Phylogenetic analysis of Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: nitidulidae) from Reunion Island

Abstract

The small hive beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida Murray, native to sub-Saharan Africa, is a parasite of Apis mellifera causing significant damage to honey bee colonies. For the past decades, it has spread to many countries worldwide and once established, eradication is difficult or not feasible. In July 2022, an outbreak was reported for the first time in a French department in the Indian Ocean, Reunion Island. The origin and the pathway of the introduction were not identified. The molecular characterisation of SHB specimens collected in the southern part of the island, where the beetle has infested several apiaries, was investigated in order to provide elements on the invasive source. The sequencing of the partial Cytochrome oxidase I gene from two specimens showed that they belonged to the same new haplotype. Phylogenetic analysis suggests an introduction either from an unidentified African source or from the Asian continent since the haplotype is similar to those characterized from China and Philippines.