Abstract:

The black soldier fly (BSF) Hermetia illucens is a cosmopolitan fly heavily used by industrial companies to reduce biowaste and produce protein and fat for poultry and aquaculture feed. However, the natural history and the genetic diversity of the BSF are poorly known. In this study, we analysed 677 cytochrome c oxidase 1(CO1) sequences derived from samples found all over the five continents, leading us to discover 52 haplotypes, including ten major haplotypes. We refined the definition of these haplotypes by sequencing 59 mitochondrial genomes. We could derive an estimate of the separation events of the different haplotypes at more than two million years for the oldest branches. This worldwide cryptic genetic and genomic diversity is mirrored at a local scale in France, in which we found five major haplotypes sometimes in sympatry.