Case Study
Submitted By
| Name: | Marc De Meyer |
| Institution: | Royal Museum for Central Africa |
| Country: | Belgium |
| Email: | demeyer@africamuseum.be |
Title & Categories
| Case Study Title: | TBI: Tephritid Barcoding Initiative |
| Focus Theme: | Agricultural pests |
| Geographic Region: | South America, Oceania, North America, Middle East, Europe, East Asia, Central Asia, Central America, Australia, Africa, Southern Asia |
| Habitat Type: | Terrestrial temperate forest, Terrestrial montane, Terrestrial grasslands, Terrestrial cultivated land, Terrestrial tropical forest |
| Taxonomic Group: | d: Arthropoda - Hexapoda - Diptera |
Scope
TBI (Tephritid Barcoding Initiative) is one of the two demonstrator projects selected by CBOL to demonstrate the usefulness of DNA barcoding in a medium-sized taxon group of economic significance. Tephritidae, or true fruit flies, are a dipteran family comprising more than 4000 species of which 350 are of economic significance, mainly in the genera Anastrepha, Bactrocera, Ceratitis, Dacus and Rhagoletis. Several representatives of these genera are major agricultural pests of commercial fruits. Other fruit flies are considered beneficial insects used in biological control of invasive weeds.
The main objective of TBI is to generate a barcode database for all economic important taxa, the majority of their congeners and a representative sample from other higher taxa within the family. TBI also aims at training post-doctoral researchers in morphological and molecular approaches in fruit fly systematics, and developing protocols for queries to the DNA barcode database in support of pest management, ecology and taxonomy.
TBI is a global effort with different research institutions and experts in the fields of morphological and molecular characterization collaborating.
Purpose
In order to have a representative coverage, TBI aims at barcoding approximately 10000 specimens, belonging to 2000 species. This would include all taxa of major and minor economic significance, about 75% of congeners that could cause confusion; 25% of the taxa in genera containing beneficial species, and representatives of all higher taxa not included in the previous categories.
For post-doctoral training a regional approach will be followed, with researchers being attached to museums in different parts of the world where they can work together with established morphological systematists in order to ensure a transfer of knowledge and expertise.
Protocol delopment for queries to the DNA barcode database will follow BoLD and GenBank formats and ensure incorporation into robust risk assessment tools.
Background
Because of their importance, fruit fly taxonomy is relatively well established for the genera of economic significance. This taxonomy is largely based on morphological characters and the number of taxonomic experts conversant with this group is very limited worldwide. Several of the major pest species belong to complexes of sibling species, rendering accurate identification troublesome, even to the specialist.
TBI aims for a dual approach in providing DNA barcodes in combination with training a new generation of fruit fly taxonomists who will be acquainted with both the molecular and morphological aspects.
Logistics
TBI is chaired by Prof. Bruce McPheron (Penn State University, USA), assisted by two coordinators (Dr Allen Norrbom, USDA, Washington DC, USA & Dr Marc De Meyer, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium) and a steering committee comprising an additional 6 experts in fruit fly systematics and recognition.
TBI is supported by CBOL for non-research activities. It further obtained funding from USDA-APHIS, Penn State, and the Belgian Government. It continuously seeks further financial support.