Identification and Distribution of Bemisia tabaci 1 Cryptic Species at Sinaloa, Mexico

Bemisia tabaci whitefly species complex has a minimum of 40 cryptic species that form a complex of morphologically indistinguishable species; correct identification is crucial to establish control. Adult and immature stages were collected from 60 whitefly populations in the main growing areas at Sinaloa, Mexico. Three hundred individuals were characterized to species by sequencing the mt COI gene. Bemisia species were identified in all sampled populations. Cryptic species New World (also known as A biotype), MEAM1 (B biotype), and MED (Q biotype) were found throughout the state; MEAM1 was found in 38 populations, New World in three, and MED in seven populations. Some cryptic species were found syntopically: MEAM1 + New World in eight populations and MEAM1 + MED in four populations, but MED + New World were not found together. This is the first contribution of MED in crops of economic importance in the state, which represents one of the most pestiferous species with great capacity for environmental adaptation and development of resistance to insecticide.