Ceroplastes spp. (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) molecular characterization of the species with its distribution in Northern Iraq and determination of its natural enemies

This study was carried out to determine the presence of Ceroplastes spp. (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) species in northern Iraq (Salahaddin, Kirkuk, Mosul, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, and Erbil), to perform the molecular characterization (Barcoding) of these pests, and to create a database for these species. The study also aimed to identify the natural enemy species of Ceroplastes species and to record the species in the study area, with the goal of analyzing their biodiversity. During the field studies conducted in northern Iraq, advanced techniques were used in the analysis of various species. These techniques included light microscopy, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), agarose gel electrophoresis, buffer solutions, gene sequencing methods, classification techniques, and barcoding methods. As a result of this study, the following findings were obtained: - The species Ceroplastes rusci L. was identified. One of the natural enemies of this pest,the species Scutellista caerulea (Fonscolombe, 1832), has also been identified.