Matsucoccus macrocicatrices (Hemiptera: Matsucoccidae): first report, distribution, and association with symptomatic eastern white pine in the southeastern United States.
We provide the first report of Matsucoccus macrocicatrices Richards (Hemiptera: Matsucoccidae) feeding and reproducing on eastern white pine, Pinus strobus L., in the southeastern United States. Until now, M. macrocicatrices had been reported only from the Canadian Atlantic Maritimes, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Entomological holdings of 27 major museums in eastern North America have no historical records for M. macrocicatrices from the southeastern region. However, our field surveys and molecular analyses (DNA barcoding) have resulted in the collection and positive identification of M. macrocicatrices in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia In addition to the new geographic range, M. macrocicatrices is also being associated with dieback and mortality of all diameter classes of P. strobus leading to concern about a potential shift from its historically nonpestiferous presence on the host tree. On P. strobus, M. macrocicatrices was found embedded in cankers or present on top of the bark with necrotic tissue under their feeding area, indicating that they may be creating wounds for opportunistic pathogenic fungi to infest. Further, we found M. macrocicatrices living outside of the epiphytic mats of its symbiotic fungus, Septobasidium pinicola Snell. This study shows that M. macrocicatrices is now widespread in the southeastern United States, with implications for the future survival and regeneration of P. strobus in eastern North America.
Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 East Green St., Athens, GA 30602, USA. angmech@uga.edu
Angela M
AM
Mech
Virginia Department of Forestry, 900 Natural Resources Drive, Suite 800, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA.
Christopher
C
Asaro
USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, 320 Green St., Athens, GA 30602, USA.
Michelle M
MM
Cram
Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 East Green St., Athens, GA 30602, USA.
David R
DR
Coyle
Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, The Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
Penelope J
PJ
Gullan
School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
Lyn G
LG
Cook
Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 East Green St., Athens, GA 30602, USA.
Kamal J K
KJ
Gandhi
D000818:Animals; D001061:Appalachian Region; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D020387:Food Chain; D016468:Forestry; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D017344:Genes, Insect; D005843:Geography; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D028223:Pinus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015144:Southeastern United States; D013559:Symbiosis
D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S