Applying DNA barcoding for the study of geographical variation in host–parasitoid interactions

摘要: Studies on the biogeography of host–parasitoid interactions are scarce, mainly because technical difficulties associated with rearing and species identification. DNA barcoding is increasingly recognized as a valuable tool for taxon identification, allowing to link different life history stages species. We evaluate usefulness protocol based cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequencing study geographical variation interactions. Larvae Acroclita subsequana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) were collected in Macaronesia dissected search parasitoid larvae. Both hosts parasitoids sequenced assigned molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) pairwise genetic distances, tree-based similarity-based methods. Hosts grouped into six MOTUs, usually an allopatric distribution, while clustered 12 each which was mostly found attacking single host MOTU. Available COI sequence databases failed provide identification level these MOTUs. Three challenges related applicability this type studies identified discussed: (i) more suitable primers need be developed both hosts; (ii) most commonly used approaches inferring MOTUs have limitations (e.g. arbitrary nature defining threshold separate MOTUs) improved or replaced by other techniques; (iii) it imperative increase range taxa currently available reference databases. Finally, spite difficulties, we discuss how will help ecological biogeographical