Detection and Identification of Wheat Pest Chaetopteroplia segetum (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Anisopliines are an important group of insects associated with both cultivated plants and wild weeds. Chaetopteroplia segetum (Herbst, 1783) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), although preferring natural plants, can cause significant damage to agricultural crops such as wheat, rye, and corn, posing a major threat to agricultural fields. This species is widely distributed across Europe and Asia, and C. segetum has been reported in several provinces in Türkiye. However, despite its extensive geographical range, the phylogenetic relationships within the Scarabaeidae family remain poorly understood. This study aimed to detect, identify, and investigate the phylogenetic relationships of this wheat pest across various agricultural fields in the Çivril district of Denizli province, Türkiye. The surveys were systematically conducted between June and July 2023, with monthly sample collections carried out at predetermined locations within twelve different fields. The collected samples were morphologically characterized, and the morphological identification was further confirmed through molecular analysis of representative samples from each field. After DNA isolation, a partial fragment of the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene was amplified using universal barcode primers LCO1490F and HCO2198R. BLAST analysis revealed that all collected individuals exhibited 99%–100% similarity with previously reported C. segetum sequences. Furthermore, a phylogenetic tree was constructed using the neighbor-joining method with MEGA X software, based on COI gene region data, to elucidate the relationships among the individuals. Currently, there is limited information on the molecular classification of the Scarabaeidae family in Türkiye. The findings of this study contribute to bridging this gap by providing a foundation for future molecular research aimed at better understanding the genetic structure and phylogenetic relationships within this family.