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Vidović B, Anđelković N, Jojić V, Cvrković T, Petanović R, Marini F, Cristofaro M, Rector BG. A New Aculodes Species (Prostigmata: Eriophyidae) Described from an Invasive Weed by Morphological, Morphometric and DNA Barcode Analyses. INSECTS 2022; 13:877. [PMID: 36292824 PMCID: PMC9603850 DOI: 10.3390/insects13100877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A new species of eriophyoid mite, Aculodes marcelli sp. nov., was discovered on cheatgrass, Anisantha tectorum (L.) Nevski (syn. Bromus tectorum L.), an annual grass that is native to Eurasia and Northern Africa. This grass was introduced to North America near the end of the 19th century and now is widespread and associated with the observed increases in the size, frequency, and intensity of wildfires in western N. America. In this paper, A. marcelli sp. nov., is morphologically described and illustrated. Compared with other Aculodes spp., it differs based on morphology and the sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase gene, subunit I (MT-CO1). Results of morphometric analysis showed clear differentiation between A. marcelli sp. nov., and the most similar congener, A. altamurgiensis from Taeniatherum caput-medusae. Analysis of MT-CO1 sequence divergence revealed significant levels of genetic variation (17.7%) and supported the results from the morphometric analysis; therefore, it is determined that they are two different species. Aculodes marcelli sp. nov., is a new candidate agent for classical biological control of A. tectorum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biljana Vidović
- Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nikola Anđelković
- Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vida Jojić
- Department of Genetic Research, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”—National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Tatjana Cvrković
- Institute for Plant Protection and Environment, Banatska 33, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Radmila Petanović
- Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia
- Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Knez Mihailova 35, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Francesca Marini
- Biotechnology and Biological Control Agency (BBCA), Via Angelo Signorelli 105, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Cristofaro
- Biotechnology and Biological Control Agency (BBCA), Via Angelo Signorelli 105, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Brian G. Rector
- USDA-ARS, Great Basin Rangelands Research Unit, 920 Valley Road, Reno, NV 89512, USA
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Yin Y, Yao LF, Hu Y, Shao ZK, Hong XY, Hebert PDN, Xue XF. DNA barcoding uncovers cryptic diversity in minute herbivorous mites (Acari, Eriophyoidea). Mol Ecol Resour 2022; 22:1986-1998. [PMID: 35178894 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Eriophyoid mites (Acari: Eriophyoidea) are among the smallest of terrestrial arthropods and the most species-rich group of herbivorous mites with a high host specificity. However, knowledge of their species diversity has been impeded by the difficulty of their morphological differentiation. This study assembles a DNA barcode reference library that includes 1,850 mitochondrial COI sequences which provides coverage for 45% of the 930 species of eriophyoid mites known from China, and for 37 North American species. Sequence analysis showed a clear barcode gap in nearly all species, reflecting the fact that intraspecific divergences averaged 0.97% versus a mean of 18.51% for interspecific divergences (minimum nearest-neighbor distances) in taxa belonging to three families. Based on these results, we used DNA barcoding to explore the species diversity of eriophyoid mites as well as their host interactions. The 1,850 sequences were assigned to 531 Barcode Index Numbers (BINs). Analyses examining the correspondence between these BINs and species identifications based on morphology revealed that members of 45 species were assigned to two or more BINs, resulting in 1.16 times more BINs than morphospecies. Richness projections suggest that over 2,345 BINs occurred at the sampled locations. Host plant analysis showed that 89% of these mites (BINs) attack only one or two congeneric host species, but the others have several hosts. Furthermore, host-mite network analyses demonstrate that eriophyoid mites are high host-specific, and modularity is high in plant-mite networks. By creating a highly effective identification system for eriophyoid mites in BOLD, DNA barcoding will advance our understanding of the diversity of eriophyoid mites and their host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Yin
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Liang-Fei Yao
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yue Hu
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zi-Kai Shao
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiao-Yue Hong
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Paul D N Hebert
- Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Xiao-Feng Xue
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Marini F, Weyl P, Vidović B, Petanović R, Littlefield J, Simoni S, de Lillo E, Cristofaro M, Smith L. Eriophyid Mites in Classical Biological Control of Weeds: Progress and Challenges. INSECTS 2021; 12:513. [PMID: 34206023 PMCID: PMC8226519 DOI: 10.3390/insects12060513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
A classical biological control agent is an exotic host-specific natural enemy, which is intentionally introduced to obtain long-term control of an alien invasive species. Among the arthropods considered for this role, eriophyid mites are likely to possess the main attributes required: host specificity, efficacy, and long-lasting effects. However, so far, only a few species have been approved for release. Due to their microscopic size and the general lack of knowledge regarding their biology and behavior, working with eriophyids is particularly challenging. Furthermore, mites disperse in wind, and little is known about biotic and abiotic constraints to their population growth. All these aspects pose challenges that, if not properly dealt with, can make it particularly difficult to evaluate eriophyids as prospective biological control agents and jeopardize the general success of control programs. We identified some of the critical aspects of working with eriophyids in classical biological control of weeds and focused on how they have been or may be addressed. In particular, we analyzed the importance of accurate mite identification, the difficulties faced in the evaluation of their host specificity, risk assessment of nontarget species, their impact on the weed, and the final steps of mite release and post-release monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Marini
- Biotechnology and Biological Control Agency (BBCA), via Angelo Signorelli 105, 00123 Rome, Italy;
| | - Philip Weyl
- CABI, Rue des Grillons 1, 2800 Delémont, Switzerland;
| | - Biljana Vidović
- Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.V.); (R.P.)
| | - Radmila Petanović
- Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.V.); (R.P.)
- Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Knez Mihailova 35, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jeffrey Littlefield
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA;
| | - Sauro Simoni
- CREA Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification, via di Lanciola 12a, 50125 Firenze, Italy;
| | - Enrico de Lillo
- Department of Plant, Soil and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy;
| | - Massimo Cristofaro
- Biotechnology and Biological Control Agency (BBCA), via Angelo Signorelli 105, 00123 Rome, Italy;
- ENEA Casaccia, SSPT-BIOAG-PROBIO, via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Lincoln Smith
- USDA-ARS Western Regional Research Center, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, USA;
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Laska A, Majer A, Szydło W, Karpicka-Ignatowska K, Hornyák M, Labrzycka A, Skoracka A. Cryptic diversity within grass-associated Abacarus species complex (Acariformes: Eriophyidae), with the description of a new species, Abacarus plumiger n. sp. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2018; 76:1-28. [PMID: 30171478 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-018-0291-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Accurate estimation of species richness is often complex as genetic divergence is not always accompanied by appreciable morphological differentiation. In consequence, cryptic lineages or species evolve. Cryptic speciation is common especially in taxa characterized by small and simplified bodies, what makes their proper identification challenging. The cereal rust mite, Abacarus hystrix, was regarded for a long time as a species associated with a wide range of grass hosts, whereas wide host ranges are rather rare in eriophyoid mites. Therefore, the generalist status of A. hystrix was questioned. In this paper we demonstrate that the diversity within Abacarus species associated with grasses is more complex than it was previously thought. The 78 Abacarus mtDNA COI sequences used in this study formed 10 highly supported clades (bootstrap value 99%) and four more distinct genetic lineages were represented by unique sequences. The genetic distances between them ranged from 6.6 to 26.5%. Moreover, morphological study and genetic approach based on the combination of the Poisson Tree Processes model for species delimitation (PTP) and a Bayesian implementation of PTP (bPTP), and Neighbour Joining analyses led to delimitation of a new species within the Abacarus complex: Abacarus plumiger, specialized on smooth brome (Bromus inermis). Furthermore, our analyses demonstrated a pattern of host-associated differentiation within the complex. Overall, our study indicates that cryptic speciation occurs in the grass-associated Abacarus genus, and suggests the need for more extensive sampling using integrative methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicja Laska
- Population Ecology Lab, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
| | - Agnieszka Majer
- Population Ecology Lab, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Wiktoria Szydło
- Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 103 Entomology Hall, Lincoln, NE, 68583-0816, USA
| | - Kamila Karpicka-Ignatowska
- Population Ecology Lab, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Marta Hornyák
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Economics, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Podłużna 3, 30-239, Kraków, Poland
| | - Anna Labrzycka
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Anna Skoracka
- Population Ecology Lab, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
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Laska A, Rector BG, Kuczyński L, Skoracka A. Is body size important? Seasonal changes in morphology in two grass-feeding Abacarus mites. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2017; 72:317-328. [PMID: 28752482 PMCID: PMC5583266 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-017-0159-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Overwintering strategies in herbivorous mites (Acariformes: Eriophyoidea) are poorly understood. A study of two Abacarus spp. was conducted to compare body size parameters of adult females in different seasons. Mites of Abacarus n. sp. (under description) and A. lolli were sampled from Bromopsis inermis and Lolium perenne, respectively, in April, September and December of 2001 in Poznań, Poland; 21 morphological traits were measured for each specimen. A principal component analysis revealed significant differences in body size parameters between collection dates, with larger females collected in December in both species. Larger body size in winter is consistent with the hypothesis that mites of these species, for which deutogyny has not been observed, undergo physiological changes such as accumulation of nutritional reserves, that enable them to withstand adverse environmental conditions. Larger body size has also been shown in other invertebrates to reduce heat loss in cold conditions. Filling gaps in the current knowledge of eriophyoid overwintering strategies, whether in the presence or absence of deutogyny, will contribute to both basic and applied future studies of this important arthropod group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicja Laska
- Population Ecology Lab, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
| | - Brian G Rector
- Great Basin Rangelands Research Unit, 920 Valley Road, Reno, NV, 89512, USA
| | - Lechosław Kuczyński
- Population Ecology Lab, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Anna Skoracka
- Population Ecology Lab, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
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