Salix transect of Europe: patterns in the most abundant chrysomelid beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) herbivores of willow from Greece to Arctic Norway

Abstract

BackgroundChrysomelid beetles associated with willow (Salix spp.) were surveyed at 41 sites across Europe, from Greece (lat. 38.8 °N) to arctic Norway (lat. 69.7 °N).New informationIn all, 34 willow-associated chrysomelid species were encountered, of which eight were very abundant. The abundant species were: Crepidodera aurata Marsham, 1802 at 27 sites, Phratora vitellinae (Linnaeus, 1758) at 21 sites, Galerucella lineola (Fabricius, 1781) at 19 sites, Crepidodera fulvicornis (Fabricius, 1792) at 19 sites, Plagiodera versicolora (Laicharting, 1781) at 11 sites, Crepidodera plutus (Latreille, 1804) at nine sites, Chrysomela vigintipunctata Scopoli, 1763 at nine sites and Gonioctena pallida (Linnaeus, 1758) at eight sites. The mean number of willow associated chrysomelid morphospecies at each site was 4.2. Around 20% of the total variance in chrysomelid distribution could be accounted for by latitude, but this is mainly due to distinctive occurrence patterns at the northern and southern parts of the transect. There was a paucity of chrysomelids at Greek sites and a distinctively northern faunal composition at sites north of Poland. Considerable site-to-site variation in colour was noted, except in G. lineola, which was chromatically invariant.

Salix transect of Europe: structured genetic variation and isolation-by-distance in the nettle psyllid, Trioza urticae (Psylloidea, Hemiptera), from Greece to Arctic Norway

“…The common nettle ( Urtica dioica L.) is associated with the eutrophic riparian habitats favoured by willows, and variation in Urtica samples along this transect has also been described [Cronk et al 2016]. The co-occurrence of Salix and Urtica allowed sampling of insects on both plant groups [e.g., Canty et al 2016], including the sampling for this study of the common nettle psyllid, Trioza urticae (Linné, 1758) (Psylloidea, family Triozidae), which is found at nearly every site along the transect (32 out of 42 sites). Members of the hemipteran superfamily Psylloidea are small, phloem-feeding, oligophagous insects [Hodkinson 2009], generally known as psyllids, or jumping plant lice.…”

Salix transect of Europe: additional leaf beetle (Chrysomelidae) records and insights from chrysomelid DNA barcoding

“…Chrysomelid beetles were collected from willows ( Salix spp.) by the authors ER and DP at all sites, as previously described (Canty et al 2016). Details of the sites and the method of their selection have been given in previous papers (Cronk et al 2015; Canty et al 2016).…”

“…by the authors ER and DP at all sites, as previously described (Canty et al 2016). Details of the sites and the method of their selection have been given in previous papers (Cronk et al 2015; Canty et al 2016). The sample sites formed a megatransect from Greece to arctic Norway (Table 1).…”

“…Morphological procedures followed those used in Canty et al (2016). A selected subset of specimens was chosen for sequencing (Table 2).…”

“…As part of a study of lowland willow communities sampled from south to north across Europe, we have previously investigated the occurrence and abundance patterns of chrysomelid beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) associated with Salix species (Canty et al 2016). In this study, large numbers of individual beetles were processed and it was impossible with available resources to perform large numbers of genitalia dissections.…”