MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION AND MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF EUROPEAN HOVERFLY, ERISTALIS PERTINAX (SCOPOLI, 1763) (DIPTERA: SYRPHIDAE) FROM ERBIL GOVERNORATE KURDISTAN REGION -IRAQ

Abstract

This work includes a molecular identification and morphology study of flower flies, Eristalis pertinax (Scopoli) (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Erbil governorate Kurdistan Region- Iraq.  The specimens were collected from the flowers of some weeds and rose during the period, March tile July – 2022. Molecular results displayed that the amplification fragment of (550 bp) mt-CO1 gene was done by PCR from E. pertinax extracted genomic DNA for detection and phylogenetic investigates. The BLASTn study of gotten sequences established the morphological recognition as samples fitting to E. pertinax. The newly identified E. pertinax in region of Kurdistan clustered in a mono-phyletic clade when compaired to those available in Georgia, Uk and Finland in high identic values (100%) based on the pertinax species. However, based on the other species, E. pertinax was found highest identical 93.42% to the Eristalis hirta extract informed from Finland (MZ628619) and presented a less similarity rate of 99.8% to the divorces stated from Korea (Eristalis cerealis) and Finland (Eristalis anthophorina) (MW085145, MZ631888), respectively. The E. Pertinax mt-CO1 sequences was submitted to GenBank and got the accession number OP361097. The bases arrangement of the sequence of mt-COI section was low of GC nucleotides. The morphological study showed that the diagnosis characteristics of the species are, the body is elongated oval, shiny, yellow to dark brown. Mouthparts brown, sponging type. Antennae brown, aristate type, the arista light orange plumose to its basal half. The wings are membranous, a spurious vein, located parallel to the fourth longitudinal vein between (R4+5) and medium vein.  The abdomen has distinct black and yellow markings. Localities, date of collection and plant hosts were mentioned.