Wireworms are important bamboo pests in South China.The species are not clear till now which are morphologically difficult to identify.Accurate knowledge of damage-causing species and the phylogenic structure of elaterids will provide insight into their sustainable management.Here,we use interspecific variation in mitochondrial 16S rRNA as a robust method of identification,consider the intra-and interspecific genetic variation of some important bamboo wireworms and assess the genetic structure and isolation by distance and host plant.Within some species unusually high intraspecific genetic distances between samples suggested the possibility of cryptic wireworm species or misidentifications,though this was\1%for most species.Phylogenetic analyses gave some indication of the likely identity of these ambiguous samples.There was a significant correlation between genetic and geographic distance and significant genetic structuring within and between Melanotus populations,which appeared to be composed of two species comprising several haplotypes.These data provide a starting point for determining the distribution of damage-causing species in South China.The inclusion of data would further aid identification and relationships of wireworm species.