DNA barcoding of fogged caterpillars in Peru: A novel approach for unveiling host-plant relationships of tropical moths (Insecta, Lepidoptera).

Axel Hausmann,Amelie Höcherl,Jerome Moriniere,Gerhard Haszprunar,Andreas Floren,Juliane Diller,Bernd Schierwater

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0224188

Axel Hausmann, Amelie Höcherl + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0224188

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Abstract

The present study aimed to perform molecular identification of lepidopteran larvae from canopy fogging including gut-content analyses. A total of 130 lepidopteran larvae were selected from 37 fogging samples at the Panguana station, district Yuyapichis, province Puerto Inca, department Huánuco, Peru. Target trees were pre-identified and subsequently submitted to molecular confirmation of identity with three markers (rbcL, psbA and trnL-F). The COI gene of 119 lepidopteran larvae was successfully sequenced and found to belong to 92 species: Comparison of DNA barcodes with the reference database of adult moths resulted in 65 (55%) matches at species level, 32 (27%) at genus level, 19 (16%) at subfamily or family level, three just to order level. Three larvae could not be assigned to a family. For these larvae the fogged target tree now suggests a potential host-plant relationship. Molecular gut content analysis, based on High-Throughput-Sequencing was successfully tested for ten larvae corroborating feeding on the target plant in some cases but elucidating several other cases of potential ‘alternative feeding’. We propose a larger-scale approach using this rapid and efficient method including molecular gut-content analyses for comprehensively testing the ratio of ‘alternative feeders’ and pitfalls caused by collateral fogging of larvae from neighboring trees.

Highlights

Despite much valuable work on host-relationships of Neotropical moths, e.g. from Ecuador [1], [2], or Costa Rica [3], [4], [5], the relevant literature is still scarce and patchy compared with the huge species diversity of Lepidoptera in Central and South America
Lepidoptera and much of the work focused on caterpillars found on plants of economic importance (e.g. [6], [7], [8])
Costa Rica so far revealed the huge amount of 22,957 geometrid moth records, the barcoded reared adults clustering to 566 BINs, of which 162 currently having Linnean species names

Summary

Introduction

Despite much valuable work on host-relationships of Neotropical moths, e.g. from Ecuador [1], [2], or Costa Rica [3], [4], [5], the relevant literature is still scarce and patchy compared with the huge species diversity of Lepidoptera in Central and South America. Costa Rica so far revealed the huge amount of 22,957 geometrid moth records, the barcoded reared adults clustering to 566 BINs, of which 162 currently having Linnean species names Brehm [1] presented 48 neotropical geometrid species with host-plant records, with 11 records added by Dyer et al [9] and 59 records by Bodner et al [2]. Altogether for some 680 Neotropical geometrid species (about 270 of which with Linnean species names) host-plant relationships are known, covering approx. Altogether for some 680 Neotropical geometrid species (about 270 of which with Linnean species names) host-plant relationships are known, covering approx. 8-

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