Relatedness between NZ native chrysomeline beetles and Paropsis NZ - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Relatedness between NZ native chrysomeline beetles and Paropsis  NZ chrysomeline fauna: 41 spp. in 5 genera; Aphilon , Caccomolpus , Chalcolampra , Allocharis , and Cyrtonogetus  Scion has consulted in detail with, and co-authored publications with two beetle experts, Dr Chris Reid, Australian Museum, and Dr Rich Leschen, Landcare Research, neither of whom could attend today  An unpublished review by Leschen and Reid increases our fauna to 51 native species in 6 genera (R. Leschen pers. comm.)  Dr Reid supervised PhD student Jose Jurado-Rivera who completed his PhD in 2014 on the phylogeny of chrysomeline beetles, using five gene regions (very robust)  Analyses show NZ native chrysomeline beetles are very dissimilar to Australian Paropsines, likely diverging over 40 million years ago (in the Eocene)

* Outgroups included Cassida A : 60mya - NZ Aphilon & new genus, and probably A Caccomolpus & and 1 or 2 new Cladistic time-tree genera to be described 2019 of Chrysomelinae C C : 46mya Chrysolina All other genera not shown (those not mentioned in this study) In: Jurado-Rivera, J. A. D: 42mya - 2 branches- NZ (2014). Filogenia Molecular, D Chalcolampra & Allocharis, Sistemática y Evolución de los Cyrtonogetus Chrysomelinae Australianos (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae ). Ph.D. thesis, University of the Balearic Islands, Spain. K K: 37mya - Dicranosterna L: 35mya - Gonioctena L N: 22mya - All Australian genera incl. Paropsis , Paropsisterna, Trachymela, Paropsides, Peltoschema

Biology of native chrysomelines  5 Genera (Reid 2006) (soon to be 6) in 2 species groups: Aphilon spp. (small, in • Aphilon and Caccomolpus moss) (+2 or 3 new genera) • Chalcolampra, (including Caccomolpus spp., ground dwelling? Allocharis and Cyrtonogetus ) All “naturally uncommon”  ?  All but one are flightless  Few host plants have been Chalcolampra spp. (largest, leaf reported. Beaten from mosses, feeding) ferns, leaf litter, tussocks, etc  Larvae mainly feed hidden Allocharis larva

Scion found and tested one species: Allocharis nr. tarsalis  Searched sub-alpine Kahurangi Allocharis nr. tarsalis Broun NP with the blessing of Manawhenua ki Mohua and a DOC permit for 18 person days  Located this species feeding on Veronica (hebe) albicans  Largest known Allocharis (R. Leschen, pers. comm.)  External leaf feeding larvae  A poor physiological host for Eadya daenerys and not very attractive for oviposition  Eadya larva Other species searched for, e.g. could not C. speculifera proved elusive complete development

Is Eadya a threat to native chrysomelines? Native chrysomelines vs Paropsis : Most likely scenario for Eadya attack:  Phylogenetically distant (diverged  >40mya One or a few Eadya blown into subalpine zone (unlikely to  Live in very different habitats intentionally disperse there) (subalpine)  Stumble upon native larva (highly  Live on very different host plants unlikely to be drawn to either the (shrubs or mosses, none on any host plant or the larva by host Myrtaceae) volatiles)  Many likely to be nocturnal feeders  Attack native larva (unlikely  Eadya not excited by Allocharis without Paropsis larvae to elicit larvae an oviposition response)  Eadya unable to complete  Unable to develop, population development in Allocharis cannot be sustained

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