New molecular data on subcutaneous Philornis (Diptera: Muscidae) from southern South America suggests the existence of a species complex

ARRABAL JUAN PABLO; MONJE LUCAS DANIEL; QUIROGA MARTÍN; BELDOMENICO PABLO MARTIN

REVISTA MEXICANA DE BIODIVERSIDAD

INST BIOLOGIA

Lugar: México; Año: 2016 vol. 87 p. 1383 - 1386

1870-3453

Corresponding author MONJE LD. The taxonomic identification of species in the genus Philornis Meinert (Diptera: Muscidae) has been based primarily upon analysis of morphological characters. However, relying solely on morphology led to frequent species misidentification. This was empirically demonstrated when specimens identified morphologically as Philornis seguyi were reclassified as Philornis torquans based on DNA sequences of the second ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) as a molecular marker, showing that the morphologic distinction between P. seguyi and P. torquans is extremely challenging. Herein, new molecular data on specimens assigned to P. torquans and P. seguyi from the region reported as the type locality of P. seguyi (Misiones province, Argentina) were analyzed. ITS2 sequences obtained differed from those of Philornis previously reported, increasing to three the number of documented genotypes of flies morphologically indistinguishable from P. torquans. These results strongly suggest that subcutaneous Philornis spp. from southern South America could represent a species complex (P. torquans complex).