A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the detection of Cryptotermes brevis West Indian drywood termite (Blattodea: Kalotermitidae)

Cryptotermes brevis is one of the most destructive invasive termites in the subtropics and tropics and is a common biosecurity intercept at the Australian border. Drywood termite species are cryptic and difficult to identify morphologically in situations when soldiers or imagos are unavailable. We developed a novel DNA based loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to detect C. brevis and differentiate it from other drywood termites. Validated voucher specimens of 30 different drywood termite species were obtained from several insect collections from which DNA was extracted and amplified. The amplicons containing partial mitochondrial 16S rRNA were sequenced and a DNA database was created from which C. brevis LAMP primers were developed, optimized, and tested. The assay was assessed against a range of target and non-target species and found to be specific, successfully amplifying the target specimens of C. brevis in under 30 min. Amplification success was variable against C. brevis faecal pellets due to minute, unmeasurable or degraded DNA. This LAMP test is a new tool for the rapid detection of C. brevis that will enable faster and less destructive management of drywood termite infestations.