNA sequencing data. Journal of apicultural research 57(4): 479-483
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Notes: The genus Physokermes (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Coccidae) includes species that parasitize coniferous trees. They are considered both as pests of forests and as highly beneficial species in Apiculture when bees produce honey with specific physicochemical characteristics, using the honeydew excreted by these scale insects. The identification of these important species is based only on morphological characteristics. Genetic taxonomy on these species is lacking, thus the aim of the present study is the molecular taxonomy and the examination of the possible phylogenetic relationships of the Physokermes species in Greece based on mtDNA sequencing data. Based on the recent key to female Physokermes species, all specimens were found to be Physokermes hellenicus. The sequencing of COI mtDNA gene segment produced 14 different haplotypes. Our data, based on mtDNA analysis on samples that belong to Physokermes genus, collected from different areas of Greece, show that the variability detected is not connected to the geographical origin. The average pairwise genetic distance detected, based on our obtained data, does not sufficiently document the existence of different species.
