TY - JOUR
T1 - Cryptic diversity of the jewel beetles Agrilus viridis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) hosted on hazelnut
AU - Pellegrino, I.
AU - Curletti, G.
AU - Liberatore, F.
AU - Cucco, M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Author(s).
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - The genus Agrilus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) represents a taxonomic puzzle, since the boundaries between species, subspecies and morphotypes tied to different host plants are sometimes difficult to establish on morphological characteristics alone. Some Agrilus species can cause severe agricultural damage, this makes correct distinctions of the taxon and knowing whether the insects switch from one host plant to another important. This study of mtDNA examined the genetic characteristics of lineages of A. viridis, a jewel beetle recently found causing damage to the hazelnut Corylus avellana in NW Italy. Three mitochondrial markers (a portion of the 12S rDNA and a DNA-fragment including partial NADH dehydrogenase subunit I gene, the tRNA Leucine gene and partial 16S rDNA, and partial Cytochrome c oxidase) were compared between individuals collected on birch Betula sp., beech Fagus sp., willow Salix sp., alder Alnus sp. and hazelnut. We found a high genetic distance between A. viridis sampled on different host plants, while individuals sampled on the same host plant were similar despite a considerable geographic gap between sampled areas. Our study supports the general pattern for strong ecological separation between populations living on different host plants.
AB - The genus Agrilus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) represents a taxonomic puzzle, since the boundaries between species, subspecies and morphotypes tied to different host plants are sometimes difficult to establish on morphological characteristics alone. Some Agrilus species can cause severe agricultural damage, this makes correct distinctions of the taxon and knowing whether the insects switch from one host plant to another important. This study of mtDNA examined the genetic characteristics of lineages of A. viridis, a jewel beetle recently found causing damage to the hazelnut Corylus avellana in NW Italy. Three mitochondrial markers (a portion of the 12S rDNA and a DNA-fragment including partial NADH dehydrogenase subunit I gene, the tRNA Leucine gene and partial 16S rDNA, and partial Cytochrome c oxidase) were compared between individuals collected on birch Betula sp., beech Fagus sp., willow Salix sp., alder Alnus sp. and hazelnut. We found a high genetic distance between A. viridis sampled on different host plants, while individuals sampled on the same host plant were similar despite a considerable geographic gap between sampled areas. Our study supports the general pattern for strong ecological separation between populations living on different host plants.
KW - Agrilus viridis complex
KW - Hazelnut parasite
KW - mtDNA
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85029212228&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/24750263.2017.1362050
DO - 10.1080/24750263.2017.1362050
M3 - Article
SN - 1125-0003
VL - 84
SP - 465
EP - 472
JO - European Zoological Journal
JF - European Zoological Journal
IS - 1
ER -