Ultrastructural and Molecular Variants of Pseudococcus Elisae (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) from Neotropical Region

Abstract

To the appropriated taxonomic relationships in mealybugs, and their phylogenetic classification is necessarycombined morphological and molecular techniques. The aim of the present investigation was to study the Pseudococcus elisae (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)of banana crop (Musa sp.) from Neotropical region by morphological and molecular techniques, as well as the phylogenetic relationships. Morphological techniques such as Light Microscopy (LM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used, supported by molecular analysis of three genes: 18S, E.F-1α and COXI. The microscopy analysis was performed at the Center for Research on Microscopic Structures in 2012, and the molecular analysis was carried out at the Molecular Phytopathology Laboratory,ending in 2014, both at the University of Costa Rica. By SEM, ultrastructural variations in the studied mealybugs were observed to the body of the insect, morphology of dorsal margen cerarii and anal lobe cerarii, trilocular pores and morphology of oral rim tubular ducts. The present investigation allowed recognizing ultrastructures of the mealybugs by influence of environmental conditions from Neotropical countries.