ARS | Publication request: MITOCHONDRIAL DNA VARIATION OF NORTH AMERICAN POPULATIONS OF APHTHONA LACERTOSA (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE), A FLEA BEETLE IMPORTED FOR BIOCONTROL OF LEAFY SPURGE

Submitted to: Genbank
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: February 8, 2006
Publication Date: February 9, 2006
Citation: Roehrdanz, R.L. 2006. Mitochondrial DNA variation of North American populations of Aphthona lacertosa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a flea beetle imported for biocontrol of leafy spurge. Genbank. Accession numbers DQ381552 to DQ381562.

Technical Abstract: Several flea beetle species from the genus Aphthona (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) have been introduced into North America as biological control agents for the rangeland weed, leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.). One of the species that has gained wide distribution is Aphthona lacertosa Rosenheim. Portions of the mitochondrial genome were used order to measure the genetic diversity of the established North American populations. PCR-RFLP of a large segment of mtDNA (~8000 base pairs) and nucleotide sequencing of a smaller segment of the mitochondrial cox1-cox2 region (617 base pairs, GenBank Accession numbers DQ381552-DQ381562) were both examined. Insect specimens were obtained from locations in Minnesota and North Dakota, USA and Alberta, Canada. Collections from USA sites appear to have a very narrow genetic base. No mtDNA polymorphism has been found among those samples. Beetles from one Canadian site exhibit a very different mtDNA profile. Those insects originated with a different European collection. GenBank Accessions: Aphthona lacertosa - mitochondrial cox1-tRNALeu-cox2 DQ381552 AL2619-L1 North Dakota, haplotype L1 DQ381553 AL2621-L1 North Dakota, haplotype L1 DQ381554 AL3120-L2 Alberta, haplotype L2 DQ381555 AL3121-L2 Alberta, haplotype L2 DQ381556 AL3122-L3 Alberta, haplotype L3 DQ381557 AL3123-L4 Alberta, haplotype L4 DQ381558 AL3124-L3 Alberta, haplotype L3 DQ381559 AL3369-L5 Alberta, haplotype L5 DQ381560 AL3476-L9 Alberta, haplotype L9 DQ381561 AL3540-L6 Alberta, haplotype L6 DQ381562 AL3563-L7 Alberta, haplotype L7