The strepsipteran parasite Elenchus japonicus (Strepsiptera, Elenchidae) of planthoppers consists of three genotypes

Abstract

The twisted-wing parasite Elenchus japonicus is a major parasitoid of rice planthoppers (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), including the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens, the white-backed planthopper Sogatella furcifera, and the small brown planthopper Laodelphax striatellus. Another Elenchus species, E. yasumatsui, which is considered to be synonymous with E. japonicus, has also been described in southern Asia. However, limited biological and molecular data on this important parasitoid of rice planthoppers are available. In this study, E. japonicasstylopized planthoppers were obtained from various regions in Asia and Japan. Sequences of the nuclear 18S ribosomal RNA gene and the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene of the strepsipterans were analyzed from 40 samples of E. japonicus: 14 from N. lugens, 6 from S. furcifera and 20 from L. striatellus. Sequence analysis of these samples revealed three genotypes of E. japonicus. Of the three types of E. japonicus, one was isolated only from L. striatellus from northern Japan. The other two types were found in all three rice planthopper species collected from a wide area in Asia. These results suggest that the three different genotypes of Elenchus can be associated with a particular geographical region and/or planthopper species. The relationship between two previously described Elenchus species and the present three genotypes needs to be elucidated.

Passive Long-Distance Migration of Apterous Dryinid Wasps Parasitizing Rice Planthoppers

“…This pattern is similar to E. japonicus (Matsumoto et al, 2011). The stylops can parasitize all three rice planthoppers and other species.…”

Unexpected cryptic species diversity of parasites of the family Xenidae (Strepsiptera) with a constant diversification rate over time

“…Matsumoto et al . (2011) suggested that the species from the genus Elenchus Curtis (Elenchidae) can parasitize more than one host genus of the hemipteran family Delphacidae. In contrast, Jůzová et al .…”

“…Matsumoto et al . (2011) focussed on the phylogeography of the species Elenchus japonicus (Esaki & Hashimoto) (Elenchidae) in Southeast Asia. The results of this study revealed three species‐like lineages with varying host specificity.…”

We do not select, nor are we choosy: reproductive biology of Strepsiptera (Insecta)

“…Strepsiptera parasitize a broad range of insect hosts belonging to 34 families comprising apterygotes, endopterygotes, and exopterygotes, and have coevolved with their hosts' life cycles (Kathirithamby, , ). Cryptic species are widespread in Strepsiptera, as is now being revealed by molecular data (Kathirithamby & Johnston, ; Kathirithamby, ; Hayward, McMahon & Kathirithamby, ; Matsumoto et al ., ; Isaka, Ueda & Itin, ; Nakase & Kato, ; Juzová, Nakase & Straka, ).…”