Biodiversity of the Muscidae (Diptera) from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, with taxonomic issues revealed or resolved by DNA barcoding

A 2007 survey of muscid flies from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, yielded 155 species. The diversity of this contemporary assemblage was compared to that of an historical (pre-1965) assemblage. Few differences were found between assemblages for material collected by net sweeping and most non-overlappi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Renaud, Anais Krystel
Other Authors: Savage, Jade (Bishop's University, Biological Sciences) Galloway, Terry (Entomology), Piercey-Normore, Michele (Biological Sciences) Smith, Marjorie (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Format: Master Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2012
Subjects:
Insects
Arctic
Canada
Churchill
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1993/5029
Description
Summary:A 2007 survey of muscid flies from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, yielded 155 species. The diversity of this contemporary assemblage was compared to that of an historical (pre-1965) assemblage. Few differences were found between assemblages for material collected by net sweeping and most non-overlapping species between time periods were rare in samples and/or collected by different methods. DNA barcoding was used as a tool to assist with the identification of Muscidae specimens. Performance of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (COI) in the discrimination of muscid species was assessed and correspondence levels of 98.6% were established between species limits recovered by DNA barcode clusters and morphology. I conclude that the great majority of species limits currently accepted in the literature are adequate for Muscidae and that DNA barcoding is a useful identification tool for this family. February 2012

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