Introduction and Establishment ofPissodes castaneus(Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the Andean Patagonia of Argentina

Abstract

The pine weevils that occur in plantations of Pinus spp. in Andean Patagonia of Argentina belong to the species Pissodes castaneus (De Geer), a Eurasian endemic species, according to the identification based on molecular and morphological characters. Sequences of the mitochondrial Cytochrome oxidase subunit I and nuclear genes (28 S rDNA and ITS2) were obtained for individuals of 13 afforestations, covering the entire distribution area of the established populations in the Andean Patagonia of Argentina. Sequence comparison with representative species of the genus (European, North American, and Chinese species) shows that Patagonian specimens are conspecific to those of P. castaneus sequenced from Europe. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that all terminals from Patagonia form a monophyletic unit without evident subclades, eliminating the possibility of existence of more than one species of Pissodes Germar in this area, including cryptic ones. Moreover, the very low genetic divergence between the Patagonian populations suggests that it is plausible that P. castaneus was introduced into Patagonia from just one location. Mitochondrial DNA analysis shows that Patagonian terminals group together with a French haplotype and are clearly separated from other P. castaneus individuals represented in our sample, and reveal that established populations in Andean Patagonia originated via a limited introduction.

Pest survey card on Pissodes cibriani, P. fasciatus, P. nemorensis, P. nitidus, P. punctatus, P. strobi, P. terminalis, P. yunnanensis and P. zitacuarense

“…host species and type of damage) and the insect genetics. However, distinguishing between the species may require molecular tools, which provide also useful information about the presence of cryptic species, population structure and species composition (Pereyra et al, 2016). Langor and Sperling (1994) provide a diagnostic protocol based on restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis to distinguish the individual species of the P. strobi species complex.…”

Genetically depauperate and still successful: few multilocus genotypes of the introduced parthenogenetic weevil Naupactus cervinus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) prevail in the Continental United States

“…Curculionoidea is the largest and most diverse lineage of Metazoa (Marvaldi et al 2002), with several economically important forestry and agricultural pests like the "boll weevil" Anthonomus grandis Boheman, the "fruit weevil" Naupactus xanthographus (Germar), the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari), the banded pine weevil Pissodes castaneus (De Geer), the eucalyptus snout beetle (ESB) Gonipterus platensis Morelli, and the "Fuller's rose weevil" Naupactus cervinus Boheman Scataglini et al 2006;Wilcken et al 2008;Guzmán et al 2012;Infante et al 2014;Pereyra et al 2016;Rodriguero et al 2016Rodriguero et al , 2019.…”

Evaluation of attractants and traps for monitoring small banded pine weevil Pissodes castaneus

“…Small banded pine weevil, P. castaneus , is a species commonly found throughout Europe, especially in Italy, Austria, Germany, the Asian part of Russia, Turkey and North Africa (CABI, ). In 2001, it was introduced to South America, where it was initially described in Brazil; then, in 2003, it was identified in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile (Iede et al, ; Pereyra et al, ). In Poland, P. castaneus is increasingly found in pine reforestations and thickets (Skrzecz, ).…”