Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman and Iranian Biotechnology Society Agricultural Biotechnology Journal 2228-6705 18 4 2026 12 22 Molecular identification and phylogenetic characterization of the fig bud mite Aceria ficus (Acari: Eriophyidae) from Iraq using mitochondrial COI sequences Molecular identification and phylogenetic characterization of the fig bud mite Aceria ficus (Acari: Eriophyidae) from Iraq using mitochondrial COI sequences 497 510 5630 10.22103/jab.2026.27259.1921 FA Z. A. AL-Tamimi Department of Environment, College of Environmental Sciences, University Al-Qasim Green, Babylon, Iraq 0009-0006-7923-9015 Feryal H. Sadaq Department of Plant Protection, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq 0000-0003-0427-0633 Journal Article 2026 05 21 ObjectiveAceria ficus (Acari: Eriophyidae), is one of the minute microscopic pests that feed on plant tissues and are characterized by their high specialization and environmental sensitivity. This group is considered among the mite types whose classification is regarded as a challenge because of the great morphological similarity among closely related species, which makes traditional diagnosis ineffective when using morphological traits alone. This study aimed to molecularly identify Aceria ficus collected from Iraqi fig orchards using the mitochondrial COI gene, compare the obtained sequences with available GenBank records, and infer their phylogenetic relationshipsMaterials and methodsDuring the 2024-2025 seasons, a survey of several fig orchards was conducted in Baghdad (Abu Ghraib) and Babil Province (Al-Kifl and Al-Siyahi) to collect mite samples. Following rigorous morphological identification of the specimens as Aceria ficus, genetic and phylogenetic analyses were performed using the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) marker. ResultsBLASTn analysis of the amplified COI fragments, utilizing LCO1490/HCO2198 primers, revealed a maximum sequence identity of 82% with Aceria microcis. The relatively low sequence identity (82%) does not provide definitive species-level identification. Instead, it reflects the absence of authenticated COI sequences of Aceria ficus in GenBank. Therefore, species identification relied on the combination of morphological examination and molecular phylogenetic analysis. Consequently, the nucleotide sequences obtained in this study represent the first publicly available COI sequences of Aceria ficus deposited in GenBank under accession numbers PV123164-PV123173. Genetic relatedness analysis using MEGA 12 and the Neighbor-Joining (NJ) method placed all nucleotide sequences of the CO1 region from the identified Aceria ficus samples in a single cluster, separate from other species, confirming their belonging to the same speciesConclusionNeighbor-Joining (NJ) phylogenetic analysis conducted in MEGA12 grouped all sequenced samples into a single, highly supported clade, formed a distinct clade separated from the reference sequences included in the present analysis, further corroborating the molecular distinctiveness of the identified populations. ObjectiveAceria ficus (Acari: Eriophyidae), is one of the minute microscopic pests that feed on plant tissues and are characterized by their high specialization and environmental sensitivity. This group is considered among the mite types whose classification is regarded as a challenge because of the great morphological similarity among closely related species, which makes traditional diagnosis ineffective when using morphological traits alone. This study aimed to molecularly identify Aceria ficus collected from Iraqi fig orchards using the mitochondrial COI gene, compare the obtained sequences with available GenBank records, and infer their phylogenetic relationshipsMaterials and methodsDuring the 2024-2025 seasons, a survey of several fig orchards was conducted in Baghdad (Abu Ghraib) and Babil Province (Al-Kifl and Al-Siyahi) to collect mite samples. Following rigorous morphological identification of the specimens as Aceria ficus, genetic and phylogenetic analyses were performed using the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) marker. ResultsBLASTn analysis of the amplified COI fragments, utilizing LCO1490/HCO2198 primers, revealed a maximum sequence identity of 82% with Aceria microcis. The relatively low sequence identity (82%) does not provide definitive species-level identification. Instead, it reflects the absence of authenticated COI sequences of Aceria ficus in GenBank. Therefore, species identification relied on the combination of morphological examination and molecular phylogenetic analysis. Consequently, the nucleotide sequences obtained in this study represent the first publicly available COI sequences of Aceria ficus deposited in GenBank under accession numbers PV123164-PV123173. Genetic relatedness analysis using MEGA 12 and the Neighbor-Joining (NJ) method placed all nucleotide sequences of the CO1 region from the identified Aceria ficus samples in a single cluster, separate from other species, confirming their belonging to the same speciesConclusionNeighbor-Joining (NJ) phylogenetic analysis conducted in MEGA12 grouped all sequenced samples into a single, highly supported clade, formed a distinct clade separated from the reference sequences included in the present analysis, further corroborating the molecular distinctiveness of the identified populations. https://jab.uk.ac.ir/article_5630_f84d465177e84bb4e756a8319443cdcb.pdf