Molecular Identification of Eupatorus spp. (Insecta) in the Gaoligong Mountain Region

Purpose To explore the species definition of Eupatorus Burmeister, 1847 through the application of mitochondrial DNA barcoding technology, resolving the challenges associated with the morphological identification of species within this genus.

Methods Employing mitochondrial cox1 and cox2 gene sequence datasets, the molecular species of the three morphospecies were defined by the Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD) and Bayesian Poisson Tree Processes (bPTP) methods. Subsequently, the obtained results were compared with those of morphological identification.

Results The definition results of the cox1 dataset using the ABGD method were congruent with the morphological identification outcomes. However, disparities were observed between the cox2 dataset and the morphological results. In the bPTP method, the definition results of the two datasets were significantly higher than those of morphological identification, demonstrating varying degrees of over-division.

Conclusion The cox1 gene is more suitable for use as a DNA barcode in the identification of Eupatorus insects. The results of the cox1 dataset defined by the ABGD method are consistent with morphological identification. By integrating molecular definition and morphological characterization, the efficiency and accuracy of species identification can be substantially enhanced.