BopCo - Identification of fruit flies of agricultural importance

DNA barcoding of (African) fruit flies of agricultural importance

Policy concern: pest species

Mediterranean fruit fly By Antoine Franck, CIRAD [CC BY 3.0]

Within the Entomology Section of the Royal Museum of Central Africa, species identifications of various fruit fly samples are performed each year. When a morphology-based identification is not possible, or needs additional validation, a molecular identification is conducted by BopCo.

Within this framework, and in partnership with Citrus Research International and CIRAD La Réunion, previously unrepresented species have been barcoded and these COI sequences are now made publicly available on online reference libraries. In addition, several publications illustrating the usefulness of this DNA tool have been produced.

Publications & presentations

Virgilio, M., Daneel, JH., Manrakhan, A., Delatte, H., Meganck, K. & De Meyer, M. 2018. ‘An integrated diagnostic setup for the morphological and molecular identification of the Ceratitis FAR complex (C. anonae, C. fasciventris, C. rosa, C. quilicii, Diptera, Tephritidae)’. Bulletin of Entomological Research. DOI:10.1017/S0007485318000615
Virgilio, M., Manrakhan, A., Delatte, H., Daneel, J.H., Mwatawala, M., Meganck, K., Barr, N. & De Meyer, M. 2017. ‘The complex case of Ceratitis cosyra (Diptera, Tephritidae) and relatives. A DNA barcoding perspective’. Journal of Applied Entomology. DOI: 10.1111/jen.12379
Manrakhan, A., Daneel, J. H., Beck, R., Virgilio, M., Meganck, K. & De Meyer, M. 2017. ‘Efficacy of trapping systems for monitoring of Afrotropical fruit flies’. Journal of Applied Entomology. DOI: 10.1111/jen.12373
Virgilio, M., Manrakhan, A., Delatte, H., Daneel, J.H., Mwatawala, M., Meganck, K., Barr, N. & De Meyer, M. ‘DNA barcoding further indicates cryptic genetic variation in the mango fruit fly, Ceratitis cosyra (Diptera, Tephritidae)’. 3^rd International TEAM Symposium, 11-14 April 2016, Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Partners & collaborators

Citrus Research International

CIRAD, La Réunion