Chen, H., He, R., Wang, Z.L., Wang, S.Y., Chen, Y., Zhu, Z.C., & Chen, X.M. 2015 Genetic diversity and variability in populations of the white wax insect Ericerus pela, assessed by AFLP analysis. Genetics and Molecular Research 14(4): 17820-17827
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Notes: The white wax insect Ericerus pela Chavannes (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) is an economically valuable insect species that has been used for over a thousand years in China. The present study focuses on assessing the genetic variability in different populations of E. pela collected from seven Chinese provinces. Nei’s genetic diversity and Shannon index indicated consistency in the results, which showed that the Sichuan population had the highest diversity, followed by Yunnan and Zhejiang populations. Dendrogram analysis showed the shortest genetic distance between the Sichuan and Yunnan populations, suggesting that they probably form sister groups. Our data support the probability that E. pela will remain localized, and has a low potential to spread beyond current habitats.
