title: Genetic variation in avocado stem weevils Copturus aguacatae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Mexico.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The avocado stem weevil Copturus aguacatae is an important pest in avocado plantations. Its presence hinders the production and marketing of avocado in Mexico, the largest avocado producer worldwide. Biological control through pheromone synthesis, a strategy favored over chemical control in crops, is currently limited by difficult field identification of this species.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using DNA barcoding, we examine the patterns of genetic variation of C. aguacatae in avocado trees in Mexico to help facilitate its identification and biological control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We show that there is one single species of avocado stem weevil throughout the sampled sites in Mexico. Overall, haplotype diversity is high, with Oaxaca forming one distinct group and all other sampled populations are admixed irrespective of geographic origin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that high gene flow is maintained in this species and that a global strategy for biocontrol can be designed and implemented throughout the sampled range.
authors.affiliation: Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Engstrand
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cibrián Tovar
authors.forename: Angélica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cibrián-Jaramillo
authors.forename: Sergios-Orestis
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Kolokotronis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D017344:Genes, Insect; D050259:Genes, Mitochondrial; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006239:Haplotypes; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008800:Mexico; D027421:Persea / Q000469:parasitology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D048889:Weevils / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D019476:Insect Proteins; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV