First Korean record of Agrilus mallotiellus Kurosawa, 1985 (Coleoptera, Buprestidae): DNA barcoding and host-plant association with Mallotus japonicus

Agrilus mallotiellus Kurosawa, 1985 (Coleoptera, Buprestidae), which is known to use Mallotus japonicus (Thunb.) Müll.Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) as its host plant, has previously been recorded from Japan and Vietnam, but not from Korea. To date, no mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I ( COI ) sequences have been reported for this species. Agrilus mallotiellus is recorded from Korea for the first time based on specimens collected on Geomundo Island, representing the first Korean record of a member of the A. muscarius species-group. The first COI sequences of A. mallotiellus are provided, and phylogenetic analysis recovered the Korean specimens as a well-supported clade within this species-group. This record provides baseline information for future monitoring of potential changes in the distribution of A. mallotiellus in relation to that of its host plant.