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Molecular identification and distribution of leatherjackets ( D iptera: T ipulidae) in U.K. agricultural grassland
Author(s) -
Benefer Carly M.,
D'Ahmed Karzan S.,
Murray Philip J.,
Blackshaw Rod P.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
agricultural and forest entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.755
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1461-9563
pISSN - 1461-9555
DOI - 10.1111/afe.12219
Subject(s) - biology , biological dispersal , cytochrome c oxidase subunit i , dna barcoding , ecology , pest analysis , population , genetic diversity , grassland , zoology , botany , mitochondrial dna , gene , genetics , demography , sociology
DNA barcoding is useful for the identification of morphologically cryptic invertebrates. An important application is for pest species, for which it is critical to determine the distribution, biology and ecology of damaging life stages in order to target management effectively. T ipula paludosa ( M eigen) and T ipula oleracea ( L innaeus) leatherjackets, the larvae of crane flies ( D iptera: T ipulidae), are pests of agricultural grassland in E urope and the U.S.A. and are difficult to distinguish morphologically. We used cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding to identify leatherjackets from 19 permanent grassland fields over 2 sampling seasons on the Rothamsted Research North Wyke Farm Platform, south west UK, to assess species-level distribution and genetic diversity. Most larvae (94%) were found to be T . paludosa , comprising 18 haplotypes that were spread across the sampling site in a panmictic population. However, T . oleracea were found in low abundance (3% of larval samples) and only in the second year of sampling. Other morphologically similar D ipteran larvae (3%) were also found. This dominance of one species suggests that there may be underlying differences in species biology, such as choice of oviposition site and dispersal ability, which is in agreement with other studies and has implications for monitoring and management.