Delineating the Asphondylia prosopidis Complex (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae): Possible Biological Control Agents of Honey Mesquite

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ikju Park ◽  
David C Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Gall Midge ◽  
Prosopis Glandulosa ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit ◽  
Annual Life Cycle ◽  
Gall Midges ◽  
Morphological Differences ◽  
Honey Mesquite

Abstract The Asphondylia prosopidis Cockrell complex with its fungal associate produces four distinct bud galls on honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa). They are considered as potential biological control agents to reduce seed production of invasive mesquites. Previous studies suggest that the complex may consist of more than one gall midge species or biotype. Therefore, before conducting host specificity tests, it is essential to understand the relationships among the gall midges in the complex. Each gall type was collected from sympatric regions in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas for four years. Here we show that midges producing each gall type were clearly separated based on phylogenetic analysis using DNA sequences in the cytochrome oxidase subunit I region. Furthermore, we confirmed that morphological differences between pupae from each gall type were discernible, although variable, using a scanning electron microscope. Based on these differences, we suggest that the A. prosopidis complex consists of four different gall midge species, three of which are cryptic species. Among them, Asphondylia species producing a barrel gall type and A. prosopidis producing the original gall type are potential biological control agents of P. glandulosa because they are multivoltine species with four to five generations per year that complete their annual life cycle exclusively on flower buds of mesquite.

A review of the gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) of Indonesia: taxonomy, biology and adult key to genera

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4847 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-82
Author(s):  
PETER KOLESIK ◽  
RAYMOND J. GAGNÉ
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Economic Importance ◽  
New Combination ◽  
Cultivated Plants ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Gall Midges ◽  
Senior Synonym ◽  
Species Type ◽  
Basic Biology ◽  
Type Data

Forty-seven species in 25 genera of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Cecidomyiinae) known from Indonesia are reviewed. Available historic types were examined, and taxa are revised. Leefmansiella Kolesik & Gagné gen. nov. is erected for Trishormomyia pandani Felt. Actilasioptera falcaria (Felt) is found to be a senior synonym of Actilasioptera tumidifolium Gagné. Apoasphondylia orientalis Felt is transferred to Bruggmanniella Tavares, new combination; Asphondylia bursaria Felt is changed to Bruggmanniella, new combination; Contarinia eragrostidis Felt to Stenodiplosis Reuter, new combination; the Australian Contarinia brevipalpis Harris to Stenodiplosis, new combination; Dasyneura tetrastigma Felt to Gephyraulus Rübsaamen, new combination; and the Philippine Itonida paederiae Felt to Eucalyptodiplosis Kolesik, new combination. For each species, type data, a description, the basic biology and the known geographical distribution are given. A key to Cecidomyiidae genera based on adults, with references to described species, is provided. Species of economic importance, as pests of cultivated plants or biological control agents of weeds and pest arthropods, are listed. 

Prospects for biological control of cutleaf mignonette, Reseda lutea (Resedaceae), by Baris picicornis and Bruchela spp. in Australia

2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 185 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Bailey ◽  
J-L. Sagliocco ◽  
J. Vitou ◽  
D. Cooke
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Brassica Rapa ◽  
Calcareous Soils ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Minor Importance ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Associated Fauna ◽  
Region Of Origin ◽  
Annual Life Cycle

In South Australia, Reseda lutea is abundant, invading pastures and crops on calcareous soils while in its native Mediterranean range it is uncommon in occurrence and is not reported as a weed of cultivated crops. Its invasive behaviour in South Australia may be attributed to vegetative growth of root fragments spread by cultivation, while propagation by seed is of minor importance. Surveys in Spain, Portugal, Morocco, France, Turkey and Israel indicated that agronomic differences, particularly depth of cultivation and seeding rates of cereals may explain why it is not a crop weed in these countries. Another difference is that plants in the region of origin have an associated fauna not present in Australia. These potential biological control agents include a root-boring weevil, Baris picicornis, flower- and seed-feeding urodontids, Bruchela suturalis and B. rufipes, and a leaf spot pathogen,Cercospora resedae. Baris picicornis was introduced from France and Turkey, under quarantine, to Australia but laboratory specificity-testing demonstrated that it could complete its life cycle on 2 commercially grown cultivars of Brassica rapa (choy sum and Chinese cabbage). Because of this, it is not proposed to release B. picicornis in Australia at present. Bruchela suturalis was also introduced into Australian quarantine from France but attempts to change its annual life cycle to Southern Hemisphere seasons were not successful, and a culture could not be established. Both Baris picicornis and Bruchela spp. remain promising agents, and further work on their introduction is justified by their potential for biological control of R. lutea.

scholarly journals Taxonomic Description of Stenodiplosis tectori n. sp. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), a Seed Parasite of Cheatgrass, Anisantha tectorum, Based on Morphological and Mitochondrial DNA Data

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 755
Author(s):  
Brian G. Rector ◽  
Raymond J. Gagné ◽  
Juan Manuel Perilla López ◽  
Kirk C. Tonkel ◽  
Marie-Claude Bon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Gall Midge ◽  
Control Program ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Population Diversity ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Sequence Comparisons ◽  
Gall Midges ◽  
The Balkans

Cheatgrass is an annual grass species from Eurasia that has become invasive in much of western North America. It has been implicated in recent increases in the frequency, size, and intensity of wildfires, contributing to severe economic, environmental, and social destruction. In order to reduce this damage, the USDA-ARS established a classical biological control program against cheatgrass. In 2018 and 2019, adult gall midges were collected emerging from cheatgrass seed heads collected at several sites in Bulgaria and Greece; this is the first gall midge ever recorded from cheatgrass. Morphological comparisons with related midge species recorded from other plant hosts revealed that this midge from cheatgrass is a new species, described here as Stenodiplosis tectori n. sp. This status was supported by sequence comparisons of a barcode region of the gene encoding the mitochondrial cytochrome c subunit I (CO1) protein in Stenodiplosis tectori n. sp. and three congeners. The present study is the first to report MT-CO1 data in the genus Stenodiplosis. The ingroup Stenodiplosis tectori n. sp. collected in the Balkans grouped in one phylogenetic supported clade, with an average K2P-distance from its closest related congener, S. sorghicola, of 7.73% (SD = 1.10). The findings indicated relatively high year-to-year within-population diversity. Implications for this gall midge’s utility as a biological control agent of cheatgrass are discussed.

scholarly journals Molecular and morphological congruence of three new crypticNeopetrosiaspp. in the Caribbean

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Vicente ◽  
Jaime Andrés Ríos ◽  
Sven Zea ◽  
Robert J. Toonen
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
28S Rrna ◽  
Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit ◽  
Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit ◽  
Remote Island ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Morphological Differences ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase

Neopetrosia proxima(Porifera: Demospongiae: Haplosclerida) is described as a morphologically variable sponge common on shallow reefs of the Caribbean. However, the range of morphological and reproductive variation within putativeN. proximaled us to hypothesize that such variability may be indicative of cryptic species rather than plasticity. Using DNA sequences and morphological characters we confirmed the presence of three previously undescribed species ofNeopetrosia. Morphological differences of each new congener were best resolved by partial gene sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 over nuclear ones (18S rRNA and 28S rRNA). Several new characters forNeopetrosiawere revealed by each new species. For example,N. dendrocrevaceasp. nov. andN. cristatasp. nov. showed the presence of grooves on the surface of the sponge body that converge at the oscula, and a more disorganized skeleton than previously defined for the genus.N. sigmaferasp. nov. adds the (1) presence of sigma microscleres, (2) significantly wider/longer oxeas (>200 μm), and (3) the presence of parenchymella larvae. Sampling of conspecifics throughout several locations in the Caribbean revealed larger spicules in habitats closer to the continental shelf than those in remote island locations. Our study highlights the importance of integrating molecular and morphological systematics for the discrimination of newNeopetrosiaspp. despite belonging to one of several polyphyletic groups (families, genera) within the current definition of the order Haplosclerida.

Yellow Brazilian Pepper-tree Leaf Galler (suggested common name) Calophya latiforceps Burckhardt (Insecta: Hemiptera: Calophyidae: Calophyinae)

EDIS ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
James P. Cuda ◽  
Patricia Prade ◽  
Carey R. Minteer-Killian
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
North America ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Pepper Tree ◽  
Brazilian Pepper ◽  
Close Relatives ◽  
Tree Leaf

In the late 1970s, Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae), was targeted for classical biological control in Florida because its invasive properties (see Host Plants) are consistent with escape from natural enemies (Williams 1954), and there are no native Schinus spp. in North America. The lack of native close relatives should minimize the risk of damage to non-target plants from introduced biological control agents (Pemberton 2000). [...]

The Screening of White-Rot Fungi as Biological Control Agents against Ganoderma philippii

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-28
Author(s):  
Sitompul Afrida ◽  
◽  
Aswardi Nasution ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
White Rot Fungi ◽  
White Rot ◽  
Biological Control Agents
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