A prevalence survey of Wolbachia in Polytremis fukia (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae)

Wolbachia are endosymbiotic bacteria that infect arthropod and nematode hosts. Only a few studies have been made on Wolbachia in butterflies. In this study, we identified and determined the molecular characteristics of Wolbachia strains in Polytremis fukia (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), from seven locations in China. We also sequenced three portions of the mitochondrial DNA from the individuals of P. fukia to infer the effect of Wolbachia on host mitochondrial variation. The results show that 47% (15/32) are Wolbachia positive among all specimens. The infection rates in female and male are 69% (11/16) and 25% (4/16). Phylogenetic analysis of variation in the ftsZ gene from the two strains of Wolbachia (wFuk1 and wFuk2) showed they belonged to supergroup A. On the phylogeny of the mitochondrial DNA from P. fukia, the sequences are split into three clades. Clade I and II are consistent with the distribution of geographical population. Clade III consists of eight females invariably infected with wFuk1 which showed a weak association existed between mitochondrial DNA haplotypes and wFuk1 infection status.