The puzzling mitochondrial phylogeography of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), the commercially most important insect protein species

• DOI: 10.21203/rs.2.19982/v2
• Publication Date: 2020-04-06T03:01:52Z
• Authors: Gunilla Ståhls; Rudolf Meier; Christoph Sandrock; Martin Hauser; Ljiljana Šašić Zorić; Elina Laiho; Andrea Aracil; Jovana Doderović; Rozane Badenhorst; Phira Unadirekkul; Nur Arina Binte M...; Leo Wein; Cameron Richards; Jeffery K. Tomberlin; Santos Rojo; Sanja Veselić; Tuure Parviainen
• Keywords: Hermetia illucens

Abstract Background The black soldier fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae, Hermetia illucens ) is renowned for bioconversion ability of organic waste, and the worldwide most widely used source insect protein. Despite varying extensively in morphology, it assumed that all flies belong to same species, . We here use genetic data 424 rearing culture wild caught samples from 38 countries six biogeographic regions test this assumption based on three genes (mitochondrial COI, nuclear ITS2 & 28S rDNA). Results Our study reveals a surprisingly high level intraspecific diversity mitochondrial COI gene (divergences up 4.9%). This variability often associated with presence multiple but tested rDNA markers are invariant strain hybridization experiments under laboratory conditions revealed reproductive compatibility. haplotype not only very (54 distinct haplotypes total), also breeding facilities research centers continents (10 haplotypes: divergences 4.3%). fly-breeding mostly likely explained by many independent acquisitions cultures via sharing and/or establishing new colonies wild-caught flies. However, explaining observed difficult. origin species considered be New World (32 haplotypes) one would expect severely reduced putatively non-native populations remaining regions. But distinct, private known Australasian (N=2), Oriental (N=4), Palearctic (N=5) populations. review museum specimen records conclude evidence introductions strong Western Afrotropical which lack haplotypes. Conclusions Based results paper, we urge community apply molecular characterization (genotyping) strains artificial share publications when cultures. In addition, fast-evolving should reconstruct recent invasion history species.