UCE Phylogeny Reinforces Polyphyly in the Ericaphis group (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Citation
Bosnich, D., Gleason, J, and B.M.T Brunet. 2023. UCE Phylogeny Reinforces R\Polyphyly in the Ericaphis group (Hemiptera: Aphididae). 2023 Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Canada and Saskatchewan, October 15-18, 2023.
Résumé en langage clair
Modern molecular methods are used to provide further support to the necessity of a revision of the classification of the small group of aphids whose evolutionary relationships were uncertain until now.
Résumé
Canada’s blueberries are under threat of an incurable disease known as Blueberry Scorch Virus (BlScV) that is spreading throughout British Columbia. The culprit behind these rampant levels of BlScV infection is the aphid, Ericaphis fimbriata, whose winged adults carry the virus from plant to plant in their salivary glands. Despite its agricultural importance, E. fimbriata's genus is poorly understood, as current taxonomic classifications of the group are inconsistent with the DNA barcoding of the mitochondrial CO1 gene. To better delineate the evolutionary relationships of the genus Ericaphis, I utilize ultra-conserved elements, genetic markers from across the genome that are more effective at detecting subtle variations in the DNA of closely-related species. The resulting phylogeny is consistent with that derived from DNA barcoding and suggests that the genus is polyphyletic with respect to several other genera, including Wahlgreniella, Rhodobium, and Aulacorthum, possibly warranting a genus-level taxonomic revision. By better defining the evolutionary boundaries that determine what an aphid belonging to Ericaphis truly is, more informed decisions can be made towards controlling the spread of BlScV at the vector level.