Taxonomy of introduced commercial insect, Zophobas atratus (Coleoptera; Tenebrionidae) and a comparison of DNA barcoding with similar tenebrionids, Promethis valgipes and Tenebrio molitor in Korea

Park, H.C., Rural Development Administration, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Jung, B.H., Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Han, T.M., Rural Development Administration, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Lee, Y.B., Rural Development Administration, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Kim, S.H., Rural Development Administration, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Kim, N.J., Rural Development Administration, Suwon, Republic of Korea

Taxonomy of introduced commercial insect, Zophobas atratus (Coleoptera; Tenebrionidae) and a comparison of DNA barcoding with similar tenebrionids, Promethis valgipes and Tenebrio molitor in Korea

2013

Park, H.C., Rural Development Administration, Suwon, Republic of Korea | Jung, B.H., Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea | Han, T.M., Rural Development Administration, Suwon, Republic of Korea | Lee, Y.B., Rural Development Administration, Suwon, Republic of Korea | Kim, S.H., Rural Development Administration, Suwon, Republic of Korea | Kim, N.J., Rural Development Administration, Suwon, Republic of Korea

The superworm, as known the larva of Zophobas morio, has been officially imported from 2011 and bred commercially in Korea. But it is named as the corrected scientific name, Zophobas atratus by junior synonym throughout traditional taxonomy in this study and newly designated Korean name as a-me-ri-ca-wang-geo-jeo-ri in terms of resource management. Z. atratus was compared with wild native tenebrionids, Promethis valgipes and a commercial reared Tenebrio molitor on the basis of DNA barcode analysis. As the results, the average genetic divergence was 21.4% between Z. atratus and P. valgipes, and 20.9% between Z. atratus and T. molitor. These large divergences imply these tenebrionids species can be easily identified by DNA barcodes. The results of genetic divergences within species also suggest that Korean populations of Z. atratus, having the same haplotype, might be introduced from the same area of foreign country. On the other hand, a population of T. molitor was separated into two distinct intra-specific groups with DNA barcoding gaps ranged from 1.17-2.19%. We suppose that domestic breeding entities of T. molitor might be introduced and mixed from two different local groups. Through this study, we expect that classification for two tenebrionid introduced from foreign countries can be used for the management of insect resources in Korea.

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