Interference of field evidence, morphology, and DNA analyses of three related Lysiphlebus aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae).
This study provides evidence on integrating the morphological, field, and laboratory data, and application of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding gene to the three asexual or sexual Lysiphlebus spp., i.e., Lysiphlebus cardui (Marshall), Lysiphlebus confusus Tremblay and Eady and Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae). New aphid- invasive plant association, Aphis fabae Scopoli (Hemipreta: Aphididae) on Impatiens glandulifera Royle, has been used in the same model area in the Czech Republic under the same sampling and rearing method for several consecutive years and throughout the season. For molecular identification of these three species, we used DNA sequences of the barcoding region of the mitochondrial COI gene. Although our results confirmed ecological and morphological differences among L. cardui, L. confusus, and L. fabarum, genetic analysis on the basis of COI mitochondrial barcoding gene does not support species status of the mentioned Lysiphlebus taxa. The level of morphological differentiation in these Lysiphlebus Förster species is in accordance with the usual species variability within subfamily Aphidiinae. However, it should be examined how appearance of asexual lineages affects the morphological or genetical variability.
Laboratory of Aphidology, Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, 37005 Česke Budějovice, Czech Republic.
Petr
P
Starý
Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 8 Stefanou Delta st. 14561, Kifissia, Attica, Greece.
Nickolas G
NG
Kavallieratos
Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
Andjeljko
A
Petrović
Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš, Serbia.
Vladimir
V
Žikić
Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, University of Zabol, POB 98615-538, I. R. Iran.
Ehsan
E
Rakhshani
Laboratory for Medical Entomology, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Dr. Subotića 4, POB 102, 11129, Belgrade, Serbia.
Snežana
S
Tomanović
Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia ztoman@bio.bg.ac.rs.
Željko
Ž
Tomanović
Laboratory of Aphidology, Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, 37005 Česke Budějovice, Czech Republic.
Jan
J
Havelka
D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000469:parasitology*; D018153:Czech Republic; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D058507:Host Specificity; D014863:Wasps / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics*
Aphis fabae; Europe; Impatiens glandulifera; Lysiphlebus; taxonomy