Assessment of putative species diversity of insect larvae occurring in bamboo galls by a DNA barcoding analysis

Abstract

For identification of insect larvae occurring in galls formed on culms of Sasa kurilensis in Shiga-kôgen, Nagano and those of Pseudosasa japonica in Takao-san, Tokyo, we undertook a DNA barcoding analysis using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene. Seventeen operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified for larvae from Shiga-kôgen and one for those from Takao-san. Of 17 OTUs from Shiga-kôgen, 10 were most likely assigned to Cecidomyiidae (Diptera), one to Anthomyzidae (Diptera), two to Lepidoptera and four to Hymenoptera. One OTU from Takao-san was assigned in the Cecidomyiidae cluster. However, none of the OTUs was assigned to known species. It is unknown whether primary gall-makers are included in the putative cecidomyiid, anthomyzid and lepidopteran species found in this study. However, hymenopteran species occurring in these galls would be parasitoids. How so many cecidomyiid species coexist on bamboo culms in Shiga-kôgen is an interesting issue and remains to be resolved.