Ecological and molecular diversity of Eulachnini aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Lachninae) on coniferous plants in Lithuania

Rimantas RAKAUSKAS,Jekaterina HAVELKA,Jurij DANILOV

doi:10.14411/eje.2020.021

Abstract

Based on research carried out from 2016 to 2018 there are twenty-six species of aphids of the tribe Eulachnini in Lithuania. Seventeen are members of the subgenus Cinara of the genus Cinara, three of the subgenus Cupressobium and two of the subgenus Schizolachnus. In addition, there are four species of the genus Eulachnus. Summarized information on the distribution and host specificity of Eulachnini in Lithuania is presented. Nine species were in all climatic regions of Lithuania: C. (Cinara) brauni, C. (Cinara) hyperophila, C. (Cinara) neubergi, C. (Cinara) piceicola, C. (Cinara) pinea, C. (Cinara) pini, C. (Cinara) pruinosa, C. (Cupressobium) cupressi and C. (Cupressobium) juniperi. Five species of Lithuanian Eulachnini inhabit host plants of the genus Picea, three live on Larix, thirteen on Pinus, one on Abies, one on Thuja and three on Juniperus. Cinara (Cinara) piniphila was recorded on Pinus mugo and C. (Cinara) nuda on Pinus heldreichii for the first time. Partial COI and EF-1α sequences of C. (Cinara) hyperophila, C. (Cinara) pilosa and C. (Cinara) piceicola were obtained for the first time. Partial sequences of mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (EF-1α) DNA of Lithuanian samples were used to explore molecular diversity using NJ trees, Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD), General Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC) and Poisson Tree Processes (PTP). Species delimitation using GMYC (both on COI and EF-1α sequences), PTP (BI on COI) and ABGD (EF-1α) were the most consistent with traditional classifications. Pairwise between-species sample divergences (COI and EF-1α fragments) of the samples of the species complex C. (Cinara) pinea - C. (Cinara) piniphila indicate it is composed of a single species. Of the species of aphids that live on conifers, there are seven species of the tribe Eulachnini that are likely to shortly colonize Lithuania.

Highlights

Aphids of the tribe Eulachnini Baker, 1920 (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Lachninae) are phloem feeding insects inhabiting plants of the families Pinaceae and Cupressaceae
Our study revealed twenty-six aphid species of the tribe Eulachnini in Lithuania (Table 1)
The four climatic regions in Lithuania differ in terms of the diversity of Eulachnini (Figs 2–3): The highest species diversity was recorded in the Coastal region (23 species), whereas only 10 species were recorded in the Samogitian region

Summary

Introduction

Aphids of the tribe Eulachnini Baker, 1920 (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Lachninae) are phloem feeding insects inhabiting plants of the families Pinaceae and Cupressaceae. They are adapted to feed on particular parts of their host plants. Aphids of the tribe Eulachnini can cause serious damage in tree nurseries, parks, forests and cultivated areas (Watson et al, 1999; Hopmans & Elms, 2013; Dara et al, 2019). The honeydew of these aphids, is the raw material for the so called “forest honey”, which is an important commercial product in Europe (Binazzi & Scheurer, 2009)

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Conclusion