Piloting the use of DNA barcoding in support of natural enemy surveys: New parasitoid records for banana skippers (Erionota spp., Lepidoptera,Hesperiidae) in Malaysia

We report a preliminary study carried out in Peninsular Malaysia, with the objective of rearing parasitoids of the two species of banana skippers (Erionota thrax and E. torus: Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae) and using DNA barcoding of Erionota spp. early stages (which are indistinguishable) and host remains to associate parasitoids with their host Erionota species. We were able to use barcodes to reliably identify the dead host remains, unreliably identify a limited subset of associated material (exuviae, frass, pupal exoskeleton, silk, wax) and to make provisional generic identifications of the parasitoids. We found parasitism by Argyrophylax sp. possibly phoeda (Tachinidae) on both species of Erionotus, by ?Casinaria sp. (Ichneumonidae) on E. thrax, and by Elasmus sp. (Eulophidae) on E. torus. The first is a new host-parasitoid association, and the second is a new association for Peninsular Malaysia. We conclude that the use of DNA barcoding, particularly for recently dead host remains, is a valuable tool to assess host-parasitoid associations where the hosts cannot be reliably identified from morphological characters.     

Review of the biology and ecology of a ragweed leaf beetle,Ophraella communa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), which is a biological control agent of an invasive common ragweed,Ambrosia artemisiifolia (Asterales: Asteraceae)

A ragweed leaf beetle, Ophraella communa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), has been highlighted as a potential biological control agent of Ambrosia artemisiifolia. O. communa and A. artemisiifolia are native in North America and alien species in East Asia and Europe. As an invasive weed, A. artemisiifolia causes severe economic losses as reducing agricultural production as well as producing severe allergenic pollen. As an herbivore insect, O. communa has strong host preference on A. artemisiifolia. All the developmental stages of O. communa can be found on A. artemisiifolia and it attacks a single plant in repeated and extended manners. With few individuals on A. artemisiifolia, O. communa can completely defoliate before pollen production. Therefore, O. communa had been focused as a biological control of this invasive weed, but its introduction was denied because of possible damage on an important crop, Helianthus annuus. O. communa was accidentally introduced in East Asia and Europe in 1990s and 2010s, respectively. Fortunately, O. communa population was well established to suppress A. artemisiifolia in the introduced areas. Following detailed field surveys and host specificity tests of O. communa were conducted and proved a strong potential of O. communa as a biological control agent of A. artemisiifolia. Moreover, O. communa has been investigated in physiological and evolutionary studies. In this study, the potential of O. communa as a biological control agent and a study organism are reviewed.     

The advantages and disadvantages of being introduced

Introduced species, those dispersed outside their natural ranges by humans, now cause almost all biological invasions, i.e., entry of organisms into habitats with negative effects on organisms already there. Knowing whether introduction tends to give organisms specific ecological advantages or disadvantages in their new habitats could help understand and control invasions. Even if no specific species traits are associated with introduction, introduced species might out-compete native ones just because the pool of introduced species is very large (“global competition hypothesis”). Especially in the case of intentional introduction, high initial propagule pressure might further increase the chance of establishment, and repeated introductions from different source populations might increase the fitness of introduced species through hybridization. Intentional introduction screens species for usefulness to humans and so might select for rapid growth and reproduction or carry species to suitable habitats, all which could promote invasiveness. However, trade offs between growth and tolerance might make introduced species vulnerable to extreme climatic events and cause some invasions to be transient (“reckless invader hypothesis”). Unintentional introduction may screen for species associated with human-disturbed habitats, and human disturbance of their new habitats may make these species more invasive. Introduction and natural long-distance dispersal both imply that species have neither undergone adaptation in their new habitats nor been adapted to by other species there. These two characteristics are the basis for many well-known hypotheses about invasion, including the “biotic resistance”, “enemy release”, “evolution of increased competitive ability” and “novel weapon” hypotheses, each of which has been shown to help explain some invasions. To the extent that biotic resistance depends upon local adaption by native species, altering selection pressures could reduce resistance and promote invasion (“local adaptation hypothesis”), and restoring natural regimes could reverse this effect.     

Molecular Phylogeny and Genetic Divergence of the Introduced Populations of Japanese Guppies, Poecilia reticulata

A phylogenetic tree of guppies from seven introduced Japanese populations was constructed using a mitochondrial gene, and the relationship between these Japanese populations and indigenous South American populations was examined. Phylogenetic trees constructed by maximum parsimony and neighbor joining methods indicated four major groups: Group A: Trinidadian populations; Group B: the northernmost Okinawa populations; Group C: the northern Okinawa populations; Group D: Shimoda populations and the remainder of Trinidadian, Venezuelan, and southern Okinawa populations. Considerable genetic differences were observed among the haplotypes within each Okinawa population similar to that found among haplotypes of different native populations, but not within the Shimoda population, because each Okinawa population included haplotypes belonging to different groups. Genetic differences between Groups B, C, and D might reflect those of the introduced lineages; however, these differences might not result from the divergence after introduction events. These results suggested that multiple introductions of different breeding lineages might cause considerable divergence within and between Okinawa populations.     

Is invasion success explained by the enemy release hypothesis?

A recent trend in invasion ecology relates the success of non‐indigenous species (NIS) to reduced control by enemies such as pathogens, parasites and predators (i.e. the enemy release hypothesis, ERH). Despite the demonstrated importance of enemies to host population dynamics, studies of the ERH are split – biogeographical analyses primarily show a reduction in the diversity of enemies in the introduced range compared with the native range, while community studies imply that NIS are no less affected by enemies than native species in the invaded community. A broad review of the invasion literature implies at least eight non‐exclusive explanations for this enigma. In addition, we argue that the ERH has often been accepted uncritically wherever (i) NIS often appear larger, more fecund, or somehow ‘better’ than either congeners in the introduced region, or conspecifics in the native range; and (ii) known enemies are conspicuously absent from the introduced range. However, all NIS, regardless of their abundance or impact, will lose natural enemies at a biogeographical scale. Given the complexity of processes that underlie biological invasions, we argue against a simple relationship between enemy ‘release’ and the vigour, abundance or impact of NIS.     

Invasion triangle: an organizational framework for species invasion

Species invasion is a complex, multifactor process. To encapsulate this complexity into an intuitively appealing, simple, and straightforward manner, we present an organizational framework in the form of an invasion triangle. The invasion triangle is an adaptation of the disease triangle used by plant pathologists to help envision and evaluate interactions among a host, a pathogen, and an environment. Our modification of this framework for invasive species incorporates the major processes that result in invasion as the three sides of the triangle: (1) attributes of the potential invader; (2) biotic characteristics of a potentially invaded site; and (3) environmental conditions of the site. The invasion triangle also includes the impact of external influences on each side of the triangle, such as climate and land use change. This paper introduces the invasion triangle, discusses how accepted invasion hypotheses are integrated in this framework, describes how the invasion triangle can be used to focus research and management, and provides examples of application. The framework provided by the invasion triangle is easy to use by both researchers and managers and also applicable at any level of data intensity, from expert opinion to highly controlled experiments. The organizational framework provided by the invasion triangle is beneficial for understanding and predicting why species are invasive in specific environments, for identifying knowledge gaps, for facilitating communication, and for directing management in regard to invasive species.     

生态恢复状态下天敌对小菜蛾的自然控制作用

通过组建不同防治措施下的小菜蛾自然种群生命表,结果表明,化学防治区小菜蛾自然种群趋势指数为52.52;在生态恢复区,天敌因子对目标害虫的自然控制作用得到恢复和增强,连续4个世代的小菜蛾种群趋势指数分别为16.9、7.16、3.71和4.02,其种群数量的发展得到有效地抑制.影响小菜蛾春季第一、第二、第三及第四代种群数量的重要因子分别为绒茧蜂寄生、4龄幼虫的捕食及其它、赤眼蜂寄生和绒茧蜂寄生,其相应的排除作用控制指数分别为1.39、1.56、1.74和1.54.从天敌与小菜蛾种群相互作用的过程来看,前者对后者的控制作用表现出明显的时滞效应,其种群数量的发展需要一个累积过程.能否采取积极的田间保护、增强措施,将是充分发挥天敌控害潜能的关键因素之一.     

A new species of Aprostocetus Westwood (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), parasitizing mango leaf gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), from India

A new species of Aprostocetus doonensis Singh sp. nov. is described from northern India. The new species is a parasitoid of mango leaf gall midge, Procontarinia mangiferae (Felt) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Some observations on biology and parasitization rate are also given.     

First record of Balcha Walker (Hymenoptera,Eupelmidae) in South Korea with the description of one new species

The genus Balcha Walker (Eupelmidae) is recorded for the first time in South Korea, with one newly described species and one newly recorded species. Both sexes of Balcha opaca Fusu sp. n. are described, and the presumed male of B. dictyota Gibson is described for the first time. The newly described species is peculiar in having a comparatively darker and less shiny mesoscutum. In other species of the genus the mesoscutum has brilliant metallic colours that contrast with dorsal dark bands along areas of much finer sculpture.