Phylogeography of Sesamia nonagrioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Iran inferred from mitochondrial DNA

Although the stem borer Sesamia nonagrioides (Lefèbvre, 1827) is one of the most destructive agricultural pests in South and Southwest Iran, the structure of these populations is not yet well understood. In this study, we sequenced two mitochondrial genes (CO1 and Cyt-b) of populations collected in cultivated sugarcane and rice in South and Southwest Iran. These genetic data of Iranian populations were compared with those of already published data from West Palaearctic (Africa and Europe). To testing the intra- and inter-population variations, different population analyses (e.g. haplotype network, haplotype and nucleotide diversity) were executed. Our results indicate a considerable genetic variation in Iranian populations of S. nonagrioides, which supports the long-term establishment of S. nonagrioides populations in Iran versus a recent invasion. Close genetic relationship of Iranian population of S. nonagrioides with a population of Central Ethiopia supports the scenario of the origin of this species from Africa to western Asia through the Trans-Arabian bridge. Our results help to explain the variation in pest status of S. nonagrioides observed across its distribution range in Iran