Identification of E. argentella E. bedelella and E. bifasciella species groups (Lepdoptera: Elachistidae: Elachistinae) by molecular methods

Abstract

The Elachista Treitschke, is the largest genus in the subfamily Elachistinae. Moths are small moths with wingspan from 5 to 14 mm. Larvae of Elachista are typical leaf-miners, trophically connected with Monocotyledonous grasses. Elachistinae moths largely have been researched using traditional entomological methods. In the study Elachista species were examined using traditional entomological methods (making of morphological preparations, species identification, and documentation of morphological structures) and DNA analysis. One specific primer COI was used for polymerase chain reaction, which amplified mitochondrial DNA sequences. Test mtDNA sequence of the COI gene as the tool for analysis of intraspecific and interspecific genetic variation. The polymorphism of sequenced mtDNA segments of the COI gene were assessed in 15 species of Elachista argentella, E. bedelella and E. bifasciella species groups level.