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Genetic Diversity of Palm Weevils, Rhynchophorus Species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) by Mitochondrial COI Gene Sequences Declares a New Species, R. bilineatus in Qassim, Saudi Arabia

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Abstract

The red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is still one of the most important invading harmful pests of date palms worldwide. R. ferrugineus is attacking 40 palm species worldwide. This study highlighted the genetic biodiversity of Rhynchophorus species, as well, their damage in Qassim province/Saudi Arabia. R. ferrugineus, is seen as a single species in all date palm farms in Saudi Arabia. RPW adults display remarkable morphological variation; consequently, R. ferrugineus forms have huge genetic diversities that may be led to the presence of new species and/or haplotypes. In the last decades, the totality of RPW species that invaded the Arab Gulf Area was almost R. ferrugineus. Out of more than 1000 adults, separated into 27 phenotypes used for the genetic studies based on Microsatellites and Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences. COI analyses provide definitively clear supported data, for the existence of two predominantly allopatric Rhynchophorus species in Qassim, namely R. ferrugineus and Rhynchophorus bilineatus Montrouzier. The dominant species was R. ferrugineus with 80%, while R. bilineatus constituted 20%. R. ferrugineus involved eight haplotypes, whereas the new expected species R. bilineatus had only two and the most harmful haplotype is haplotype-1 of R. bilineatus. Based on COI analyses, this study determined two Rhynchophorus species in Qassim, of which R. bilineatus is the 1st species reported in Saudi Arabia, Arab gulf countries, and the Mediterranean Basin. Therefore, this study declares that the species of R. bilineatus is considered the 1st record Rhynchophorus species at Qassim, Saudi Arabia.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Qassim University under the number (cavm-5678–2019-2-2-I) during the academic year 1441-1443 AH / 2019-2021 AD. The authors would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at Qassim University and the Red Palm Weevil Center/Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (Qassim, Saudi Arabia) for their valuable support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Production and Protection, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, 51452, Saudi Arabia

    Nagdy F. Abdel-Baky, Mohammad A. Aldeghairi, Mohamed I. Motawei & Medhat Rehan

  2. Economic Entomology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt

    Nagdy F. Abdel-Baky

  3. Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, 11474, Saudi Arabia

    Laila A. M. Al-Shuraym

  4. Department of Biology, College of Science and Arts, Qassim University, Unaizah, Saudi Arabia

    Asma A. S. Al-Nujiban

  5. Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia

    Mousa T. M. Alharbi

  6. Department of Genetics, College of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh, 33516, Egypt

    Medhat Rehan

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  1. Nagdy F. Abdel-Baky
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Correspondence to Nagdy F. Abdel-Baky.

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Abdel-Baky, N.F., Aldeghairi, M.A., Motawei, M.I. et al. Genetic Diversity of Palm Weevils, Rhynchophorus Species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) by Mitochondrial COI Gene Sequences Declares a New Species, R. bilineatus in Qassim, Saudi Arabia. Arab J Sci Eng 48, 63–80 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-022-07104-w

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