Genetic, biochemical, and behavioral uniformity among populations of Myzus nicotianae and Myzus persicae

Abstract

Prior to designation as distinct species, an appellation presently in question, the tobacco aphid, Myzus nicotianae Blackman (Homoptera: Aphididae), was classified as a tobacco‐feeding form of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer). In this study, RAPD polymorphisms distinguished members of the Myzus persicae complex (M. persicae and M. nicotianae) from three outgroup Myzus species (M. cerasi (F.), M. hemerocallis Takahashi, and M. varians Davidson). Polymorphisms within the complex did not separate populations on the basis of host association (tobacco versus other host plants) or geographic origin (collections from the United States, Europe, and Japan). Similarly, while GC‐MS analysis of cuticular hydrocarbon profiles revealed both developmental and inter‐populational differences within the M. persicae complex, it did not separate populations of tobacco feeding aphids from those collected off non‐tobacco hosts. Finally, with the exception of their responses to a choice between lettuce and collards, the host preference behavior of a green peach aphid population, a red tobacco aphid population, and a green tobacco aphid population was indistinguishable in host preference experiments. These results add to a growing body of evidence suggesting M. nicotianae and M. persicae are conspecific.

Behavioural differences during host selection between alate virginoparae of generalist and tobacco‐specialist Myzus persicae

“…Different patterns of performance have been found for M. persicae s.s. and M. persicae nicotianae , depending on the host plant (Clements et al., 2000). The specialist on tobacco shows a better performance on tobacco, although it may be reared on several species of five plant families under laboratory conditions (Semtner et al., 1998; Nikolakakis et al., 2003).…”

“…A study of the host preference of both aphid taxa did not reveal differences between them, and host selection was described as a random process (Clements et al., 2000). In contrast, Nikolakakis et al.…”

Microsatellite DNA and behavioural studies provide evidence of host-mediated speciation in Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

“…Subspecies status (as for Myzus persicae nicotianae Blackman) has been proposed for the tobacco‐feeding form of M. persicae (Margaritopoulos et al ., 2003; Eastop & Blackman, 2005) . Nevertheless, DNA studies on M. persicae , including some aimed specifically at comparing tobacco‐ and non‐tobacco‐feeding populations, have failed to find consistent diagnostic genetic markers (Margaritopoulos, Mamuris & Tsitsipis, 1998; Clements et al ., 2000a, b). DNA sequence data indicate that adaptation to tobacco must have occurred very recently, and that there is some introgression of genes from non‐tobacco‐feeding populations (Field et al ., 1994; Clements et al ., 2000b).…”

Experimental evidence for competitive exclusion of Myzus persicae nicotianae by Myzus persicae s.s. (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on sweet pepper, Capsicum annuum (Solanaceae)

“…However, laboratory experiments have demonstrated that M. p. nicotianae is able to survive and reproduce on species from at least five plant families, with a performance on sweet pepper, Capsicum annuum L. (Solanaceae), as good as on tobacco (Semtner et al, 1998;Basoalto et al, unpubl. data), and has been found on non-tobacco host plants in other countries (Clements et al, 2000). Additionally, all putative hosts of M. p. nicotianae (Semtner et al, 1998) can be colonized by M. persicae s.s., with the exception of N. tabacum, on which the latter cannot survive.…”