Molecular phylogenetics, systematics and host-plant associations of the Bruchidius albosparsus (Fåhraeus) species group (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae) with the description of four new species

Abstract

Bruchidius Schilsky is a large paraphyletic genus of seed beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) which consists of multiple lineages that are usually associated with narrow sets of host-plants. In this study we focus on a group that mostly develops on wattle trees (acacias) belonging to the genus Vachellia Wight & Arn. This group originally included nine species and was designated as the Bruchidius centromaculatus (Allard) species group, but recent phylogenetic analyses revealed that these species belong to a much wider group of species with similar morphologies. For reasons of anteriority we call this enlarged group Bruchidius albosparsus (Fåhraeus). Here we review the morphology of species in this group and provide new diagnoses and ecological data for 10 species. The following combinations and synonymies are proposed: Bruchidius tanaensis (Pic, 1921) (= Bruchus tanaensis Pic, 1921) comb. nov. and Bruchidius albosparsus (Fåhraeus, 1839) (= Bruchus spadiceus Fåhraeus, 1839) syn. nov. Four new species are also described: B. eminingensis sp. nov., B. gerrardiicola sp. nov., B. glomeratus sp. nov. and B. haladai sp. nov. Finally we carried out molecular phylogenetic analyses on a multi-marker dataset of 59 specimens and 35 species, including 14 species from the group. The resulting trees allow us to confirm the monophyly of the group of interest and provide a more detailed picture of their evolutionary relationships.

Pests and diseases of trees in Africa: A growing continental emergency

“…We seek to present here a near-exhaustive updated overview of highly significant arthropods and microorganisms affecting trees in Africa based on ecological or economic impact, widespread occurrence, or recent detection. (Atta, 1988;Delobel, 2015). The productivity of West African indigenous timber trees TA B L E 1 Native insect pests of indigenous and exotic trees in natural and planted forests (including agroforestry) reported in Africa…”

“…Coleopteran stem and seed borers, lepidopteran defoliators, stem and shoot borers, and sap‐feeding hemipterans are the major groups of native pests, with several taxa affecting important indigenous trees. Among coleopterans, the seed borer Bruchidius uberatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) is a relevant pest of Vachellia (= Acacia ) species (Fabaceae), and the stem borer Sphenoptera chalcichroa (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is damaging Vachellia nilotica , an important tree of South African savannah (Atta, ; Delobel, ). The productivity of West African indigenous timber trees Triplochiton scleroxylon (Malvaceae), and African teak Milicia excelsa and M. regia (Moraceae), is affected by native psyllids Diclidophlebia eastopi , Phytolyma fusca (African teak gall bug), and P. lata (Iroko gall bug) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), respectively (Bosu, Cobbinah, Nichols, Nkrumah, & Wagner, ; Ugwu & Omoloye, ; Wagner, Cobbinah, & Bosu, 2008a; Youmbi, Yana, & Tamesse, ).…”

Microsurgical manipulation reveals pre-copulatory function of key genital sclerites

“…These could function (i) to orient the male genitalic median lobe to locate and contact the female genital opening and/or (ii) in pre-copulatory courtship in order to stimulate acceptance of copulation by the female and/or (iii) in post-copulatory sexual selection to stimulate the uptake and utilization of the male sperm via CFC (Eberhard, 1996(Eberhard, , 2011. Indeed, in accordance with sexual selection theory and meeting the phylogenetic context as laid out by Eberhard (2011), there is good evidence that the parameres of the Bruchinae have evolved rapidly and divergently with considerable interspecific variation in the size and shape of the parameres and the number and length of setae that tip the parameres (Kingsolver, 1970;Anton and Delobel, 2003;Delobel et al, 2015;Delobel, 2016).…”

“…The micro-engineering of genital sclerites was further used to study the function of the male genital end-plate (Dougherty and Simmons, 2017). The end-plate, sometimes referred to as the 'valve', 'ventral valve' or 'flap' (Kingsolver, 1970;Cayetano et al, 2011;Delobel et al, 2015), is a triangular hook-like structure that covers the ostium or apical opening of the median lobe (Dougherty and Simmons, 2017;Mukerji and Bhuya, 1937). The structure 'stand(s) out like a peg on the aedeagus' when the intromittent portion of the median lobe (the phallosome and internal sac) are everted (Mukerji and Bhuya, 1937).…”

The complete mitochondrial genome of the seed-borer weevil, Bruchidius uberatus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae)

“…Bruchidius uberatus (Fahraeus) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) is a serious pest of Vachellia nilotica seeds (including V. n. tomentosa and V. n. adansonii), a far-spread tree species in African savannas with important economic and ecological value. In addition to the main host plant, this bruchid is also listed from Senegalia senegal, Vachellia sieberiana, V. flava, V. tortilis, V. kirkii, V. seyal and Acacia ehrenbergiana (Ernst et al 1990;Delobel et al 2015).…”