Microsatellite and W olbachia analysis in R hagoletis cerasi natural populations: population structuring and multiple infections

R hagoletis cerasi ( D iptera: T ephritidae) is a major pest of sweet and sour cherries in E urope and parts of A sia. Despite its economic significance, there is a lack of studies on the genetic structure of R . cerasi populations. Elucidating the genetic structure of insects of economic importance is crucial for developing phenological‐predictive models and environmental friendly control methods. All natural populations of R . cerasi have been found to harbor the endosymbiont W olbachia pipientis, which widely affects multiple biological traits contributing to the evolution of its hosts, and has been suggested as a tool for the biological control of insect pests and disease vectors. In the current study, the analysis of 18 R . cerasi populations collected in G reece, G ermany, and R ussia using 13 microsatellite markers revealed structuring of R . cerasi natural populations, even at close geographic range. We also analyzed the W olbachia infection status of these populations using 16S rRNA ‐, MLST ‐ and wsp ‐based approaches. All 244 individuals screened were positive for W olbachia . Our results suggest the fixation of the w Cer1 strain in G reece while w Cer2, w Cer4, w Cer5, and probably other uncharacterized strains were also detected in multiply infected individuals. The role of W olbachia and its potential extended phenotypes needs a thorough investigation in R . cerasi . Our data suggest an involvement of this symbiont in the observed restriction in the gene flow in addition to a number of different ecological factors.