Abstract
Prays oleae is the second most important pest in Mediterranean olive groves, causing substantial damage on olive production. We used mitochondrial [cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (nad5)] and nuclear [ribosomal protein S5 (RpS5)] amplicons to assess the population variability in five main olive producing regions from Tunisia, to support or dismiss the existence of two non-monophyletic groups within the species, as found within Portugal. Our phylogenetic analysis with cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) indeed displayed two distinct and well-supported clades of P. oleae, which were corroborated by the haplotype network reconstructed with both mitochondrial and nuclear amplicons. We were also able to dismiss the hypothesis that one of the clades would not develop on olive fruits. No correlation was observed between clades differentiation and geographic distribution. The existence of cryptic species can impact on the management of agroecosystems and on the perception of how these moths responds to environmental changes.
Highlights
Global crop losses by insects are estimated to be 13% per annum despite the usage of multiple pesticides [1]
The population dynamics of this moth is intrinsically dependent on the host-plant characteristics and development as its three yearly larval generations depend on the olive tree: (i) the phylophagous generation feeds on leaves; (ii) the anthophagous generation feeds on olive tree flowers and develops during the plant blooming; and (iii) the carpophagous generation feeds on olive fruits
All Tunisian specimens were sequenced for the c oxidase subunit I (COI), nad5 and ribosomal protein S5 (RpS5) amplicons
Summary
Global crop losses by insects are estimated to be 13% per annum despite the usage of multiple pesticides [1]. The dietary preferences of adults are, poorly known but likely they feed on floral nectar and on a variety of other liquids to most Lepidopteran adults [5]. Such a close and intricate connection between the olive moth and the olive tree should be reflected in the olive moth population structure and its co-evolutionary history. This co-history is already known and accepted for Bactrocera oleae (Diptera, Tephritidae) [6] whose larvae are monophagous, feeding exclusively on the tissue of olive fruits
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