Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory
2021 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Conduct integrative systematic research of molecular (including Ag100Pests data) and morphological data to: determine species boundaries; recognize, describe, and illustrate new and invasive species; develop identification keys; hypothesize phylogenetic relationships among the respective groups for the purpose of stabilizing classification; and investigate host use and specificity of Aphidomorpha (aphids), Membracoidea (leafhoppers and treehoppers), Aleyrodomorpha (whiteflies), Coccomorpha (scale insects), and Heteroptera (true bugs) that are pests of or beneficial to U.S. agriculture. [NP304, C1 PS1A; C2 PS2B; C3 PS3A and 3B]
Objective 2: Develop web-searchable electronic databases, tools, and images of aphids, whiteflies, scale insects (Sternorrhyncha), leafhoppers (Auchenorrhyncha), and true bugs (Heteroptera) in the U.S. National Insect and Mite Collection and obtained through field exploration. This includes developing web-based resources to improve technology transfer of research products and disseminating this information to a broad group of stakeholders (e.g., quarantine, conservation, and biological control personnel). The proposed products will include searchable databases of certain hemipteran families. [NP304, C1 PS1A; C2 PS2B; C3 PS3A and 3B]
Objective 3: Provide expert identifications of specimens submitted by stakeholders worldwide, and manage and curate assigned portions of the U.S. National Insect and Mite Collection, including all taxa in the suborders Heteroptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Sternorrhyncha, and Coleorrhyncha, which involve more than one and a half million specimens housed in more than 3,000 insect drawers and mounted on hundreds of thousands of microscope slides. [NP304, C1 PS1A; C2 PS2B; C3 PS3A and 3B]
Approach
ARS will undertake the taxonomic research on agriculturally and economically
important aphids, leafhoppers, plant bugs, termites, and thrips, using both
morphological and molecular data to create species concepts and develop hypotheses about relationships. This information will be used to develop comprehensive revisions, including generic and species diagnoses and descriptions, illustrations of adults and diagnostic characters using light and electron microscopy, and dichotomous identification keys that will facilitate accurate identification. This information will be made available through publications, including hard-copy books, online pdf files, websites, and other media. Timely, accurate identifications of aphids, bugs, leafhoppers, termites, and thrips submitted by APHIS/PPQ, other state and Federal agencies, and a wide range of researchers will be provided. Large portions of the United States National Collection of Insects will be maintained and expanded.
Progress Report
The review of the literature pertaining this the New World Isometopinae, known as jumping tree bugs, was conducted in large part prior to restricted entry to the National Museum of Natural History (USNM). All USNM specimens and those borrowed prior to covid restrictions were sorted into genus and morphospecies, resulting in recognition of four new genera and approximately 30 species new to science. No habitus images were taken due to restricted access at the USNM to specimens for research purposes.
Approximately 3,000 specimens of Darnini were acquired from major museums in the USA, Brazil, and French Guiana, but obtaining additional specimens from under-represented areas was not possible; shipping restrictions from other museums from around the world prevented completion. Approximately 2,000 specimens were sorted into morphospecies, but the remaining specimens could not be sorted due to access restrictions and the prohibition of research activities.
Acquiring syntypes of Utamphorophora was unsuccessful due to shipping restrictions from museums around the world and access restrictions for working in the National collection. DNA sequence data from Genbank were acquired and analyzed for initial outgroup comparisons and layed the groundwork phylogenetic analysis. Some specimens were also acquired for subsequent molecular studies once laboratory access is granted for molecular work.
DNA extractions for 106 specimens of Aspidiotini have been acquired and are ready for proceed due to shipping restrictions from museums around the world and access restrictions for working in the National collection. Restricted access to the collections and literature also prevented much progress on literature review and character coding. Restricted access to the collections inhibited progress on character coding for Melanaspis species. In lieu of this, the focus was placed on using literature to code characters for a family-level analysis of scale insect phylogeny, which combines ultra-conserved elements and a morphological character matrix including fossils for divergence dating estimation. This is part of an ongoing NSF-funded project. A matrix of 175 characters for 173 species is nearly complete.
The total number of identifications/specimens examined for Hemiptera from 1 October 2020 to 30 May 2021:1866/5321 (Auchenorrhyncha: 111/213 urgent and 599/778 prompts and routines; Heteroptera: 172/302 urgents and 147/187 prompts and routines; Sternorrhyncha: 269/2032 urgents and 558/1809 prompts and routines).
Accomplishments
1. Cataloguing the leafhoppers of the world. Catalogs with up-to-date names are needed for researchers and regulatory personnel to access the correct names to enable effective communication about agricultural pests and other species. A database of world leafhoppers has been updated through 2020 for the production of catalogs. The first 1758-2020 catalog is a 327-page list of valid genera, their synonyms, and their distributions, submitted for publication. The updated database also enables catalogs of leafhopper subfamilies.
2. Developing a genomic toolkit for potato aphid management. Awarding of a Federal-State Partnership Potato Proposal was granted for developing a new aphid management strategy in potatoes. Considering forthcoming reduction/elimination of neonicotinoids insecticides, different aphid control strategies are paramount. Developing a genomic toolkit for the potato aphid will make it possible to determine which interbreeding aphid populations could transmit potato leafroll virus thus allowing potato producers to focus control on said populations. This will also contribute to the USDA-ARS Ag100Pest Initiative with new insect pest genomes and will also serve to help develop additional management strategies.
Review Publications
Ha, M.K., Schneider, S.A., Alder, L.S. 2020. Facilitative pollinator sharing decreases with floral similarity in multiple systems. Oecologia. 195(2):273-286. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-020-04770-1.
Mckamey, S.H. 2020. Redescription of Pseudophera heveli Kramer (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) with the first description of the female. ZooKeys. 976:101-107. https://doi.org/zookeys.pensoft.net/article/54582/.
Poinar, G., Vega, F.E., Schneider, S.A. 2020. Mid-Cretaceous coccoid (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) in Burmese amber. Zootaxa. 4810:511–522.
Schneider, S.A., Lapolla, J.S. 2020. Trophobiosis between a new species of Williamsrhizoecus (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Rhizoecidae) and Acropyga silvestrii (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Tanzania. Zootaxa. 4853(2):283-291.
Schneider, S.A., Claps, L.E., Wei, J., Normark, R.D., Normark, B.B. 2020. Five new species of Aspidiotini (Hemiptera: Diaspididae: Aspidiotinae) from Argentina, with a key to Argentine species. ZooKeys. 948:47-73.
Abril Ramirez, G., Henry, T.J., Smith-Pardo, A.H. 2021. Eurycipitia clara (Distant) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae): New distributions, first host records, description of immatures, and notes on attraction to cantharidin. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 123(1):1-13. https://doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.123.1.1.
Aragon-Sanchez, M., Figueroa, J., Martinez, A., Henry, T.J., Pineda, S. 2020. Falconia poetica Distant (Hemiptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae): First host record, a new distribution for Mexico, and determination of nymphal instars. Southwestern Entomologist. 45(4):1069-1077. https//doi.org/10.3958/059.045.0423.
Henry, T.J. 2021. A new orthotyline plant bug genus and species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) from Arizona, USA. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 123(2):334-340. https://doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.123.2.334.
Henry, T.J., Dellape, P. 2021. Revision of the Neotropical stilt bug genus Metajalysus Stusak (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Berytidae), with descriptions of three new species. Zootaxa. 4958(1):690-701. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4958.1.44.
Yeshwanth, H.M., Cherot, F., Henry, T.J. 2021. The Isometopinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) of India and Sri Lanka: A review of the subfamily, with descriptions of six new species. Zootaxa. 4903(2):151-193. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4903.2.1.
Fedelis, E.G., Oliveira, R., Bendahan, A.B., Carvalho, G.S., Valerio, J.R., Henry, T.J. 2021. First occurrence and population dynamics of Blissus pulchellus (Hemiptera: Blissidae) in Brazil: A new pest of pastures in Roraima. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia. 65(2):1-6. https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9665-RBENT-2020-0096.
