Occurrence of Wolbachia in selected Diabroticite (Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae) beetles

Wolbachia are a rickettsial type bacteria that have been implicated as a ca use of reproductive disruption and alteration in many insect species. Polym erase chain reaction assays of the 16S rRNA gene were conducted to reveal t he prevalence of Wolbachia in 14 Diabroticite species, 12 Diabrotica, and t wo Acalymma. Assays revealed the presence of Wolbachia infection in three D iabrotica species; D virgifera virgifera LeConte (all 40 individuals). D. c ristata (Harris) (three of 25 individuals), D, lemniscata LeConte (all 20 i ndividuals), and the two Acalymma species, A. blandulum (LeConte) (all 20 i ndividuals), A. vittatum (F.) (one of 20 individuals). The identity of the Wolbachia strain was determined by sequencing the 16S rRNA and ftsZ genes a s well as a restriction enzyme digest of the ftsZ gene. Distances and neigh bor-joining trees on the Kimura 2-parameter measure as well as BlastN searc hes in GenBank revealed that the strain of Wolbachia infecting D. lemniscat a, D. v virgifera, A blandulum, and A. vittatum are most likely the same st rain of Wolbachia within the division A group. The strain of Wolbachia infe cting D. cristata also clusters within the A group, but it is different fro m that found in the other four Diabroticites. Implications of these infecti ons are also discussed.