Detection of native-alien populations of Anisandrus dispar (Fabricius, 1792) in Europe

The human-mediated introduction and movement of alien populations of species within their native range is still a little-explored topic. This phenomenon may cause genetic contamination of local populations and be the introduction pathway of new associated microorganisms and fungi, potentially able to modify the interspecific relationships between insects and host-plants with serious ecological and economic impacts. In the present contribution, we produced the first evidence of a native-alien population of the Palearctic ambrosia beetle Anisandrus dispar occurring in Europe, highlighting that individuals belonging to different populations of a species can disperse via commercial trade within its native biogeographic range resulting in cryptic invasions. Our findings support the idea that the movement of native species within their native distribution range can be more common than previously suspected.