Integrated Identification and Genetic Diversity of Potentially Invasive Clearwing Moths (Lepidoptera: Cossoidea: Sesiidae) in Korea.

The populations of clearwing moth borers in Korea have recently caused extensive and severe damage to pin oaks ( Munchh.). We conducted field monitoring and molecular analyses to identify them in an integrated manner. Morphological examination and molecular analyses of the COI gene, based on intra- and interspecific genetic divergences (GDs), revealed that the borers were identified as two invasive species, and sp. nov. The maximum intraspecific GD was found to be 1.9%, whereas the minimum interspecific GD was confirmed as 8.1%, indicating a distinct barcoding gap. Both the MJ network and NJ tree also showed that 18 haplotypes (Hs) were detected from the 52 COI sequences. The borers revealed a total of 17 Hs: (i) H1-H7 were detected in all seven regions with ; (ii) Wonju and Goyang populations of revealed more than three Hs; (iii) H7 was closely connected with H8 of the Chinese population of ; (iv) H9-H10 were detected in other samples from the Wonju population with sp. n. and were closely located with congeneric species. A maximum likelihood tree also revealed that sp. n. nested within the congeneric species, genetically separating from .