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Hernández-Teixidor D, Cussigh A, Suárez D, García J, Scheffrahn RH, Luchetti A. Molecular analyses of the Kalotermes dispar-complex (Blattodea: Kalotermitidae) from the Canary Islands reveal cryptic intraspecific divergence and a connection to a lone Nearctic congener. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2024; 24:6. [PMID: 38989844 PMCID: PMC11237993 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieae072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
The Canary Islands is a Macaronesian volcanic archipelago with a depauperate community of three species of Kalotermitidae, including Kalotermes dispar. A total of 54 Kalotermes colonies were collected from Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma, and El Hierro islands. Soldiers and imagos were morphologically examined and sequenced for four mitochondrial markers. Although morphological differences could not be detected, phylogenetic analysis of both cox1/tRNA/cox2 and rrnL markers revealed two distinct clades of K. dispar, suggesting cryptic diversity. The diversification within the Canary Kalotermes lineage most likely occurred around 7.5 Mya, while the divergence within the two clades was reconstructed at about 3.6 Mya and 1.9 Mya. Kalotermes approximatus from the southeastern Nearctic constitutes a sister to the Canary Kalotermes, while the Palearctic K. flavicollis, K. italicus, and K. phoenicae form a separate clade. It is hypothesized that a faunal exchange of Kalotermes from the Nearctic to the Canary Islands occurred via transoceanic rafting during the mid-Miocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Hernández-Teixidor
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 La Laguna, Spain
- Grupo de Investigaciones Entomológicas de Tenerife (GIET), 38108 La Laguna, Spain
| | - Alex Cussigh
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Daniel Suárez
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 La Laguna, Spain
- Grupo de Investigaciones Entomológicas de Tenerife (GIET), 38108 La Laguna, Spain
| | - Javier García
- Grupo de Investigaciones Entomológicas de Tenerife (GIET), 38108 La Laguna, Spain
| | - Rudolf H Scheffrahn
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences, 3205 College Avenue, Davie, FL 33314, USA
| | - Andrea Luchetti
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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Scicchitano V, Dedeine F, Mantovani B, Luchetti A. Molecular systematics, biogeography, and colony fusion in the European dry-wood termites Kalotermes spp. (Blattodea, Termitoidae, Kalotermitidae). BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2018; 108:523-531. [PMID: 29070094 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485317001080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
European dry-wood termites belong to the genus Kalotermes (Kalotermitidae), one of the two termite genera in Europe. Until the recent description of two new species, Kalotermes italicus in Italy and Kalotermes phoenicae in the eastern Mediterranean area, Kalotermes flavicollis was the only taxon known in this region. The presence of additional entities, suggested by morphological and physiological variation observed in K. flavicollis, was supported by molecular studies revealing four distinct genetic lineages: lineage A, K. flavicollis sensu strictu, from the Aegean area to Italy; lineage B, in Tuscany; lineage SC, in Sardinia and Corsica; lineage SF, in southern France. Lineages A and B may form mixed colonies, suggesting hybridization. To draw a more detailed picture of Kalotermes evolution and biogeography in Europe, we analyzed samples from previously unsampled areas, such as Spain and southern Italy, by means of the highly informative cox1/trnL/cox2 mitochondrial DNA marker. Overall, phylogenetic analyses confirmed previously identified lineages and taxa, but widened the distribution of the lineage SC to the mainland and of the lineage SF to Spain and Portugal. Results further provided evidence for the synonymy between lineage B and K. italicus. Species delimitation analysis suggested that the three K. flavicollis lineages, as well as K. italicus, can be separate taxa. Data also suggest a possible interspecific hybridization between K. italicus and both K. flavicollis lineages A and SC.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Scicchitano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche,Geologiche e Ambientali - Università di Bologna,via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna,Italy
| | - F Dedeine
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS - Université François-Rabelais de Tours,Parc Grandmont, 37200 Tours,France
| | - B Mantovani
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche,Geologiche e Ambientali - Università di Bologna,via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna,Italy
| | - A Luchetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche,Geologiche e Ambientali - Università di Bologna,via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna,Italy
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Bellahirech A, Inácio ML, Nóbrega F, Henriques J, Bonifácio L, Sousa E, Ben Jamâa ML. Can behavioural differences in Platypus cylindrus (Coleoptera: Platypodinae) from Portugal and Tunisia be explained by genetic and morphological traits? BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2016; 106:1-8. [PMID: 26193771 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485315000437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Platypus cylindrus is an important wood borer of cork oak trees (Quercus suber) in the Mediterranean region, namely Portugal, Morocco and Algeria where its presence has drastically increased in the past few decades. On the contrary, the insect is not a relevant pest in Tunisia. The aim of this work is to analyze morphological and genetic differences among Tunisian and Portuguese populations in order to understand their role in the diverse population dynamics (e.g., aggressiveness) of the insect. The information could be used as a novel tool to implement protective measures. Insects were collected from cork oak stands in Tunisia (Ain Beya, Babouch and Mzara) and Portugal (Chamusca and Crato). Morphological traits of female and male mycangial pits were determined, using scanning electron microscopy but no significant differences were found. Genetic differences were analyzed using nuclear (internal simple sequence repeat polymerase chain reaction) and mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase I (COI)) molecular markers. The results showed a very low level of intraspecific polymorphism and genetic diversity. The alignment of COI sequences showed high percentage of identical sites (99%) indicating a very low variation in nucleotide composition. Other variables related with the ecology of the insect and its associated fungi must be studied for a better understanding of the differences in the insect population's dynamic in Mediterranean countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bellahirech
- National Research Institute of Rural Engineering,Water and Forests,B.P. N°10, 2080,Ariana,Tunisia
| | - M L Inácio
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária,I.P. Av. da República,Quinta do Marquês, 2780-159 Oeiras,Portugal
| | - F Nóbrega
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária,I.P. Av. da República,Quinta do Marquês, 2780-159 Oeiras,Portugal
| | - J Henriques
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária,I.P. Av. da República,Quinta do Marquês, 2780-159 Oeiras,Portugal
| | - L Bonifácio
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária,I.P. Av. da República,Quinta do Marquês, 2780-159 Oeiras,Portugal
| | - E Sousa
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária,I.P. Av. da República,Quinta do Marquês, 2780-159 Oeiras,Portugal
| | - M L Ben Jamâa
- National Research Institute of Rural Engineering,Water and Forests,B.P. N°10, 2080,Ariana,Tunisia
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Ghesini S, Marini M. Molecular characterization and phylogeny of Kalotermes populations from the Levant, and description of Kalotermes phoeniciae sp. nov. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2015; 105:285-293. [PMID: 25779003 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485315000097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The presence of the yellow-necked drywood termite, Kalotermes flavicollis Fabr., has been reported along most of the Mediterranean coasts of Europe, Africa and Asia. While morphological and genetic data exist on European K. flavicollis populations from western and central Mediterranean regions, data on eastern Mediterranean Kalotermes are scarce, and no genetic data exist to date. In this study, we analyzed 17 Kalotermes sp. colonies from 11 localities in the Levant (Cyprus, Lebanon, and Israel), in order to characterize genetically (mitochondrial DNA: COII, 16S, and control region) these populations. We found that samples from the Levant are genetically different from K. flavicollis, with distance values falling in the range of interspecific distances. In the phylogeny of European Kalotermes populations, samples from the Levant form a clade of their own, sister to a clade including K. flavicollis and Kalotermes italicus. Inside the eastern Mediterranean clade, all the samples from Cyprus are included in a well-supported subclade, suggesting that the colonization of the island might have occurred in a single event. These findings show that the populations we examined do not belong to the species K. flavicollis, but to a new species peculiar to the Levant, that we describe as Kalotermes phoeniciae sp. nov. It is possible that previous reports of K. flavicollis in this region can be attributed to K. phoeniciae.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Ghesini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche,Geologiche e Ambientali,Università di Bologna,Via Selmi 3 I-40126 Bologna,Italy
| | - M Marini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche,Geologiche e Ambientali,Università di Bologna,Via Selmi 3 I-40126 Bologna,Italy
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Luchetti A, Scicchitano V, Mantovani B. Origin and evolution of the Italian subterranean termite Reticulitermes lucifugus (Blattodea, Termitoidae, Rhinotermitidae). BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2013; 103:734-741. [PMID: 23883615 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485313000400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The Holarctic genus Reticulitermes shows seven species within the Mediterranean Basin. While phylogeny and systematics at continental level has been deeply investigated, a few studies concentrated on local ranges. To gain a clearer picture of the diversity and evolution of the Italian species Reticulitermes lucifugus, we analyzed the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II (COII) gene marker in newly collected colonies across the Peninsula. Data were gathered with all R. lucifugus sequences available from previous studies; COII sequences of the closely related Iberian taxa were also added to the data set. Maximum-likelihood, median-joining and statistical parsimony network elaborations on the resulting 119 colonies all agreed in indicating that: (i) the Sardo-Corsican subspecies R. lucifugus corsicus, strictly related to Southern Italian populations (including the Sicilian ones), is phylogenetically closer to the Iberian Reticulitermes grassei; and (ii) R. lucifugus lucifugus peninsular populations are structured into three clusters. The phylogenetic relationships and the biogeography of extant taxa suggest a scenario in which R. lucifugus ancestors colonized the Italian region through the Sardo-Corsican microplate during its Oligocene-Miocene anticlockwise rotation. Moreover, well after the colonization took place, northward range expansion might have produced the presently observed genetic diversity, as inferred from haplotype and nucleotide diversity estimates. On the whole, this study highlights the evolution of Italian Reticulitermes taxa and supports the importance of a wide taxon sampling especially when dealing with organisms easily dispersed by human activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Luchetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali - Università di Bologna, via Selmi 3-40126 Bologna, Italy
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Luchetti A, Dedeine F, Velonà A, Mantovani B. Extreme genetic mixing within colonies of the wood-dwelling termiteKalotermes flavicollis(Isoptera, Kalotermitidae). Mol Ecol 2013; 22:3391-402. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2012] [Revised: 02/20/2013] [Accepted: 02/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Luchetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche; Geologiche e Ambientali - Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna; via Selmi 3 Bologna 40126 Italy
| | - F. Dedeine
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte; UMR CNRS 7261; Faculté des Sciences; Université de Tours; Parc de Grandmont Tours 37 200 France
| | - A. Velonà
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche; Geologiche e Ambientali - Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna; via Selmi 3 Bologna 40126 Italy
| | - B. Mantovani
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche; Geologiche e Ambientali - Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna; via Selmi 3 Bologna 40126 Italy
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