Abstract
Simple SummaryThe litchi stink bug (LSB) was inadvertently introduced to Taiwan recently and has since become a severe pest with substantial economic losses. The aim of this study is therefore to improve our knowledge of this invasive pest through multiple approaches including population monitoring, surveillance of natural enemies, and population genetic analysis. Major findings include: (1) a population fluctuation trend that is largely similar to most native LSB populations, (2) a total of seven egg parasitoid species were discovered, two of which (Anastatus dexingensis and A. fulloi) being most abundant throughout the LSB infestation in Taiwan, and (3) the occurrence of multiple introductions of LSB to Taiwan. All these data represent a preliminary yet necessary step for the design of future integrated pest management strategies and would help mitigate negative impacts of this invasive pest in Taiwan.Here we assessed population dynamics, natural enemy fauna (with emphasis on egg parasitoid), and population genetic structure (based on mitochondrial DNA) of the invasive litchi stink bug (LSB), Tessaratoma papillosa in Taiwan. Our major findings include: (1) fluctuations of LSB in numbers of adults, mating pairs, and egg masses over a 2-year period in Taiwan generally resemble those in the native populations; (2) Anastatus dexingensis and A. fulloi are among the most dominant LSB egg parasitoids, with the former consistently outnumbering the latter throughout Taiwan; (3) the presence of two genetically distinct clades suggests LSB in Taiwan most likely derived from multiple invasions. All these data practically improve our understanding of this invasive insect pest, particularly its ecological and genetic characteristics in the introduced area, which represents critical baseline information for the design of future integrated pest management strategies.
Highlights
The litchi stink bug (Tessaratoma papillosa Drury, hereinafter referred to as LSB) is a member of Tessaratomidae that is native to Southeast Asia (e.g., Thailand and Vietnam), India, and several southern provinces of China (e.g., Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian) [1,2,3]
Longan trees were the dominant type of vegetation, which minimizes the effect of different host plant species on the population dynamics of T. papillosa, if any
Of all parasitized eggs collected in 2018 and 2019, we have identified six egg parasitoid species in Taiwan including four monoparasitic wasps, Anastatus fulloi, A. dexingensis, A. formosanus Crawford, 1913 and Anastatus sp. and three polyparasitic wasps, Ooencyrtus utetheisae (Risbec), O. phongi Trjapitzin, Myartseva, and Kostjukov 1977, and a species belonging to Eulophidae
Summary
The litchi stink bug (Tessaratoma papillosa Drury, hereinafter referred to as LSB) is a member of Tessaratomidae that is native to Southeast Asia (e.g., Thailand and Vietnam), India, and several southern provinces of China (e.g., Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian) [1,2,3]. In 1997, the LSB was first reported in Kinmen, Taiwan (Figure 1), a continental island that is a few kilometers east of costal line of Fujian Province, China, and was discovered in the main island of Taiwan Adults or nymphs of LSB have been recorded to damage the shoots, flower spikes, and young fruits of the host plants as their piercing and sucking mouthparts puncture the plant tissues [6], resulting in flower drop, premature fruit drop, wilted twigs and fruits, and black peel.
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