''Diorhabda meridionalis'' is a species of leaf beetle known as the southern tamarisk beetle (SoTB) which feeds on tamarisk trees from Syria to western and southern Iran and southern Pakistan.Tracy and Robbins (2009) provide a detailed review of the distribution, biogeography, biology, and taxonomy of ''D. meridionalis'' that is a general source for most of this article. The SoTB may have potential for use in North America as a

biological pest control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, such as insects, mites, weeds, and plant diseases, using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically also invo ...

agent against saltcedar or tamarisk (''

Tamarix The genus ''Tamarix'' (tamarisk, salt cedar, taray) is composed of about 50–60 species of flowering plants in the family Tamaricaceae, native to drier areas of Eurasia and Africa. The generic name originated in Latin and may refer to the Tam ...

'' spp.), an

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

in arid and semi-arid ecosystems (where it might be less accurately referred to along with its closely related

sibling species In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...

as the 'saltcedar beetle', 'saltcedar leaf beetle', 'salt cedar leaf beetle', or 'tamarisk leaf beetle') (Tracy and Robbins 2009).

Taxonomy

The SoTB was first described from Minab, Iran as the subspecies ''Diorhabda carinulata meridionalis'' Berti and Rapilly (1973). Tracy and Robbins (2009) recognized ''Diorhabda meridionalis'' Berti and Rapilly as a separate species from ''

Diorhabda carinulata ''Diorhabda carinulata'' is a species of leaf beetle known as the northern tamarisk beetle, which feeds on tamarisk trees from southern Russia and Iran to Mongolia and western China.Tracy and Robbins (2009) provide a detailed review of the distr ...

'' (Desbrochers) based on comparisons of the male and female genitalia, and provided illustrated taxonomic keys separating the SoTB from the four other

of the ''D. elongata'' (Brullé) species group: '' Diorhabda elongata'' (Brullé), '' Diorhabda carinata'' (Faldermann), '' Diorhabda sublineata'' (Lucas), and ''

''. (For additional information, see

'' Wikispecies: Diorhabda meridionalis''.)

Host plants

Field collections in Iran reveal that the SoTB feeds on an unidentified species of tamarisk.Tracy and Robbins 2009 Further field collections are needed to identify which tamarisk species serve as hosts.

Life cycle

The life cycle of the SoTB has not been studied, but it is probably similar to that of the closely related northern tamarisk beetle, ''

''.

Biological control agent

The SoTB might be able to serve as an effective biological control agent for tamarisk in North America. Laboratory host range studies are needed to verify that SoTB is a specialist feeder on tamarisks. The SoTB may be better adapted to subtropical desert habitats of south and west Texas than other Old World tamarisk beetles that are being introduced, such as the

Mediterranean tamarisk beetle ''Diorhabda elongata'' is a species of leaf beetle known as the Mediterranean tamarisk beetle (MTB) which feeds on tamarisk trees from Portugal and Algeria east to southern Russia.Tracy and Robbins (2009) provide a detailed review of the distribu ...

, '' Diorhabda elongata''. The northern tamarisk beetle, ''

'', is probably better adapted to northern cold deserts in North America where it is widely established, and the

larger tamarisk beetle ''Diorhabda carinata'' is a species of leaf beetle known as the larger tamarisk beetle (larger tamarisk beetle) which feeds on tamarisk trees from Ukraine, eastern Turkey and Syria east to northwest China, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan, extending as fa ...

, '' Diorhabda carinata'', is probably better adapted to warm temperate grasslands and deserts. The

subtropical tamarisk beetle ''Diorhabda sublineata'' is a leaf beetle known as the subtropical tamarisk beetle (STB). The species was first described by Hippolyte Lucas in 1849. It feeds on tamarisk trees from Portugal, Spain and France to Morocco, Senegal, Algeria, Tunisi ...

, '' Diorhabda sublineata'', is probably better adapted to subtropical Mediterranean and subtropical interior desert habitats (Tracy and Robbins 2009). (See articles on other tamarisk beetles listed above for additional information on biological control.)

References

* ; 1973: Contribution a la faune de l’Iran; Voyages de MM. R. Naviaux et M. Rapilly (Col. Chrysomelidae). ''Annales de la Société Entomologique de France'', 9(4): 861–894. (In French) * ; 2009: Taxonomic revision and biogeography of the ''Tamarix''-feeding ''Diorhabda elongata'' (Brullé, 1832) species group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Galerucini) and analysis of their potential in biological control of Tamarisk. ''Zootaxa'', 2101: 1-152
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Notes

External links

* * * Texas Agri-Life Extension Leaflet; ''Biological Control of Saltcedar'' (regards use of other tamarisk beetle species). tp://ftp.brc.tamus.edu/pub/outgoing/jtracy/Publications/Saltcedar%20Biological%20Control%20L-5444.pdf PDF* Texas Agri-Life Research and Extension Program; ''Biological Control of Saltcedar: Using Natural Enemies to Combat an Invasive Weed Competing with Texas' Water Resources'' (regards use of other tamarisk beetle species)
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* USDA Agricultural Research Service and Texas Agri-Life Research and Extension Service Report of Information to the Public; ''Progress on Biological Control of Saltcedar in the Western U.S.: Emphasis -- Texas 2004-2009.'' tp://ftp.brc.tamus.edu/pub/outgoing/jtracy/Publications/SaltcedarPublicReportHandout9-9-09.pdf PDF {{Taxonbar, from=Q5279479 Galerucinae Biological pest control beetles Insects used for control of invasive plants Insects of Iran Beetles described in 1973