Abstract:
The parasitoid wasp Ibalia leucospoides is native to the northern hemisphere and has been introduced to the southern hemisphere as a biological control agent for the invasive woodwasp Sirex noctilio. Two subspecies of the parasitoid, Ibalia leucospoides leucospoides (Palearctic distribution) and Ibalia leucospoides ensiger (Nearctic distribution), were introduced and are reported to have hybridized.
Despite extensive records of the numbers and origins of the wasps imported into the southern hemisphere, nothing is known regarding their current population diversity. We investigated the genetic variation of I. leucospoides in its native and introduced ranges using mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (ITS) markers.
Mitochondrial DNA diversity in the introduced range was limited, with only five haplotypes, although sequence divergence between these haplotypes was high. Similarly, the ITS rDNA sequences revealed multiple clades present in the introduced range.
These results reflect introductions from a wide geographical range but where genetic bottlenecks have possibly reduced the genetic diversity. The data further reflect the origin of the I. leucospoides populations in South America and South Africa from New Zealand or Australia. We found no evidence of hybridization between the two subspecies of the parasitoid in its introduced range, and no evidence that I. leucospoides ensiger has established outside its native range.
