Molecular Phylogeny of the Genus Dactylopius (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae) and Identification of the Symbiotic Bacteria

Phylogenetic analyses, front polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified 12S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene sequences from cochineal insects of the genus Dactylopuis present in Mexico, showed that D ceylonicus,D confusus, and D opuntwc are closely related D coccus constitutes a separate chide, and D tomentosus is the most distantly related Bacterial 16S rRNA sequences from all the Dactylopus species sampled showed a common beta-proteobacteria, related to Azoarcus. also found in eggs and in bacteriocytes in D coccus. We propose the name Candidatus Dactylopiibacterium carminicum- for this endosymbiont Other bacterial sequences recovered from the samples were close to those from soil or plant associated bacteria, like Massilia, Herbaspirillum, Acmetobacter, Mesorbizobuon, and Sphingomonas, suggesting a possible horizontal transmission from Cactaccae plant sap to Dacty/opins spp. during feeding. This is the first molecular analysis of Dactylopius species and of their associated bacteria