Genetic structure of Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) populations from Turkey revealed by mitochondrial DNA markers

Ceratitis capitata is one among the most destructive and economically important agricultural pests worldwide. Despite its economic significance, the population structures of this pest have remained relatively unexplored in the eastern Mediterranean basin. Using two mitochondrial markers, the present study aimed to examining the population genetic structure and diversity of C. capitata populations in Turkey, the region that covers a large part of the eastern Mediterranean area. Our results revealed that the Turkish Mediterranean fruit fly populations are characterized by low levels of genetic diversity and limited population differentiation. For comparison purposes, we merged the sequences identified in the present study with the previously reported sequences from across the world into the data matrix. The haplotype network showed that, unlike the African samples the Mediterranean samples and samples from the new world (America, Pacific region and Australia) did not show any clear pattern of geographical structuring, which indicates that the Mediterranean basin, particularly the eastern Mediterranean region populations, may have played a more important role in the colonization of C. capitata populations to the new world. The results also revealed a close genetic relationship between the Turkish and Iranian populations, suggesting that the Iranian C. capitata populations probably originated from Turkey.