Draft mitochondrial DNA genome of a 1920 Barbados cryptic Bemisia tabaci ‘New World’ species (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Identification of invasive whitefly Bemisia tabaci cryptic species is best achieved by an integrated approach combining mating and genomic studies including complete mitochondrial DNA genomes (mitogenomes) characterization. We present the draft mitogenome of a 1920 historical B. tabaci specimen obtained using High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) technology. Our B. tabaci partial mtCOI gene best matched the B. tabaci 'NW' (New World) cryptic species (e.g. to AY057133; nucleotide identity: 99.85%). It has a circular genome of ca. 15,325bp with 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA's, and two rRNA genes. A total of 43 amino acid residues differed between a Sanger-sequenced 'NW' mitogenome (AY521259.2) and this HTS-generated 'NW' mitogenome. High intra-specific amino acid conservation was observed across the partial 657 bp mitochondrial DNA COI (mtCOI) gene region used in species identification (i.e. from nucleotides 782 to 1438) when compared between both 'NW' (MK386668, AY521259.2) species.