Survey of M itochondrial dnA M arkers in P opulations of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedmann) from tunisia

The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, is considered to be one of the world's most destructive agricultural pests. Beginning from a presumed origin in Africa, in recent years this pest has considerably expanded its geographic range. In an effort to document the genetic relationships of worldwide populations of this pest species, mitochondrial DNA markers have been surveyed in several populations of C. capitata, but previously little or no information has been available from populations in Tunisia. To address this issue, specimens have been collected from several localities within the northern part of Tunisia (Cap Bon, Mornag, Bizerte and Kairouan). These are regions known for fruit production including oranges, peaches, apples and apricots. In addition, a sample population derived from the laboratory strain used for mass rearing at the INRA Institute in Tunis was also analyzed. We have used a PCR based approach to analyze mitochondrial DNA sequences and document the genetic variation present in these populations. Our analysis includes sequences of regions of the mitochondrial genome for analysis of mitochondrial haplotypes. Our results indicate that at least two distinct mitochondrial haplotypes are present in the Tunisian populations.