Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae) is a new invasive insect in our area, and the most destructive insect on cactus species. It is often referred to as prickly pear cochineal and produces large economic losses all over the globe. This research investigates the molecular genetics of D. opuntiae. Molecular studies exploring the evolutionary relationships of recently established and naturally occurring D. opuntiae populations are crucial in determining the routes of entrance. Here, the sequence variation in the mtCOI, 12S and 18S gene markers from specimens isolated from the Palestinian territories in 2023 were assessed to gain greater insight into the variations in DNA within and between Palestinian D. opuntiae populations. The results showed the presence of 12, 18, and 12 haplotypes for COI, 12S, and 18S gene markers, respectively. Furthermore, the results indicated low nucleotide diversity …

Title

Psyche: A Journal of Entomology

Publisher

Wiley

Publisher Country

United States of America

Indexing

Scopus

Impact Factor

1.6

Publication Type

Both (Printed and Online)

Volume

2024

Year

2024

Pages

11