ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Temporal Dynamics and DNA Barcoding
of Hymenoptera from Juniper Forest Ecosystem
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1
Department of Zoology, University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan
2
Department of Biotechnology, Balochistan University of Information technology, Engineering and management Sciences,
Quetta, Pakistan
3
Department of Plant Protection faculty of Agricultural Sciences Ghazi University Dera Ghazi khan Punjab Pakistan
4
Department of Soil & Environmental Sciences faculty of Agricultural Sciences Ghazi University
Dera Ghazi khan Punjab Pakistan
5
United States Department of Agriculture Washington DC, USA
6
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Submission date: 2023-11-13
Final revision date: 2023-11-30
Acceptance date: 2023-12-11
Online publication date: 2024-04-18
Publication date: 2024-05-23
Corresponding author
Muhammad Amjad Bashir
Department of Plant Protection faculty of Agricultural Sciences Ghazi University Dera Ghazi khan Punjab Pakistan
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2024;33(4):4169-4177
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ABSTRACT
The study of Hymenoptera diversity and phenology holds significant importance for basic and
applied scientific objectives. The present knowledge on the worldwide fauna diversity of Hymenoptera
is good but exact data for Pakistan especially for the Hymenopterous fauna of Balochistan has not
yet been updated. This geographical area presents an opportunity for the discovery of previously
undocumented insect species. This study represents the first DNA barcode analysis in this research
area, for a detailed picture of Hymenoptera. Out of the 8430 collected specimens, 810 insect specimens
were morphologically identified as Hymenoptera, representing 50 species belonging to 11 families and
40 genera. These specimens were collected using a Malaise trap for 52 weeks, from 11th December
2018 to 10th December 2019. For further confirmation, the collected insect specimens were analyzed
by sequencing cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (DNA barcode) and BINs were assigned to the Barcode
of Life Data Systems. Based on molecular analysis, eight species representing three families and four
genera were identified, and respective barcode index numbers (BINs) were assigned to them. Among
them, four new species were recorded and two unique BINS (BOLD:AET0858 and BOLD:AET2316)
were assigned to Chrysis castillana and Anthophora quadrimaculata, which had not previously been
documented in the DNA barcode database. The most dominant species was Camponotus compressus
(Fabricius, 1787), which was found throughout the year and had the highest mean population density.
We explored the importance of employing harmonizing approaches including adult morphological
characteristics and the DNA barcode method to accurately identify wild entomofauna for cryptic species. It is recommended that the use of Malaise traps spread over a large area is more beneficial
in studying temporal dynamics and species recoveries.