Genetic diversity among Neoleucopis (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae) associated with Marchalina hellenica (Hemiptera: Marchalinidae) in Greece and Italy (Ischia)
| Authors: | Nikoleta Eleftheriadou, M. Lukas Seehausen, Marc Kenis, Greg Lefoe, Umar K Lubanga, Stephen D. Gaimari, Nathan P. P. Havill, Antonio P. Garonna, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Dimitrios N. Avtzis |
| Year: | 2025 |
| Type: | Scientific Journal |
| Station: | Northern Research Station |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1111/afe.70014 |
| Source: | Agricultural and Forest Entomology |
Abstract
Marchalina hellenica (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Marchalinidae), endemic to Greece and Türkiye, infests various pine species in both countries. Apart from its native range, this species has been recorded infesting pine trees in Italy [Campania (island of Ischia) and Marche regions], Croatia, and recently in Australia. While not a severe pest in its native habitat, M. hellenica has been found to negatively impact pines in the invaded regions.
Neoleucopis kartliana (Tanasijtshuk) (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae), a key natural enemy of M. hellenica in its native range, was introduced from Greece to Ischia as a biological control agent. In the current study, Neoleucopis populations from 22 sites across Greece and six sites from Ischia were examined using DNA barcoding and morphological traits to determine their identities and elucidate their distributions in Greece.
This integrated approach allowed the separation of three genetically diverged mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lineages within Neoleucopis, leading to the conclusion via morphology that there were possibly two additional mtDNA lineages besides that of N. kartliana. The three Neoleucopis mtDNA lineages were unevenly distributed in Greece, and all individuals screened from Ischia were identified as the N. kartliana mtDNA lineage.
These findings highlighted the need for further taxonomic work and provide a deeper insight into the diversity and distribution of Neoleucopis mtDNA lineages in their natural range and Ischia, which are essential for optimising biological control strategies against M. hellenica in other regions.