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Taxonomic relationship among four European Physokermes species (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA

Marques, Joana F. LU ; Winde, Inis LU ; Jönsson, Anna Maria LU and Anderbrant, Olle LU (2023) In Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 6.
Abstract

Introduction: Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) feed on a wide variety of agricultural crops and forest and ornamental trees worldwide. These pest insects damage plants not only by causing sap loss but also by reducing the plant's photosynthetic activity. This is because the honeydew they produce acts as a substrate for mold, which covers leaf surfaces. In the last decades, several outbreaks of Physokermes spp. (soft-scale insects) have occurred throughout Europe and have partly been attributed to unusual weather conditions or climate change, as some species seem to be expanding their distribution range. However, the small size of these insects and their large intraspecific morphological variation have hindered the identification... (More)

Introduction: Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) feed on a wide variety of agricultural crops and forest and ornamental trees worldwide. These pest insects damage plants not only by causing sap loss but also by reducing the plant's photosynthetic activity. This is because the honeydew they produce acts as a substrate for mold, which covers leaf surfaces. In the last decades, several outbreaks of Physokermes spp. (soft-scale insects) have occurred throughout Europe and have partly been attributed to unusual weather conditions or climate change, as some species seem to be expanding their distribution range. However, the small size of these insects and their large intraspecific morphological variation have hindered the identification of the species responsible for outbreaks. Methods: In this study, mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, COI), ribosomal RNA (28S), and nuclear (elongation factor 1α, EF1α) DNA markers were used to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of four Physokermes species sampled throughout Europe in 2013–2015. Results and discussion: The results allowed us to clearly distinguish P. hellenicus and P. inopinatus from each other, as these appeared in well-supported clades in the phylogenetic trees and from P. piceae and P. hemicryphys. However, P. hemicryphus appeared in a single clade in trees based on 28S and EF1α but among P. piceae in the COI tree. Further investigations are therefore required to determine the taxonomic status of P. piceae and P. hemicryphys, which seem to comprise a species complex.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
climate change, forest pest, Hungarian spruce scale, invasive species, phylogeny
in
Frontiers in Forests and Global Change
volume
6
article number
1167541
pages
8 pages
publisher
Frontiers Media S. A.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85163588914
ISSN
2624-893X
DOI
10.3389/ffgc.2023.1167541
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
341a0e98-3920-4722-922a-133a5db5f423
date added to LUP
2023-10-11 10:15:01
date last changed
2024-05-30 10:26:24
@article{341a0e98-3920-4722-922a-133a5db5f423,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction: Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) feed on a wide variety of agricultural crops and forest and ornamental trees worldwide. These pest insects damage plants not only by causing sap loss but also by reducing the plant's photosynthetic activity. This is because the honeydew they produce acts as a substrate for mold, which covers leaf surfaces. In the last decades, several outbreaks of Physokermes spp. (soft-scale insects) have occurred throughout Europe and have partly been attributed to unusual weather conditions or climate change, as some species seem to be expanding their distribution range. However, the small size of these insects and their large intraspecific morphological variation have hindered the identification of the species responsible for outbreaks. Methods: In this study, mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, COI), ribosomal RNA (28S), and nuclear (elongation factor 1α, EF1α) DNA markers were used to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of four Physokermes species sampled throughout Europe in 2013–2015. Results and discussion: The results allowed us to clearly distinguish P. hellenicus and P. inopinatus from each other, as these appeared in well-supported clades in the phylogenetic trees and from P. piceae and P. hemicryphys. However, P. hemicryphus appeared in a single clade in trees based on 28S and EF1α but among P. piceae in the COI tree. Further investigations are therefore required to determine the taxonomic status of P. piceae and P. hemicryphys, which seem to comprise a species complex.</p>}},
  author       = {{Marques, Joana F. and Winde, Inis and Jönsson, Anna Maria and Anderbrant, Olle}},
  issn         = {{2624-893X}},
  keywords     = {{climate change; forest pest; Hungarian spruce scale; invasive species; phylogeny}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  publisher    = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}},
  series       = {{Frontiers in Forests and Global Change}},
  title        = {{Taxonomic relationship among four European Physokermes species (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2023.1167541}},
  doi          = {{10.3389/ffgc.2023.1167541}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}