Urophora Species in Lebanon: Ovipositor Morphology and DNA Barcoding

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the variety and specific adaptation to hosts of the Urophora genus, a collection of fruit flies belonging to the Tephritidae family, in Lebanon. In a comprehensive three-year survey conducted in Lebanon during 2002, five distinct species were identified: Urophora affinis, Urophora mauritanica, Urophora quadrifasciata, Urophora stylata, and Urophora syriaca. This study solely focuses on three Urophora species: U. quadrifasciata, U. mauritanica, and U. stylata with the aim of examining their taxonomic relationships using ovipositor morphology and mitochondrial DNA barcoding. The primary objective was to assess whether morphological variation in the ovipositor correlates with species identity and host adaptation, and to evaluate the effectiveness of molecular markers in distinguishing among species.

Morphological analysis revealed that the aculeus is a key diagnostic structure in identifying Urophora species, with distinct features at the tip. Among the morphometric parameters, total ovipositor length and width, in addition to maximum width at the basal shoulders of the aculeus tip, provided the clearest separation between the three species. Molecular analysis of the mitochondrial COX-1 gene supported the broad distinction of species into separate clades and subclades, but also revealed mixed clusters, reflecting the influence of both host plants and geographic factors on genetic structuring. Additionally, this study discovered new host associations, with Urophora stylata recorded for the first time on Carthamus glaucus and Carthamus tenuis, and Urophora quadrifasciata recorded for the first time on Carthamus glaucus.

Future studies should expand sample sizes and include additional localities across Lebanon to better capture intraspecific diversity. Moreover, other Urophora species, U. affinis and U. syriaca, recorded in the region but not examined in this study here warrant further investigation to achieve a more complete understanding of the genus in Lebanon.