New Record of<i>Hypogeococcus pungens</i>(Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in the Dominican Republic with Comments on Specific Characters

German-Ramirez, E.; Kairo, M. T. K.; Stocks, Ian; Haseeb, Muhammad; Serra, Colmar A.

doi:10.1653/024.097.0151

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…The mealybug Hypogeococcus pungens Granara de Willink (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), commonly called the Harrisia cactus mealybug (HCM), is devastating the native columnar, globular and semi-epiphytic cactus species of Puerto Rico, and threatening cacti throughout the Caribbean, and Central and North America including Mexico [1,2]. H .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Untangling the Hypogeococcus pungens species complex (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) for Argentina, Australia, and Puerto Rico based on host plant associations and genetic evidence

et al. 2019

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Hypogeococcus pungens , a mealybug native of southern South America, is devastating native cacti in Puerto Rico and threatening cactus diversity in the Caribbean, and potentially in Central and North America. The taxonomic status of H . pungens is controversial since it has been reported feeding not only on Cactaceae but also on other plant families throughout its distribution range. However, in Australia, where the species had been exported from Argentina to control weedy American cacti, it was never found on host plants other than Cactaceae. These conflicting pieces of evidence not only cast doubt on the species identity that invaded Puerto Rico, but also have a negative impact on the search for natural enemies to be used in biological control programs against this pest. Here we present reproductive incompatibility and phylogenetic evidences that give support to the hypothesis that H . pungens is a species complex in which divergence appears to be driven by the host plants. The nuclear EF1α and 18S and the mitochondrial COI genes were used as markers to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships among H . pungens populations collected in Argentina, Australia and Puerto Rico feeding on Cactaceae and/or Amaranthaceae. Additionally, we conducted reciprocal crosses between mealybugs from both hosts. Species delimitation analysis revealed two well-supported putative species within H . pungens , one including mealybugs feeding on Amaranthaceae ( H . pungens sensu stricto ), and a new undescribed species using Cactaceae as hosts. Additionally, we found asymmetric reproductive incompatibility between these putative species suggesting recent reproductive isolation. The Bayesian species delimitation also suggested that the Australian mealybug population may derive from another undescribed species. Overall, the patterns of genetic differentiation may be interpreted as the result of recent speciation events prompted by host plant shifts. Finally, the finding of a single haplotype in the Puerto Rico population suggests only one invasive event. We still need to identify the geographical origin of the pest in order to enable the use of biological control to reduce the threat to cacti diversity in the Caribbean.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Untangling the Hypogeococcus pungens species complex (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) for Argentina, Australia, and Puerto Rico based on host plant associations and genetic evidence

et al. 2019

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“…The host plants used by the Harrisia cactus mealybug introduced as a biological control agent into Australia and South Africa consist only of species in Cactoideae (Zimmermann & Pérez Sandi y Cuen 2010;McFadyen 2012;. In addition to these 2 countries, the distribution of H. pungens has expanded, due to inadvertent introductions from its apparently native South America, to locations in Italy, Spain, US Virgin Islands, Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and the USA states of Florida, California, and Hawaii (Hosking et al 1988;Halbert 1996;Mazzeo et al 2008;Hodges & Hodges 2009;Zimmermann & Pérez Sandi y Cuen 2010;Beltrà & Soto 2011;German-Ramirez et al 2014). The host range of the Harrisia cactus mealybug identified as H. pungens includes species of plants in the families Cactaceae, Amaranthaceae, and Portulacaceae (Ben-Dov 1994;Claps & de Haro 2001;Hodges & Hodges 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complex of Primary and Secondary Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae and Signiphoridae) ofHypogeococcusspp. Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in the New World

Triapitsyn

Aguirre²,

Logarzo³

et al. 2018

Florida Entomologist

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Parasitoids, both primary and secondary (hyperparasitoids), of Hypogeococcus spp. mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are reviewed to report results of the surveys in the New World conducted during 2009 to 2017 for prospective natural enemies of the Harrisia cactus mealybug, Hypogeococcus sp., which is devastating native cacti in Puerto Rico and threatening cacti in the adjacent Caribbean islands. Five species of Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) are recorded as primary parasitoids of Hypogeococcus spp., including the newly described Leptomastidea hypogeococci Triapitsyn sp. n., which is the only species of the genus Leptomastidea García Mercet in the New World where the clava of the female antenna is contrastingly white. Genetic analysis of the individuals of L. hypogeococci from Argentina, Brazil, and Puerto Rico (USA) corroborates the morphological data that the same species occurs in South America, the Caribbean islands, and Florida (USA). A key to the New World species of Leptomastidea is given and taxonomic notes are provided on its other known species in the Neotropical region. Leptomastidea antillicola Dozier, syn. n. from Puerto Rico is synonymized under L. abnormis (Girault). Based on the presented molecular data, Anagyrus ciomperliki Triapitsyn syn. n. (Encyrtidae), originally described from Puerto Rico, is synonymized under A. quilmes Triapitsyn, Logarzo & Aguirre, where the known distributional range is expanded to also include Brazil. Anagyrus cachamai Triapitsyn, Logarzo & Aguirre, A. lapachosus Triapitsyn, Aguirre & Logarzo, and A. quilmes are newly recorded from Paraguay. The previously unknown male of Prochiloneurus argentinensis (De Santis) (Encyrtidae) is described from Misiones Province of Argentina, and that of P. narendrani Noyes & Triapitsyn is described from Mona Island, Puerto Rico. So far, Anagyrus cachamai and A. lapachosus are considered to be the primary target species for introduction from Argentina and Paraguay into Puerto Rico for the biological control of Harrisia cactus mealybug. The holotype of Anagyrus tanystis De Santis from Buenos Aires, Argentina, host associations are unknown, and is illustrated to facilitate its recognition from other congeneric species.

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“…At present, H. pungens is a serious pest of native and endemic columnar cacti (species of cacti with cylindrical growth) and epiphytic cacti in Puerto Rico ( Zimmermann and Pérez Sandi y Cuen 2010 , Carrera-Martínez et al 2015 ) and a threat to native cacti in Florida, Barbados, other Caribbean islands, and Hawaii ( Williams and Granara de Willink 1992 , German-Ramirez et al 2014 ). In its native range, this species does not cause the same level of damage, probably due to the regulatory effect of the rich complex of natural enemies ( McFadyen 1979 , Claps and de Haro 2001 ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Studies on the Biology ofHypogeococcus pungens(sensu stricto) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Argentina to Aid the Identification of the Mealybug Pest of Cactaceae in Puerto Rico

Aguirre¹,

Díaz‐Soltero²,

Claps³

et al. 2016

J Insect Sci

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Hypogeococcus pungens Granara de Willink, sensu stricto, is a serious pest of cacti in Puerto Rico threating many Caribbean islands. A classical biological control program for H. pungens was initiated for Puerto Rico in 2010 with a survey for natural enemies of H. pungens in its native range of Argentina. Biological differences were observed between populations of H. pungens sampled on Amaranthaceae and Cactaceae. Molecular studies suggested that H. pungens populations from different host plant families are likely a complex of species. Our objective was to study the biology of H. pungens sensu stricto on specimens collected in the same locality and host plant as the holotype [Tucumán Province, Argentina; Alternanthera pungens Kunth (Amaranthaceae)]. We were interested in the reproductive biology of females, longevity and survival of adults, the effect of temperature on the development, and nymph performance (survival and development) on five Cactaceae species. We found that H. pungens s.s. showed marked biological differences from the populations collected on Cactaceae and exported to Australia for the biological control of the cactus Harrisia spp. The main differences were the presence of deuterotoky parthenogenesis and the fact that H. pungens did not attack Cactaceae in the laboratory. Our results provide biological evidence that H. pungens is a species complex. We propose that the population introduced to Australia is neither Hypogeococcus festerianus Lizer y Trelles nor H. pungens, but an undescribed species with three circuli, and that the Hypogeococcus pest of cacti in Puerto Rico is not H. pungens.

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New Record ofHypogeococcus pungens(Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in the Dominican Republic with Comments on Specific Characters

Cited by 5 publications

References 3 publications

Untangling the Hypogeococcus pungens species complex (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) for Argentina, Australia, and Puerto Rico based on host plant associations and genetic evidence

Untangling the Hypogeococcus pungens species complex (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) for Argentina, Australia, and Puerto Rico based on host plant associations and genetic evidence

Complex of Primary and Secondary Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae and Signiphoridae) ofHypogeococcusspp. Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in the New World

Studies on the Biology ofHypogeococcus pungens(sensu stricto) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Argentina to Aid the Identification of the Mealybug Pest of Cactaceae in Puerto Rico

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