A5029907722- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Plant and animal studies
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Hymenoptera taxonomy and phylogeny
- Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest Control
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Nematode management and characterization studies
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Diptera species taxonomy and behavior
- Biological Control of Invasive Species
- Coleoptera Taxonomy and Distribution
- Coleoptera: Cerambycidae studies
- Hemiptera Insect Studies
- Cocoa and Sweet Potato Agronomy
- Research on scale insects
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Cassava research and cyanide
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
United States Department of Agriculture
2003-2025
Beltsville Agricultural Research Center
2000-2023
Agricultural Research Service
2012-2022
Systematic (Netherlands)
2022
Smithsonian Institution
2019-2021
National Museum of Natural History
2008-2021
Ministry of Agriculture
2020
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
2011
University of Maryland, College Park
2008-2009
Ithaca College
2008
Five new species of Fergusobia are described. janetae Davies n. sp. is characterized by the combination an arcuate to straight, spindle-shaped parthenogenetic female with a relatively small oesophageal gland, extensile uterus and conoid tail, infective bluntly rounded tail tip, C-shaped male angular spicule bursa arising at more than 90% body length. robustae small, short cylindroid broadly tip; C-shaped, broad, tip that almost hemispherical; strong 30-40% pruinosae medium sized, open in...
DNA barcoding involves the sequencing of a single gene region from all species to provide means for identifying life. Although appealing many scientists, this idea has caused considerable controversy among systematists. We applied approach outbreak populations invasive Liriomyza spp. leafminer pests in Philippines explore use relatively well studied, economically important group. sequenced 527-bp portion mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) 258 leafminers 26 plant host Philippines....
A central but little-tested prediction of "escape and radiation" coevolution is that colonization novel, chemically defended host plant clades accelerates insect herbivore diversification. That theory, in turn, exemplifies one side a broader debate about the relative influence on clade dynamics intrinsic (biotic) vs. extrinsic (physical-environmental) forces. Here, we use fossil-calibrated molecular chronogram to compare effects major biotic factor (repeated shift divergent clade) abiotic...
Leafmining Agromyzidae (Diptera) are both common and widespread, yet little is known of the host associations distribution most species. Here we report on a multi-year study agromyzid diversity Long Island, New York. We reared 45 species identified for first time plant Agromyza masculina Sehgal likely Ophiomyia carolinensis Spencer. Of species, 17 new records York State, which fewer than 40 had previously been known. A was from blotch mines black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia sp. an undetermined...
Ecological specialization should minimize niche overlap, yet herbivorous neotropical flies (Blepharoneura) and their lethal parasitic wasps (parasitoids) exhibit both extreme apparent overlap in host plants. From just two plant species at one site Peru, we collected 3636 flowers yielding 1478 fly pupae representing 14 Blepharoneura species, 18 parasitoid (14 Bellopius species), parasitoid-host associations, all discovered through analysis of molecular data. Multiple sympatric specialize on...
We report the presence of two Asian species larval parasitoids spotted wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), in northwestern North America. Leptopilina japonica Novkovic & Kimura and Ganaspis brasiliensis (Ihering) (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) were found foraging near emerging from fruits infested by D. at several locations across coastal British Columbia, Canada summer fall 2019. While G. was Columbia for first time 2019, re-inspection previously...
We ask whether patterns of genetic variation in a phytophagous insect's responses to potential host plants shed light on the phylogenetic history association. Ophraella communa feeds chiefly, and eastern North America exclusively, Ambrosia (Asteraceae: Ambrosiinae). Using mostly half-sib breeding designs, we screened for feeding larval survival its own seven other that are hosts (or, one case, closely related host) species Ophraella. found evidence five test plants, than natural host. no two...
Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) is native to South America but has expanded its range and invaded many regions of the world, primarily on flowers a lesser extent horticultural product shipments. As result initial invasion into an area, damage caused usually significant not necessarily sustained. Currently, it economic pest in selected world. Adults cause by puncturing abaxial adaxial leaf surfaces for feeding egg laying sites. Larvae mine parenchyma tissues which can lead leaves drying...
Molecular identification is increasingly used to speed up biodiversity surveys and laboratory experiments. However, many groups of organisms cannot be reliably identified using standard databases such as GenBank or BOLD due lack sequenced voucher specimens by experts. Sometimes a large number sequences are available, but with too errors allow identification. Here, we address this problem for parasitoids Drosophila introducing curated open-access molecular reference database, DROP (Drosophila...
Phylogenetic relationships among populations of the polyphagous pea leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard), were investigated using DNA sequence data. Maximum parsimony analysis 941 bp mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and II genes showed that L. contains two well-defined monophyletic groups, one composed specimens from California Hawaii South Central America together with have been recently introduced into other parts world. The differentiation between clades within is equivalent to...
The diversity of tropical herbivorous insects has been explained as a direct function plant species diversity. Testing that explanation, we reared 2857 flies from flowers and seeds 24 plants 34 neotropical sites. Samples yielded 52 morphologically similar documented highly conserved patterns specificity to host taxa parts. Widespread can support 13 flies. Within single populations plants, typically found one or more fly specific female multiple specialists on male flowers. We suggest insect...
The sugarcane borer moth, Diatraea saccharalis, is widespread throughout the Western Hemisphere, and considered an introduced species in southern United States. Although this moth has a wide distribution pest of many crop plants including sugarcane, corn, sorghum rice, it one species. objective was to investigate whether more than introduction D. saccharalis had occurred States any cryptic were present. We field collected Texas, Louisiana Florida Two molecular markers, AFLPs mitochondrial...
Abstract Understanding the impact of oak shothole leafminer Japanagromyza viridula (Coquillett) (Diptera: Agromyzidae) on oaks is important because provide invaluable ecological services in forests and urban settings. In 2019 2020, leafminers caused high levels damage to trees several states mid-Atlantic region. The objectives this study were compare genus Quercus L. (Fagales: Fagaceae) including northern red (Quercus rubra L), chestnut (Q. montana Willd.), white alba scarlet coccinea...
Phylogenetic analysis using DNA sequence data from two nuclear genes was undertaken to investigate phylogeographic structure within the widespread leafmining pest Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard). Parsimony of 171 bp β-tubulin (including an intron) and 921 elongation factor-1α confirms previous findings mitochondrial deep indicative cryptic species L. huidobrensis. We resurrect name langei Frick for North American restrict South Central species. Results also confirm results suggesting that...
Determining the geographical origin of an introduced organism can be critical to understanding or managing a non-native species, but is often difficult when small inconspicuous. We used phylogeographical approach identify region endemism and determine world populations seed-feeding wasp Megastigmus transvaalensis (Hussey). This feeds on African Rhus species South American Schinus in various locations around world. Because it present both Africa America, unclear whether was originally...
Abstract Phytomyza Fallén is the largest genus of leaf‐mining flies (Agromyzidae), with over 530 described species. Species superficially similar Chromatomyia Hardy have been included in by some authors and status remains uncertain. Using 3076 bp DNA sequence from three genes [cytochrome oxidase I (COI), CAD ( rudimentary ), phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (PGD)] 113 exemplar species, we identified tested monophyly host‐associated species groups investigated phylogenetic relationships among...
A molecular method is presented for differentiating the morphologically cryptic leafminers Liriomyza langei Frick and L. huidobrensis (Blanchard). This requires polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of a 1031-bp region mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase DNA followed by restriction fragment analysis using enzymes SpeI EcoRV. Spel cuts into two fragments, but does not cut fragment. EcoRV PCR-restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) faster less costly than sequencing,which...
Host races play a central part in understanding the role of host plant mediated divergence and speciation phytophagous insects. Of greatest interest are host-associated populations that have recently diverged; however, finding genetic evidence for very recent divergences is difficult because initially only few loci expected to evolve diagnostic differences. The holly leafminer Phytomyza glabricola feeds on two hollies, Ilex glabra I. coriacea, broadly sympatric throughout most their ranges....
The leafmining fly Liriomyza sativae Blanchard is an important polyphagous pest of vegetables crops in the United States and around world. Phylogeographic analysis mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I sequence variation indicates that L. harbors distinct clades suggestive presence cryptic species. Two major exhibited polyphagy, with members feeding on hosts at least three plant families. Only one was present introduced populations, causing total by populations to be considerably reduced...
The leafmining fly Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) (Diptera: Agromyzidae) is an important pest of vegetable and cut-flower crops. In recent decades, this species has become invasive, spreading from the Americas to rest world. Despite substantial losses caused by leafminers, systematics these flies remained poorly understood because their small size morphological homogeneity. Previous molecular research on other polyphagous pests suggested that cryptic may be present. Here, we use mitochondrial...