Tracking origins of invasive herbivores through herbaria and archival DNA: the case of the horse‐chestnut leaf miner

Abstract

Determining the native geographic range or origin of alien invasive species is crucial to developing invasive species management strategies. However, the necessary historical dimension is often lacking. The origin of the highly invasive horse‐chestnut leaf‐mining moth Cameraria ohridella has been controversial since the insect was first described in 1986 in Europe. Here, we reveal that herbarium collections across Europe indicate a Balkan origin for C ohridella. We successfully amplified nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA barcode fragments from larvae pressed within leaves of herbarium samples collected as early as 1879. These archival sequences confirm an identity of C ohridella and set back its history in Europe by more than a century. The herbarium samples uncovered previously unknown mitochondrial haplotypes and locally undocumented alleles, showing local outbreaks of C ohridella back to at least 1961 and dynamic frequency changes that may be associated with road development. This case history demonstrates that herbaria are greatly underutilized in studies of insect–plant interactions, herbivore biodiversity, and invasive species' origins.

Analysis of tissue dependent DNA yield for optimal sampling of micro-moths in large-scale biodiversity surveys

“…All 23 barcodes belong to the invasive haplotype A, the most common haplotype in Europe (Valade et al, 2009;Lees et al, 2011b). …”

Survival, body mass and potential fecundity of the invasive moth Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) on its original host plant Aesculus hippocastanum and Aesculus glabra

“…The horse-chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimic, 1986 (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), is a small leaf-mining moth of Balkan origin (Valade et al, 2009;Lees et al, 2011) that has spread rapidly into most European countries (Šefrová & Laštůvka, 2001;Augustin et al, 2009). In 1998 this species was recorded for the fi rst time in Southern Poland (Łabanowski & Soika, 1998;Wittenberg, 1998), since when it has spread all over this country.…”

Two European Cornus L. feeding leafmining moths, Antispila petryi Martini, 1899, sp. rev. and A. treitschkiella (Fischer von Röslerstamm, 1843) (Lepidoptera, Heliozelidae): an unjustified synonymy and overlooked range expansion

“…at Priest Hill, Surrey) in the UK, that are probably separated from other populations by many kilometres suggests either long establishment or, more likely, surprising powers of adult dispersal aided by winds or road traffic and outbreak swarmings next to major roads (the last explanation has been invoked for rapid spread of Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimić: e.g. Lees et al (2011)). The present distribution and high local prevalence in the UK is consistent with establishment in the last one or two decades, and it seems likely that probable generalist parasitoids (notably the eulophid Minotetrastichus frontalis) are already recruited.…”

“…In the UK in 2016, herbaria in Kew and Wisley and at NHMUK (the AMC herbarium of native and naturalised species) were examined and Cornus was surveyed, including all available C. mas, with the hope of determining origins of invasion of A. treitschkiella in the UK and within Europe. It was hoped that this approach would prove informative as it was for Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimič (Lees et al 2011). Wisley was potentially useful because of its focus on cultivated specimens.…”