BioOne.org will be down briefly for maintenance on 17 December 2024 between 18:00-22:00 Pacific Time US. We apologize for any inconvenience.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 April 2007 Genetic Relationship Between Coptotermes gestroi and Coptotermes vastator (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)
Beng-keok Yeap, Ahmad Sofiman Othman, Vannajan Sanghiran Lee, Chow-yang Lee
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

The phylogenetic relationship of Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) and Coptotermes vastator Light (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) was determined using DNA sequence comparisons of mitochondrial genes. Partial sequences of the ribosomal RNA small subunit 12S, ribosomal RNA large subunit 16S, and mitochondrial COII were obtained from nine populations of C. gestroi from South East Asia (Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia) and four populations of C. vastator from the Philippines and Hawaii. In addition, four populations of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki and Globitermes sulphureus (Haviland) were used as the outgroups. Consensus sequences were obtained and aligned. C. vastator and C. gestroi are synonymous, based on high sequence homology across the 12S, 16S, and COII genes. The interspecific pairwise sequence divergence, based on Kimura 2-parameter model between C. gestroi and C. vastator, varied only up to 0.80%. Morphometric measurements of 16 characteristics revealed numerous overlaps between the examined individuals of both species. Based on the molecular phylogenetics and morphometric data, it is proposed that C. vastator is a junior synonym of C. gestroi.

Beng-keok Yeap, Ahmad Sofiman Othman, Vannajan Sanghiran Lee, and Chow-yang Lee "Genetic Relationship Between Coptotermes gestroi and Coptotermes vastator (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)," Journal of Economic Entomology 100(2), 467-474, (1 April 2007). https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493(2007)100[467:GRBCGA]2.0.CO;2
Received: 31 May 2006; Accepted: 26 November 2006; Published: 1 April 2007
JOURNAL ARTICLE
8 PAGES

This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
+ SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

KEYWORDS
COII mitochondrial DNA
Coptotermes gestroi
Coptotermes vastator
ribosomal DNA
synonymity
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top