The first step in conservation of biodiversity is identification and naming of the species. However, the traditional methods are inappropriate for many reasons and the recent barcoding approaches have been recognized as a possible solution for the problem. Since there are some limitation of COI as a barcoding tool because of the nature of the gene, it is necessary to search for alternative barcoding markers. In this scope, ITS2 (internal transcribed spacer 2) region has been suggested to be an alternative barcoding tool in recent years. The ITS2 region provides taxonomic information not only for its nucleotide sequences but also for its secondary structure motif. However, our knowledge on ITS2 region Symphyta is very limited, a suborder including groups with different evolutionary rate and life strategies. Here, the utility of ITS2 region as a barcoding tool is tested by generating nucleotide sequence and secondary structure information of the region in 180 specimens from 78 species belonging to 10 families of Symphyta suborder. Moreover, the secondary structure of ITS2 in Symphyta is characterized and the conserved sequences motives are identified. As a result, the ITS2 region is suggested to be a relevant barcoding tool in Symphyta. |