Progress 01/01/17 to 11/01/21
Outputs
PROGRESS REPORT Objectives (from AD-416): The order Lepidoptera, specifically moths, represents one of the greatest radiations of herbivorous animals on the planet. The research component of this plan focuses on the most economically important groups of moths. Gaps in our knowledge of morphological, biological, and molecular characters, and the paucity of phylogenetic analyses, within many groups in these families combine to slow progress on the development of identification tools for use in pest detection, exclusion, and management, and in the successful implementation of biological control projects. The primary focus of this plan is to remedy some of those shortcomings by making available to a broad audience tools, databases, and images that will facilitate identifications and research over a wide range of economically important groups of moths. Within the Lepidoptera specific taxonomic groups are selected for revision based on specific expertise, the need for revisionary work, and the relevance of the group to American agriculture. This project also includes a service component that draws upon SEL experts to identify specimens for regulatory agencies (often on an urgent basis) and other research agencies and stakeholders, and to maintain and enhance portions of the National Insect Collection. Over the next five years, we will be addressing the following objectives: (1) conduct integrative taxonomic research that wherever possible incorporates larval and molecular data, in addition to adult data, to determine and circumscribe species and manage associated information, as follows: recognize and describe new and/or cryptic species; develop identification keys and illustrations; refine hypotheses of relationships to be reflected in classification; track distributions, and investigate regional host use and specificity of moths that are pests, potential pests, invasive species, and/or species beneficial to U.S. agriculture of Pyraloidea, Gelechiinae, Noctuoidea, and grass-feeding patterns in moths; (2) manage and enhance via fieldwork appropriate segments of the U.S. National Insect Collection to enable morphological and molecular research, mine the associated distributional and biological data for comprehensive databases, and provide identifications as needed; and (3) provide expert/ authoritative identifications and generate research associated with specimens submitted by ARS researchers and other stakeholders or intercepted at U.S. ports by APHIS, Homeland Security, and state departments of agriculture for early detection of potentially invasive or novel pests. Approach (from AD-416): This project will undertake research on a number of economically important plant feeding moths. We will generate morphological, molecular (DNA sequences), and biological characters that will be used to test species concepts and hypotheses of relationship among agriculturally important moths. These data also will be used to develop new diagnostic tools (descriptions, images, illustrations, keys) to permit more rapid and accurate identifications. Databases containing scientific names, distributions, taxonomic literature, and host plant and specimen data pertaining to economically important moths will be expanded and disseminated to the user community. These and other taxonomic tools will be made accessible to the public via publications, the internet, and other electronic media. Timely and accurate identifications of moths will be provided, including those intercepted at ports-of-entry by APHIS-PPQ or submitted by a wide range of scientists and regulatory agencies. Portions of the National Insect Collection at the National Museum of Natural History, a vital tool for research and identification, will be maintained and enhanced via fieldwork. The project was approved through OSQR review NP304 in November 2020. Please see the new in-house project 8042-22000-314-00D for the FY2021 annual report. The final report for 8042-22000-294-00D was submitted in FY2020.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): The order Lepidoptera, specifically moths, represents one of the greatest radiations of herbivorous animals on the planet. The research component of this plan focuses on the most economically important groups of moths. Gaps in our knowledge of morphological, biological, and molecular characters, and the paucity of phylogenetic analyses, within many groups in these families combine to slow progress on the development of identification tools for use in pest detection, exclusion, and management, and in the successful implementation of biological control projects. The primary focus of this plan is to remedy some of those shortcomings by making available to a broad audience tools, databases, and images that will facilitate identifications and research over a wide range of economically important groups of moths. Within the Lepidoptera specific taxonomic groups are selected for revision based on specific expertise, the need for revisionary work, and the relevance of the group to American agriculture. This project also includes a service component that draws upon SEL experts to identify specimens for regulatory agencies (often on an urgent basis) and other research agencies and stakeholders, and to maintain and enhance portions of the National Insect Collection. Over the next five years, we will be addressing the following objectives: (1) conduct integrative taxonomic research that wherever possible incorporates larval and molecular data, in addition to adult data, to determine and circumscribe species and manage associated information, as follows: recognize and describe new and/or cryptic species; develop identification keys and illustrations; refine hypotheses of relationships to be reflected in classification; track distributions, and investigate regional host use and specificity of moths that are pests, potential pests, invasive species, and/or species beneficial to U.S. agriculture of Pyraloidea, Gelechiinae, Noctuoidea, and grass-feeding patterns in moths; (2) manage and enhance via fieldwork appropriate segments of the U.S. National Insect Collection to enable morphological and molecular research, mine the associated distributional and biological data for comprehensive databases, and provide identifications as needed; and (3) provide expert/ authoritative identifications and generate research associated with specimens submitted by ARS researchers and other stakeholders or intercepted at U.S. ports by APHIS, Homeland Security, and state departments of agriculture for early detection of potentially invasive or novel pests. Approach (from AD-416): This project will undertake research on a number of economically important plant feeding moths. We will generate morphological, molecular (DNA sequences), and biological characters that will be used to test species concepts and hypotheses of relationship among agriculturally important moths. These data also will be used to develop new diagnostic tools (descriptions, images, illustrations, keys) to permit more rapid and accurate identifications. Databases containing scientific names, distributions, taxonomic literature, and host plant and specimen data pertaining to economically important moths will be expanded and disseminated to the user community. These and other taxonomic tools will be made accessible to the public via publications, the internet, and other electronic media. Timely and accurate identifications of moths will be provided, including those intercepted at ports-of-entry by APHIS-PPQ or submitted by a wide range of scientists and regulatory agencies. Portions of the National Insect Collection at the National Museum of Natural History, a vital tool for research and identification, will be maintained and enhanced via fieldwork. This is the final report for project 8042-22000-294-00D, Systematics of Moths Significant to Biodiversity, Quarantine, and Control, with a Focus on Invasive Species, which will terminate in December 2020. The new project plan finishing up NP304 OSQR Review. Substantial results were realized over the 3.5-year project that began December 2016 and terminated early to synchronize with other projects in the laboratory. The writing and evaluation of the new project is currently underway. Progress was made on all three objectives, which fall under National Program 304, Crop Protection and Quarantine, Component 1, Systematics and Identification. Particularly notable progress was made on research targeting Problem Statement 1A, the identification of pests or potential pests of the Nation⿿s crops and natural ecosystems, as well as exotic insects that could be used as biological control agents or show potential as biological control agents of invasive plants. Significant progress was made in the main research Objective 1, which was to conduct integrative taxonomic research within three, speciose and economically important moth groups, the Pyraloidea, Gelechiinae, and Noctuoidea. Sixteen specific moth taxa were targeted. Combinations of adult, larval, and molecular data were used to diagnose and circumscribe species, revise their classification, communicate associated information, and explore questions relevant to the emergence of major and/or invasive pests. In addition to our focal taxa, we discovered, described, and classified new moth species whose larvae feed on a wide variety of commodities and economically important plants, including legumes, pineapples, corn, sorghum, sugarcane, nightshade family, and including ecologically important, native, North American grasses. Value-added imaging and molecular research included significant progress to elucidate the complex genitalia morphology of gelechiid moths through the use of 3D imaging, and the assembly and annotation of transcriptomes of two species of the noctuoid group Papaipema, one a fern-feeder and another a grass-feeder, which contributed to our fourth research subobjective to circumscribe and better understand focal groups of grass-feeding specialists. We made substantial progress on our fourth subobjective by completing the mining of three data sets, identifying preliminary patterns and formulating testable hypotheses, refining our data queries and circumscriptions of grass-feeding focal taxa to test specific patterns. Our extensive data mining efforts produced taxonomic profiles of diets based on over 350,000 moth interceptions at U.S. ports to explore patterns and trends over 25+ years. Successful studies of pests, and/or potential pests, included the use of molecular tools for the identification of the Old World Bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, intercepted at U.S. ports. The latter study also demonstrated the unreliability of host and origin data for screening purposes. Studies on sugarcane borers that are major pests in the Western Hemisphere of food crops, such as corn, rice, and wheat, led to the discovery of a new, cryptic species feeding on Eastern gamagrass in the United States, and clarified the identity and distribution of other sugarcane-feeding species in Colombia. Moths and their larvae exhibit great host and habitat diversity and, as part of our general objective, we also studied and published results on moths that feed on orchids and ferns, moths that live in bird nests, maple-feeding leaf miners, and a new host plant family for the destructive navel orangeworm. Our research also included biology and identify of aquatic caterpillars, including two chapters in aquatic insect books, one of which is used by university students in the United States, and description of aquatic species new to the United States. Aquatic caterpillars feed on native and invasive aquatic weeds that are important to the health of U.S. waterways and detection for quarantine purposes. Our mandate called for collaboration with specialists in our field due to the nature of invasive species from other areas worldwide. Significant findings included the discovery, in collaboration with ARS biological control laboratories, of new species feeding on the Brazilian peppertree, one of the most aggressive invasive weeds in the United States, and the Old World Climbing fern-feeders in the Everglades. We also collaborated with multiple international teams on projects focused on the evolution of economically significant moth groups. These included a global review of pyraloid fossils, and a study of the Old World stem-borers which are primary pests of crop grasses. The latter work combined paleoenvironmental proxies with molecular phylogenetic data to demonstrate an inverse correlation between the diversification of the larvae and that of grasses as a function of temperature and atmospheric composition. Additionally, significant progress in most projects was derived from a collaboration with, and externally funded by, Smithsonian Institution and the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario and Barcode of Life Data Systems, known as BOLD, to generate DNA COI barcodes for all North American moth species. Specimens were prioritized, prepared, and submitted for sequencing, many of them old or very old specimens that required next-generation sequencing techniques. The sequencing success rate for the ancient DNA was over 80%. In the course of this work, protocols for dissections of National Museum of Natural History Noctuoidea type specimens were implemented to include mandatory DNA extractions. Two of our objectives were service components linked to research Objective 1. The first was to maintain and enhance portions of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution collection. Our research results were embedded and vouchered in our curatorial work. A major focus and basis of taxonomic research included imaging, morphological, and molecular study of moth type specimens at the National Museum of Natural History. Significant progress was made in the imaging of gelechioid and noctuoid type specimens. We verified and added over 2, 000 additional photographs of gelechioid moth type specimens, their labels, and slide dissections, to the Lepidoptera Specimen Database of the National Museum of Natural History. This resource is crucial to resolve identities of economically important moths. The oldest and largest U.S. collection of a snout moth grass-feeding group, which includes the sod webworm, was curated and databased to mine biological information about host use for our fourth objective on grass-feeding specialists. The second objective, to identify potential pest moths, has direct, daily and long-term impact. We identified specimens for regulatory agencies, primarily the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and other research agencies and stakeholders. During the life of this project we made 10,379 identifications of 10,833 specimens. This included 6,367 URGENT identifications (i.e., to be done immediately as they are submitted by U.S. port identifiers for potential quarantine action on imported commodities). Routine submissions were from local agricultural and environmental agencies, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service identifiers to verify training efficacy and status of expertise, and from U.S. citizens. The overall impact of the research conducted in this project is the discovery of new moth species; hypotheses of their evolution; and their biological, evolutionary, and economic relationships to American agriculture and natural resources. Significant direct impact was made when we provided identifications, tools, databases, and images to facilitate identifications of economically important moth taxa for use in pest detection at U.S. ports, exclusion, and management, and in the successful implementation of biological control projects. Accomplishments 01 New twirler moth genera and species to combat the Brazilian Peppertree. Peppertree is one of the most aggressive invasive weeds in Florida and other parts of its invaded range. An ARS researcher located at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., hit both marks of research and intellectual sharing by collaborating with ARS scientists in the Invasive Plant Research Lab in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in their efforts to find insect agents for biocontrol of Brazilian Peppertree. Together, they discovered and described five new species in three new genera of twirler moths from the invasive plant's native region in South America. This research provided a better perspective on the diversity of herbivores, how they are related, and host range across a twirler moth subfamily. 02 Discovery of A ⿿Missing Link Twirler moth. Twirler moths are represented by thousands of species and numerous agricultural and forest pests. Understanding how twirler moth species from different parts of the World are related and where they occur facilitate research to mediate their impact on U.S. natural resources. An ARS researcher located at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., mentoring a doctoral graduate student at the University of Panama, discovered and described a new, missing link" species of twirler moth. The new species is from Panama and related to a poorly understood species described in 1923 from Brazil based on only male specimens. Prior to this research, the genealogy of the 100-year- old-moth was unknown. Discovery of the new moth species from Panama and the morphology of the female allowed a hypothesis of the relatedness of both species to other twirler moths. The results of this research help us understand broader evolutionary relationships, diversity, and geographic distribution among the World's twirler moths. 03 Tissue acquisition for the taxonomic resolution of the fall armyworm. An ARS scientist located at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., collaborated with a scientist at the Identification Technology Program Molecular Laboratory, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Fort Collins, Colorado, to procure tissue from type specimens in foreign museums of synonyms. The Fall Armyworm is one of the World's most high-profile economically important pests, which has invaded and become established in Africa, Asia, and Australia in the last four years. The purpose of this work is to correct an improper designation of a neotype, which impedes accurate scientific communication concerning this species. This work is being combined with ongoing molecular diagnostic data from intercepted specimens to characterize the many pest species of Spodoptera. 04 New species and genera of fern-feeding Noctuidae. An ARS scientist located at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., collaborated with a colleague at The Natural History Museum, London, to revise and describe new taxa of fern- feeding Noctuidae from Central and South America. This research is pivotal to understanding the geographic and phylogenetic origins of fern diets considered rare in nature, and more immediately to the classification of the subfamily to which they belong. 05 Analytical applications and trends in DNA barcoding. An ARS scientist located at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., collaborated with a scientist at the American Museum of Natural History, New York, to examine over 3,750 publications that utilized DNA barcoding, and evaluate trends in empirical technique, applications, and interpretations of analyses. The paper described a sharp rise in publications using DNA barcoding for forensic and conservation research in 2017, and noted that despite the rapid expansion of DNA barcode-based research driven largely by the discovery and description of new species, analytical misapplications remain common.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Stonis, J.R., Remeikis, A., Diskus, A., Orlovskyte, S., Vargas, S., Solis, M.A. 2019. A new leaf-mining pest of guava, Hesperolyra guajavifoliae sp. n., with comments on the diagnostics of the endemic Neotropical genus Hesperolyra van Nieukerken (Lepidoptera, Nepticulidae). ZooKeys. 900:87- 110. http;10.3897/zookeys.900.46332.
- Corro Chang, P., Metz, M. 2020. Universidad de Panamá, Vicerrectoría de Investigación y Postgrado. Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas con énfasis en Entomología, Panamá; Agricultural Research Service - Systematic Entomology Lab. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 122(2):291- 298.
- Desalle, R., Goldstein, P.Z. 2019. Interpretive trends in DNA barcoding. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 7(302).
- Dolibaina, D., Casagrande, M., Specht, A., Mielke, O.N., Legrain, A., Zilli, A., Goldstein, P.Z. 2019. Taxonomy of the rivorum species-group of Leucania Ochsenheimer, 1816 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Zootaxa. 4711(3):545- 560.
- Goldstein, P.Z., Zilli, A. 2019. Thraumata, a new genus from South America with a description of a new species from Peru (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Eriopinae). ZooKeys. 866:139-160.
- Goldstein, P.Z., Janzen, D.H., Hallwachs, W. 2019. Aprica: A new genus and life history for the pteridivore "Xanthia patula Druce, 1898. ZooKeys. 866:127-145.
- Mccarty, M.E., Adamski, D., Metz, M., Landry, J.F. 2020. Two new species in the genus Frumenta Busck 1939 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae: Gnorimoschemini) with discovery of a culcitula in the male. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 122(2):415-441.
- Metz, M., Wheeler, G.S., Mckay, F., Dyer, K.G. 2019. New genera and species of Gelechiinae (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) from South America feeding on Brazilian peppertree. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 121(3):461-483.
- Solis, M.A. 2019. Aquatic and semiaquatic Lepidoptera In: Aquatic Insects of North America, R. W. Merritt, K.W. Cummins, and M.B. Berg (Eds.). 5th edition. Book Chapter. 765-789.
- Solis, M.A., Hayden, J.E., Vargas, S.F., Gonzalez, F., Sanabria, U.C., Gulbronson, C. 2019. A new pyraloid moth species of Sufetula Walker (Crambidae) feeding on pineapple, Ananas comosus (L.) (Bromeliaceae) from Costa Rica. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 121(3) :497-510.
- Solis, M.A., Osoria-Mejia, P., Sarmiento-Naizaque, Z., Barreto-Triana, N. 2020. A new species of Eoreuma Ely (Crambidae: Crambinae) feeding on sugarcane from Colombia. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 122(2):471-481.
- Solis, M.A., Philips-Rodriguez, E., Hallwachs, W., Dapkey, T., Janzen, D.H. 2020. Asturodes Amsel (Lepidoptera: Crambidae: Spilomelinae): Three new species from the Western Hemisphere and foodplant records from Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 122(1):147-171.
- Stonis, J.R., Diskus, A., Remeikis, A., Vargas, S., Solis, M.A. 2020. Diagnostics and updated catalogue of Acalyptris Meyrick, the second largest genus of Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) in the Americas. Zootaxa. 4748(2):201-247.
- Stonis, J.R., Remeikis, A., Diskus, A., Davis, D.R., Solis, M.A. 2020. American Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera) species from the collection of the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 122(3):485-505.
- Wheeler, G.S., Dyer, K.G., Metz, M. 2019. Host range of the leaf-tier Tentamen atrivirgulatum (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae); an unsuitable candidate for biological control of Brazilian peppertree. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 29(12):1172-1180.
|
Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): The order Lepidoptera, specifically moths, represents one of the greatest radiations of herbivorous animals on the planet. The research component of this plan focuses on the most economically important groups of moths. Gaps in our knowledge of morphological, biological, and molecular characters, and the paucity of phylogenetic analyses, within many groups in these families combine to slow progress on the development of identification tools for use in pest detection, exclusion, and management, and in the successful implementation of biological control projects. The primary focus of this plan is to remedy some of those shortcomings by making available to a broad audience tools, databases, and images that will facilitate identifications and research over a wide range of economically important groups of moths. Within the Lepidoptera specific taxonomic groups are selected for revision based on specific expertise, the need for revisionary work, and the relevance of the group to American agriculture. This project also includes a service component that draws upon SEL experts to identify specimens for regulatory agencies (often on an urgent basis) and other research agencies and stakeholders, and to maintain and enhance portions of the National Insect Collection. Over the next five years, we will be addressing the following objectives: (1) conduct integrative taxonomic research that wherever possible incorporates larval and molecular data, in addition to adult data, to determine and circumscribe species and manage associated information, as follows: recognize and describe new and/or cryptic species; develop identification keys and illustrations; refine hypotheses of relationships to be reflected in classification; track distributions, and investigate regional host use and specificity of moths that are pests, potential pests, invasive species, and/or species beneficial to U.S. agriculture of Pyraloidea, Gelechiinae, Noctuoidea, and grass-feeding patterns in moths; (2) manage and enhance via fieldwork appropriate segments of the U.S. National Insect Collection to enable morphological and molecular research, mine the associated distributional and biological data for comprehensive databases, and provide identifications as needed; and (3) provide expert/ authoritative identifications and generate research associated with specimens submitted by ARS researchers and other stakeholders or intercepted at U.S. ports by APHIS, Homeland Security, and state departments of agriculture for early detection of potentially invasive or novel pests. Approach (from AD-416): This project will undertake research on a number of economically important plant feeding moths. We will generate morphological, molecular (DNA sequences), and biological characters that will be used to test species concepts and hypotheses of relationship among agriculturally important moths. These data also will be used to develop new diagnostic tools (descriptions, images, illustrations, keys) to permit more rapid and accurate identifications. Databases containing scientific names, distributions, taxonomic literature, and host plant and specimen data pertaining to economically important moths will be expanded and disseminated to the user community. These and other taxonomic tools will be made accessible to the public via publications, the internet, and other electronic media. Timely and accurate identifications of moths will be provided, including those intercepted at ports-of-entry by APHIS-PPQ or submitted by a wide range of scientists and regulatory agencies. Portions of the National Insect Collection at the National Museum of Natural History, a vital tool for research and identification, will be maintained and enhanced via fieldwork. Progress was made on all four objectives and their subobjectives, all of which fall under National Program 304, Crop Protection and Quarantine, Component 1, Systematics and Identification. Efforts focus on the identification of insects that are pests or potential pests of the Nation⿿s crops and natural ecosystems, as well as exotic insects that could be used as enemies or show potential as biological control agents of invasive plants (Problem Statement 1A). We document progress for Project Number 8042-22000-294-00D Systematics of Moths Significant to Biodiversity, Quarantine, and Control, with a Focus on Invasive Species. This project began recently, in December 2016, and this progress report covers the second year and eight months. Under Objective 1 we made significant progress on our milestones to clarify and delimit four groups of moths: Omiodes, Ategumia, Recurvaria- group, and Argyrosticta. Our research also provided taxonomic resolution and identification tools for pests, invasive moths, and emerging pest moth groups. This research included using molecular tools for the identification of the Old World Bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, intercepted at U.S. ports that demonstrated the unreliability of host and origin data for screening purposes. This research discovered biological control insect agents against Brazilian peppertree, one of the most aggressive invasive weeds in the United States. We discovered new moth species whose larvae feed on a wide variety of commodities and economically important plants, such as legumes, pineapples, corn, sorghum, sugarcane, nightshade, and including ecologically important, native, North American grasses. Our results also included two chapters in aquatic insect books and description of species new to the United States about aquatic caterpillars. They feed on native and invasive aquatic weeds that are important to the health of U.S. waterways and detection for quarantine purposes. Our team worked to solve taxonomic higher-level relationships in some of the most diverse and economically important moth groups, Noctuidae and Gelechioidea. Our extensive data mining efforts produced taxonomic profiles of plants associated with over 350,000 moth interceptions at U.S. ports to explore patterns and trends over 25+ years. We verified and added over 2,000 additional photographs of gelechioid moth type specimens, their labels, and slide dissections, to the Lepidoptera Specimen Database of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. This resource is crucial to resolve identities of economically important moths. The oldest and largest U.S. collection of a snout moth grass-feeding group, Crambus, was curated and databased to mine biological information about host use. We also collaborated with multiple international teams on projects focused on the evolution of economically significant moth groups. These included a global review of pyraloid fossils, and a study of the Old World stem-borers (Sesamiina) which are primary pests of crop grasses. The latter work combined paleoenvironmental proxies with molecular phylogenetic data to demonstrate an inverse correlation between the diversification of the larvae and that of grasses as a function of temperature and atmospheric composition. Our subobjectives of Objective 1 are closely tied to our Objective 2 to manage and enhance with fieldwork the U.S. National Insect Collection that we utilize for our research and identifications. For example, and as stated above, we enhanced the collections for our research by photographing gelechioid moth type specimens and databasing a snout moth group. The National Collections are also heavily utilized for Objective 3 to provide authoritative identifications to ARS researchers conducting research on moth pests or biological control of noxious weeds, and to APHIS and Homeland Security personnel for detection of invasive and novel pests. In 2019 we provided over 657 URGENT identifications comprising over 1100 specimens submitted by U.S. ports for rapid identification and action on their part. Accomplishments 01 New moth species to combat the Brazilian peppertree. An ARS researcher located at the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution) in Washington, D.C., hit both marks of research and intellectual sharing by collaborating with ARS scientists in the Invasive Plant Research Lab in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They discovered insect agents for biocontrol of the Brazilian peppertree, one of the most aggressive invasive weeds in its invaded range. They discovered and described five new species in three new genera of twirler moths from the invasive plants native region. This research provided a better perspective on the diversity of herbivores, how they are related, and host range across an entire moth subfamily. 02 Fighting the Old World Bollworm, a billion dollar threat to U.S. crops. The Old World Bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, feeds on more than 180 species of plants. It is also the most destructive moth pest, causing billions of dollars in damage yearly, to some of the most commonly harvested crops around the World. With the introduction of Helicoverpa armigera into the New World, the identification of larvae of closely- related species based on host and origin data at U.S. ports was no longer certain. An ARS researcher located at the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution) Washington, D.C., collaborated with an Animal and Plant Heath Inspection Service (APHIS) scientist to develop molecular methods to discriminate Heliothine larvae intercepted at U.S. ports. This study demonstrated the unreliability of currently used data, larval host and origin data, for screening Old World Bollworm.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Graca, M.B., Solis, M.A. 2018. Order Lepidoptera. Academic Press. 325-337.
- Stonis, J.R., Diskus, A., Katinas, L., Solis, M.A. 2018. Asteraceae: host of the greatest diversity of leaf-mining Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) in South America. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 120(4):856-902.
- Sole, R., Gripenberg, S., Lewis, O.T., Markesteijn, L., Barrios, H., Ratz, T., Ctvrtecka, R., Butterill, P.T., Segar, S.T., Metz, M., Dahl, C., Rivera, M., Viquez, K., Ferguson, W., Guevara, M., Basset, Y. 2019. The role of herbivorous insects and pathogens in the regeneration dynamics of Guazuma ulmifolia in Panama. Nature Conservation. 32:81-101.
- Stonis, J.R., Diskus, A., Remeikis, A., Solis, M.A. 2018. A Gondwanan Concept of Simplimorpha Scoble (sensu lato): a step toward clarity in the generic diagnostics of global Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera). Zootaxa. 4521(2) :151-182.
- Heikkila, M., Simonsen, T.J., Solis, M.A. 2018. Reassessment of known fossil Pyraloidea (Lepidoptera) with description of the oldest fossil pyraloid and of a crambid larva in Baltic amber. Zootaxa. 4483(1):101-127.
- Miller, G.L., Metz, M., Wheeler Jr., A.G. 2018. What is ⿿there? Searching for the North American origin of the aphid Appendiseta robiniae. American Entomologist. 64(4):233-241.
- Stonis, J.R., Diskus, A., Remeikis, A., Solis, M.A. 2018. The American Brachinepticula gen. nov. and Manoneura Davis (Nepticulidae): a new generic concept based on a reinforced cathrema in the phallus. Biologija. 64(2):99-128.
- Stonis, J.R., Diskus, A., Solis, M.A. 2018. Two new Fabaceae-feeding Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) from the Western Hemisphere, including a potential pest of the economically important Centrolobium Mart. ex Benth. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 120(4):842-855.
- Solis, M.A., Tuskes, P. 2018. Two new species of a Petrophila Guilding (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) from northcentral Arizona, U.S.A. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 120(3):593-604.
- Goldstein, P.Z., Janzen, D.H., Hallwachs, W., Proshek, B.T., Dapkey, T. 2018. Review of Lophomyra Schaus species newly associated with ferns and the transfer of Lophomyra commixta (Schaus) new combination (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). ZooKeys. 788:135-165.
- Goldstein, P.Z., Janzen, D.H., Hallwachs, W., Proshek, B.T., Dapkey, T. 2018. Revision of the fern-feeding Chytonidia Schaus, 1914 (Leucosigma Druce, 1908 new synonymy) with a key to adults and a description of 5 new species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). ZooKeys. 788:87-133.
- Kergoat, G., Condamine, F.L., Toussanit, E.A., Capdeviell-Dulac, C., Clamens, A., Barbut, J., Goldstein, P.Z., Le Ru, B. 2018. Testing the Neogene grassland hypothesis: opposing macroevolutionary responses to environmental changes in grasses and insects. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 9(5089).
- Villegas-Lujan, R., Felipe-Victoriano, M., Keegan, K., Solis, M.A., Sanchez-Pena, S.R. 2019. Identity and first report of the four-spotted moth, Palpita quadristigmalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), as a pest of Japanese privet, Ligustrum japonicum Thunb. (Oleaceae) in Mexico. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 121(2):290-298.
|
Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): The order Lepidoptera, specifically moths, represents one of the greatest radiations of herbivorous animals on the planet. The research component of this plan focuses on the most economically important groups of moths. Gaps in our knowledge of morphological, biological, and molecular characters, and the paucity of phylogenetic analyses, within many groups in these families combine to slow progress on the development of identification tools for use in pest detection, exclusion, and management, and in the successful implementation of biological control projects. The primary focus of this plan is to remedy some of those shortcomings by making available to a broad audience tools, databases, and images that will facilitate identifications and research over a wide range of economically important groups of moths. Within the Lepidoptera specific taxonomic groups are selected for revision based on specific expertise, the need for revisionary work, and the relevance of the group to American agriculture. This project also includes a service component that draws upon SEL experts to identify specimens for regulatory agencies (often on an urgent basis) and other research agencies and stakeholders, and to maintain and enhance portions of the National Insect Collection. Over the next five years, we will be addressing the following objectives: (1) conduct integrative taxonomic research that wherever possible incorporates larval and molecular data, in addition to adult data, to determine and circumscribe species and manage associated information, as follows: recognize and describe new and/or cryptic species; develop identification keys and illustrations; refine hypotheses of relationships to be reflected in classification; track distributions, and investigate regional host use and specificity of moths that are pests, potential pests, invasive species, and/or species beneficial to U.S. agriculture of Pyraloidea, Gelechiinae, Noctuoidea, and grass-feeding patterns in moths; (2) manage and enhance via fieldwork appropriate segments of the U.S. National Insect Collection to enable morphological and molecular research, mine the associated distributional and biological data for comprehensive databases, and provide identifications as needed; and (3) provide expert/ authoritative identifications and generate research associated with specimens submitted by ARS researchers and other stakeholders or intercepted at U.S. ports by APHIS, Homeland Security, and state departments of agriculture for early detection of potentially invasive or novel pests. Approach (from AD-416): This project will undertake research on a number of economically important plant feeding moths. We will generate morphological, molecular (DNA sequences), and biological characters that will be used to test species concepts and hypotheses of relationship among agriculturally important moths. These data also will be used to develop new diagnostic tools (descriptions, images, illustrations, keys) to permit more rapid and accurate identifications. Databases containing scientific names, distributions, taxonomic literature, and host plant and specimen data pertaining to economically important moths will be expanded and disseminated to the user community. These and other taxonomic tools will be made accessible to the public via publications, the internet, and other electronic media. Timely and accurate identifications of moths will be provided, including those intercepted at ports-of-entry by APHIS-PPQ or submitted by a wide range of scientists and regulatory agencies. Portions of the National Insect Collection at the National Museum of Natural History, a vital tool for research and identification, will be maintained and enhanced via fieldwork. Progress was made on all four objectives and their subobjectives, all of which fall under National Program 304, Crop Protection and Quarantine, Component 1, Systematics and Identification, especially Problem Statement 1A where efforts focus on the identification of insects that are pests or potential pests of the Nation�s crops and natural ecosystems, as well as exotic insects that could be used as enemies or show potential as biological control agents of invasive plants. This report documents progress for Project Number 8042-22000-294-00D Systematics of Moths Significant to Biodiversity, Quarantine, and Control, with a Focus on Invasive Species. This project began recently, in December 2016, and this progress report covers the first year and eight months. Under Objective 1, we made significant progress to delimit five groups of moths and describe their species as per the milestones. Species problems were resolved and the current circumscriptions of the groups Sinoe, Diaphania, Eulepte, Leucosigma (Chytonidia), and Lophomyra were analyzed. Significant progress was made to elucidate the complex genitalic morphology of gelechiid moths through the use of 3D imaging and the study of Pseudochelaria in North America. Transcriptome data of noctuid moths and dragonflies were investigated, new groups of noctuid moths were used as a model to study wing pattern evolution, and data for macro-moths associated with Northeastern North American coastal plains were published. Collaborative research on braconid parasitoids of Costa Rican crambid moths was published. Moths and their larvae exhibit great host and habitat diversity and as part of our objectives, we also studied and published results on moths that feed on orchids and ferns; moths that live in bird nests and water; maple-feeding leaf miners; Old World Climbing fern feeders in the Everglades investigated for biological control purposes; a new host plant family for the destructive navel orangeworm; and destructive sugar cane borers, their parasitoids, and potential control measures. Transcriptomes of two species of Papaipema were published, one a fern-feeder and another a grass-feeder, the latter of which also contribute to our fourth subobjective to circumscribe focal groups of grass-feeding specialists. We made substantial progress on our fourth subobjective by refining our data queries and circumscriptions of grass-feeding focal taxa to test specific patterns. These include whether primary diet shifts correspond to boundaries of species groups within genera of pyraloids and noctuids, and whether major expansions of diet breadth across tribes of grasses correspond to other changes in behavior or life history among moth genera. Our subobjectives of Objective 1 are closely tied to our Objective 2 to manage and enhance with fieldwork the U.S. National Insect Collection that we utilize for our research and identifications. The National Collections are also heavily utilized for Objective 3 to provide authoritative identifications to ARS researchers conducting research on moth pests or biological control of noxious weeds, and to APHIS and Homeland Security personnel for detection of invasive and novel pests. In 2018 we provided over 1300 URGENT identifications submitted by U.S. ports for rapid identification and action on their part. Accomplishments 01 3D modeling for invasive moth identifications. The identity of an organism is the most crucial piece of information needed to determine any control or quarantine action related to a potential economically important or invasive organism. The Apple groundling moth is a minor pest of apples and pears and widely distributed in western Europe. It is a potential invasive species because its range has expanded east to China, but it is not yet known to have reached North America. An ARS researcher located at the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution), Washington, D.C., used a free, open-source software to produce 3D models of structures from the apple groundling moth for quicker, more accurate identifications. The resulting models can be rotated in space, animated, and shared digitally all over the world to build a catalog for the identification of exotic and potential invasive moths in the United States.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Lara-Villalon, M., Vanoye-Eligio, V., Solis, M.A., Sanchez-Ramos, G., Chacon-Hermandez, J. 2017. The navel orangeworm, Amyelois transtilla (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) discovered in northeastern Mexico feeding on Sapindaceae. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 119(4):601-604.
- Stonis, J.R., Remeikis, A., Diskus, A., Solis, M.A. 2017. The American species of the genus Glaucolepis Braun, 1917 (Neotrifurcula van Nieukerken, syn. nov.) (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae). Zootaxa. 4338(3):489-506.
- Solis, M.A., Harms, N.E., Philipps-Rodriguez, E., Scheffer, S.J., Lewis, M. L., Metz, M. 2018. Aquatic larval immatures of two acentropines, Usingeriessa onyxalis (Hampson) and Oxyelophila callista (Forbes) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 120(1):180-195.
- Feindt, W., Oppenheim, S., Goldstein, P.Z., Desalle, R., Hardrys, H. 2018. Transcriptome profiling with focus on potential key genes for wing development and evolution in Megaloprepus caerulatus, the damselfly species with the world�s largest wings. PLoS One. 13(1):17.
- Goldstein, P.Z., Nelson, M.W., Simmons, T., Raleigh, L. 2018. Historical and ecological insights from a relictual sandplain: reexamining the insular moth fauna of Martha�s Vineyard (Dukes County, Massachusetts, USA). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 120(1):57.
- Metz, M., Janzen, D.H., Hallwachs, W. 2017. Descriptions of four new species of Struthoscelis Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae: Oecophorinae), one from Area de Conservaci�n Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica, providing the first known biology for the genus. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 119(3):442-458.
- Oppenheim, S., Desalle, R., Goldstein, P.Z., Feindt, W. 2018. De novo characterization of two transcriptomes from North American Papaipema stem- borers (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Insect Molecular Biology. p. 17.
- Schachat, S.R., Goldstein, P.Z. 2018. Acronictinae (Lepidoptera: Macroheterocera: Noctuidae) demonstrate the variable role of wing venation in the evolution of the nymphalid groundplan. Insect Systematics and Diversity. 2(2):1-15.
- Sharkey, M.J., Meierotto, S., Chapman, E., Janzen, D.H., Hallwachs, W., Dapkey, T., Solis, M.A. 2018. Alabagrus Enderlein (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Agathidinae) species of Costa Rica, with an emphasis on specimens reared from caterpillars in Area de Conservaci�n Guanacaste. Contributions in Science. 526:31-180.
- Solis, M.A., Neunzig, H.H. 2017. A new phycitine moth (Vorapourouma basseti, Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) from Panama feeding on Pourouma Aubl. (Urticaceae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 119(3):464-470.
- Solis, M.A., Pratt, P.D., Makinson, J., Zonneveld, R., Lake, E.C. 2017. Another new Lygodium-boring species of the musotimine genus Siamusotima (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) from China. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 119(3):471-480.
- Vargas, G., Latra, L., Ramirez, G.D., Solis, M.A. 2018. The Diatraea complex (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Colombia�s Cauca River Valley: identity, distribution, and parasitoids. Neotropical Entomology. 47:395- 402.
|
Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): The order Lepidoptera, specifically moths, represents one of the greatest radiations of herbivorous animals on the planet. The research component of this plan focuses on the most economically important groups of moths. Gaps in our knowledge of morphological, biological, and molecular characters, and the paucity of phylogenetic analyses, within many groups in these families combine to slow progress on the development of identification tools for use in pest detection, exclusion, and management, and in the successful implementation of biological control projects. The primary focus of this plan is to remedy some of those shortcomings by making available to a broad audience tools, databases, and images that will facilitate identifications and research over a wide range of economically important groups of moths. Within the Lepidoptera specific taxonomic groups are selected for revision based on specific expertise, the need for revisionary work, and the relevance of the group to American agriculture. This project also includes a service component that draws upon SEL experts to identify specimens for regulatory agencies (often on an urgent basis) and other research agencies and stakeholders, and to maintain and enhance portions of the National Insect Collection. Over the next five years, we will be addressing the following objectives: (1) conduct integrative taxonomic research that wherever possible incorporates larval and molecular data, in addition to adult data, to determine and circumscribe species and manage associated information, as follows: recognize and describe new and/or cryptic species; develop identification keys and illustrations; refine hypotheses of relationships to be reflected in classification; track distributions, and investigate regional host use and specificity of moths that are pests, potential pests, invasive species, and/or species beneficial to U.S. agriculture of Pyraloidea, Gelechiinae, Noctuoidea, and grass-feeding patterns in moths; (2) manage and enhance via fieldwork appropriate segments of the U.S. National Insect Collection to enable morphological and molecular research, mine the associated distributional and biological data for comprehensive databases, and provide identifications as needed; and (3) provide expert/ authoritative identifications and generate research associated with specimens submitted by ARS researchers and other stakeholders or intercepted at U.S. ports by APHIS, Homeland Security, and state departments of agriculture for early detection of potentially invasive or novel pests. Approach (from AD-416): This project will undertake research on a number of economically important plant feeding moths. We will generate morphological, molecular (DNA sequences), and biological characters that will be used to test species concepts and hypotheses of relationship among agriculturally important moths. These data also will be used to develop new diagnostic tools (descriptions, images, illustrations, keys) to permit more rapid and accurate identifications. Databases containing scientific names, distributions, taxonomic literature, and host plant and specimen data pertaining to economically important moths will be expanded and disseminated to the user community. These and other taxonomic tools will be made accessible to the public via publications, the internet, and other electronic media. Timely and accurate identifications of moths will be provided, including those intercepted at ports-of-entry by APHIS-PPQ or submitted by a wide range of scientists and regulatory agencies. Portions of the National Insect Collection at the National Museum of Natural History, a vital tool for research and identification, will be maintained and enhanced via fieldwork. Progress was made on all four objectives and their subobjectives, all of which fall under National Program 304, Crop Protection and Quarantine, Component 1, Systematics and Identification, especially Problem Statement 1A where efforts focus on the identification of insects that are pests or potential pests of the Nation�s crops and natural ecosystems, as well as exotic insects that could be used as enemies or show potential as biological control agents of invasive plants. This report documents progress for Project Number 8042-22000-294-00D Systematics of Moths Significant to Biodiversity, Quarantine, and Control, with a focus on Invasive Species. This project began recently, in December 2016 and this progress report therefore covers its first six months. Under Objective 1, we made significant progress to delimit three groups of moths and describe their species. Species problems were resolved and the current circumscription of the groups, Sinoe, Boalda� and Desmia, were reanalyzed. Transcriptomes of two species of Papaipema were assembled and annotated, one a fern-feeder and another a grass-feeder, which also contributes to our fourth subobjective to circumscribe focal groups of grass-feeding specialists. We surpassed our projected fourth goal by completing the mining of three data sets, identifying preliminary patterns and formulating testable hypotheses, and presenting preliminary results in an invited presentation on invasive species. Research is currently underway related to the diversification of stem-borers in Africa. Our subobjectives of Objective 1 are closely tied to our Objective 2 to manage and enhance with fieldwork the U.S. National Insect Collection that we utilize for our research and identifications. The National Collections are also heavily utilized for Objective 3 to provide authoritative identifications to ARS researchers conducting research on moth pests or biological control of noxious weeds, and to APHIS and Homeland Security personnel for detection of invasive and novel pests. In 2017, we provided over 1300 URGENT identifications submitted by U.S. ports for rapid identification and action on their part. Accomplishments 01 Profiling moth "cereal killers." The top ten cereal crops provide over three billion metric tons of food with a dollar value of over six hundred billion dollars worldwide, yet we know only a fraction of the moth species that cause varying degrees of crop losses. ARS scientists in Beltsville, Maryland, circumscribed focal moth groups and created a database of grass-feeding specialists. This database of moth biology and dietary profiles will enhance our ability to predict and respond to emerging pests and evaluate the safety of deploying host-specific herbivores for purposes of biological control.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Heikkila, M., Metz, M., Hallwachs, W., Janzen, D.H. 2017. Three new species of Rectiostoma Becker, 1982 (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Depressariidae) from Area de Conservaci�n Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 119(1):47-62.
- Joyce, A.L., Sermeno, J., Cervantes, L.S., Paniagua, M.R., Scheffer, S.J., Solis, M.A. 2016. Host plant associated genetic divergence of two Diatraea spp. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) stemborers on novel crop plants. Ecology and Evolution. 6:8632-8644. doi: 10.002/ece3.2541.
- Stonis, J.R., Diskus, A., Remeikis, A., Davis, D.R., Solis, M.A., Cumbicus, T. 2016. The first record of Baccharis L. (Asteraceae) as a host-plant genus for Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera), with description of new Stigmella species from South America. Zootaxa. 4136:101-128. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa. 4136.1.4.
- Zawadneak, M.C., Barboza, G.R., Chapaval, P.I., Schuber, J.M., Santos, B., Poltronieri, A.S., Solis, M.A. 2016. First record of Duponchelia fovealis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in South America. Idesia. 34:91-95. doi:10.4067/ S0718-34292016000300011.
- Goldstein, P.Z. 2017. Review of the enigmatic genus Boalda with transfer of pulcherrima K�hler from Nephelistis and description of a new species. Zootaxa. 4276(1):139-144.
- Goldstein, P.Z., Nelson, M.W. 2017. Two psammophilic noctuids (Lepidoptera) newly associated with beach plum Prunus maritima: The Dune Noctuid (Sympistis riparia) and Coastal Heathland Cutworm (Abagrotis nefascia) in Northeastern North America. ZooKeys. 661:61-89.
- Metz, M., Miller, D.R., Dickey, A.M., Bauchan, G.R., Ochoa, R., Skvarla, M. J., Miller, G.L. 2017. Rediscovering digitules in Aphidomorpha and the question of homology among Sternorrhyncha (Insecta: Hemiptera). ZooKeys. 4276(1):139-144.
|
|