Hybridisation between populations of Enoggera nassaui in New Zealand

Abstract

The eucalyptus tortoise beetle (Paropsis charybdis) egg parasitoid, Enoggera nassaui, is distributed throughout New Zealand. The original population released in New Zealand was from Western Australia and was later augmented with two strains from Tasmania (Florentine Valley and Evandale). Analysis of E. nassaui in 2001 showed a predominance of the Western Australian strain, with only one Florentine Valley individual being detected. In the present study, collections of E. nassaui specimens from P. charybdis eggs made during spring 2010 were subjected to cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequence analysis. The majority of individuals from Poronui Station (Taupo) were either the Tasmanian Florentine Valley strain or hybrids between the original Western Australian and Tasmanian strains. It is uncertain whether this outcome will improve the biological control of Paropsis charybdis in New Zealand.