Liposcelis bostrychophila (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae) Xlure-MST- comparison ofmorphological and molecular identification

Abstract: Stored product psocids of the genus Liposcelis (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae) are quitedifficult to identify. L. bostrychophila Badonnel, the common cosmopolitan parthenogeneticstored product psocid, was chosen as the model species for morphological and moleculardiagnosis. Two different geographical populations (Czech Republic and P. R. China) of thisspecies were compared based on decisive morphological characters, size measurements, SEMmicrographs, and PCR-RFLP and sequencing molecular diagnostic methods. Advantages andlimitations of both methodological approaches were compared. Both morphological andmolecular methods are able to properly identify the species. Significantly distinguishabledifferences between geographical populations of L. bostrychophila were found only using themolecular methods.