1
|
Camargo-Martinez ND, Camacho-Erazo M, Amarillo-Suárez AR, Herrera HW, Sarmiento CE. Morphologic Differentiation of the Exotic Parasitoid Eupelmus pulchriceps (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) in the Galapagos Archipelago. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2024; 53:140-153. [PMID: 38133733 PMCID: PMC10834596 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-023-01097-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The historical and geographical properties of the archipelagos allow a detailed study of species diversification, and phenotypic traits can indicate the extent of such processes. Eupelmus pulchriceps (Cameron, 1904) is an exotic species to the Galapagos archipelago, and generalist parasitoid that attacks a beetle species that consumes the seeds of the invasive shrub Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. Despite extensive sampling, the wasp is recorded only in Santa Cruz and San Cristobal islands of the Galapagos archipelago. Thus, using 112 female wasps, we compare body size, proportion, and allometric differentiations within and between the two islands. There were no body size differences between islands. A PerMANOVA indicates differences between the islands and a single differentiation between two localities of one island. Allometric differences between islands were not the same for all structures. These results are consistent with the greater distance between islands than between localities and suggest a differentiation process. The variables with allometric differentiation are associated with wings and ovipositor, possibly responding to different ecological pressures. It is interesting that this parasitoid, recently arrived at the archipelago, is already showing differentiation. Also, it is essential to monitor the behavior of these wasps in the archipelago, given their potential to access other species affecting the trophic interactions of the local biota.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas David Camargo-Martinez
- Lab de Sistemática y Biología Comparada de Insectos, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Univ Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Mariana Camacho-Erazo
- Museo de Entomología, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Chimborazo, Riobamba, Ecuador
| | - Angela R Amarillo-Suárez
- Depto de Ecología y Territorio, Facultad de Estudios Ambientales y Rurales, Pontificia Univ Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Henri W Herrera
- Museo de Entomología, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Chimborazo, Riobamba, Ecuador
| | - Carlos E Sarmiento
- Lab de Sistemática y Biología Comparada de Insectos, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Univ Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lee S, Park DY, Wang X, Duan JJ, Gould JR, Kim IK, Lee S. Exploration for Asian longhorned beetle parasitoids in Korea using an improved sentinel log trap. Parasite 2023; 30:57. [PMID: 38084938 PMCID: PMC10714676 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2023062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), is a destructive invasive woodboring insect pest, and efforts are being made to find parasitoids for ALB biological control. Through a four-year survey in Korea using a sentinel log trap associated with host chemical cues potentially important for host finding by parasitoids, two parasitoid species were discovered attacking ALB. One species is Spathius ibarakius Belokobylskij & Maetô, which is known to also parasitize citrus longhorned beetle, Anoplophora chinensis (Forster). The other parasitoid species, whose offspring were dead before imago, could not be morphologically identified at the adult stage. We attempted molecular and morphological identification of the larvae/pupae of the unidentified parasitoid; however, only superfamily-level identification was possible. The parasitism rate recovered in the logs was 0.3% by the unidentified parasitoid in Gapyeong-gun in 2019, while it reached 29.2% by S. ibarakius in Busan city in 2022. Future efforts for exploring ALB natural enemies in the pest's native range may focus on parasitoids with high parasitism rates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seunghyun Lee
-
Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101 China
-
Research Institute of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Seoul National University Seoul 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Duk-Young Park
-
Insect Biosystematics Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University Seoul 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Xingeng Wang
-
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit Newark DE 19713 USA
| | - Jian J. Duan
-
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit Newark DE 19713 USA
| | - Juli R. Gould
-
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Otis ANGB Laboratory MA 02542 USA
| | - Il-Kwon Kim
-
Division of Forest Biodiversity, National Arboretum Pocheon 11186 Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghwan Lee
-
Insect Biosystematics Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University Seoul 08826 Republic of Korea
-
Research Institute of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Seoul National University Seoul 08826 Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wen R, Wang Z, Yi J, Hu Y. Bending-activated biotensegrity structure enables female Megarhyssa to cross the barrier of Euler's critical force. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi8284. [PMID: 37851796 PMCID: PMC10584334 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi8284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
The parasitic female Megarhyssa has a hair-like ovipositor capable of withstanding a penetration force 10 times greater than Euler's critical force, using a reciprocating penetration method. Understanding and replicating this penetration mechanism may notably broaden the application scenarios of artificial slender elements. Here, we show that the Megarhyssa's stretched intersegmental membrane and precurved abdomen activate the multipart ovipositor as a biotensegrity structure. The ovipositor's first and second valvulae alternately retract and protract, with each retracted valvula forming a tension network to support the other under compression, resulting in an exponentially increased critical force. We validated this mechanism in a multipart flexible microneedle that withstood a penetration force of 2.5× Euler's critical force and in a lightweight industrial robot that achieved intrinsic safety through its ideal dual-stiffness characteristic. This finding could potentially elucidate the high efficiency of insect probes and inspire more efficient and safer engineering designs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rongwei Wen
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 000000, China
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 000000, China
- Department of Computer Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 000000, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Juan Yi
- Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yong Hu
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 000000, China
- Orthopedics Center, The University of Hong Kong–Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518048, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Eggs B, Fischer S, Csader M, Mikó I, Rack A, Betz O. Terebra steering in chalcidoid wasps. Front Zool 2023; 20:26. [PMID: 37553687 PMCID: PMC10408236 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-023-00503-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Various chalcidoid wasps can actively steer their terebra (= ovipositor shaft) in diverse directions, despite the lack of terebral intrinsic musculature. To investigate the mechanisms of these bending and rotational movements, we combined microscopical and microtomographical techniques, together with videography, to analyse the musculoskeletal ovipositor system of the ectoparasitoid pteromalid wasp Lariophagus distinguendus (Förster, 1841) and the employment of its terebra during oviposition. The ovipositor consists of three pairs of valvulae, two pairs of valvifers and the female T9 (9th abdominal tergum). The paired 1st and the 2nd valvulae are interlocked via the olistheter system, which allows the three parts to slide longitudinally relative to each other, and form the terebra. The various ovipositor movements are actuated by a set of nine paired muscles, three of which (i.e. 1st valvifer-genital membrane muscle, ventral 2nd valvifer-venom gland reservoir muscle, T9-genital membrane muscle) are described here for the first time in chalcidoids. The anterior and posterior 2nd valvifer-2nd valvula muscles are adapted in function. (1) In the active probing position, they enable the wasps to pull the base of each of the longitudinally split and asymmetrically overlapping halves of the 2nd valvula that are fused at the apex dorsally, thus enabling lateral bending of the terebra. Concurrently, the 1st valvulae can be pro- and retracted regardless of this bending. (2) These muscles can also rotate the 2nd valvula and therefore the whole terebra at the basal articulation, allowing bending in various directions. The position of the terebra is anchored at the puncture site in hard substrates (in which drilling is extremely energy- and time-consuming). A freely steerable terebra increases the chance of contacting a potential host within a concealed cavity. The evolution of the ability actively to steer the terebra can be considered a key innovation that has putatively contributed to the acquisition of new hosts to a parasitoid's host range. Such shifts in host exploitation, each followed by rapid radiations, have probably aided the evolutionary success of Chalcidoidea (with more than 500,000 species estimated).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Eggs
- Evolutionary Biology of Invertebrates, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Stefan Fischer
- Evolutionary Biology of Invertebrates, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- Tübingen Structural Microscopy Core Facility (TSM), University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 94-96, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michael Csader
- Evolutionary Biology of Invertebrates, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe, Erbprinzenstraße 13, 76133, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - István Mikó
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire Collection of Insects and Other Arthropods, University of New Hampshire, Spaulding Hall, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - Alexander Rack
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, Structure of Materials Group - ID19, CS 40220, 38043, Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Oliver Betz
- Evolutionary Biology of Invertebrates, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ramirez-Esquivel F, Ravi S. Functional anatomy of the worker honeybee stinger ( Apis mellifera). iScience 2023; 26:107103. [PMID: 37485367 PMCID: PMC10359947 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The honeybee stinger is a powerful defense mechanism that combines painful venom, a subcutaneous delivery system, and the ability to autotomize. It is a complex organ and to function autonomously it must carry with it all the anatomical components required to operate. In this study, we combined high-speed filming, SEM imagery, and micro-CT for volumetric rendering of the stinger with a synthesis of existing literature. We present a comprehensive description of all components, including cuticular elements, musculature, nervous and glandular tissue using updated imagery. We draw from the Hymenoptera literature to make interspecific comparisons where relevant. The use of 3D reconstruction allows us to separate stinger components and present the first 3D renders of the bee stinger including the terminal abdominal ganglion and its projections. It also clarifies the in-situ geometry of the valves within the bulb and the spatial relationships among the accessory plates and accompanying musculature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fiorella Ramirez-Esquivel
- School of Engineering and Information Technology, University of New South Wales, Canberra, ACT 2612, Australia
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Sridhar Ravi
- School of Engineering and Information Technology, University of New South Wales, Canberra, ACT 2612, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Tanaka KM, Takahashi K, Rice G, Rebeiz M, Kamimura Y, Takahashi A. Trichomes on female reproductive tract: rapid diversification and underlying gene regulatory network in Drosophila suzukii and its related species. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:93. [PMID: 35902820 PMCID: PMC9331688 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02046-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The ovipositors of some insects are external female genitalia, which have their primary function to deliver eggs. Drosophila suzukii and its sibling species D. subpulchrella are known to have acquired highly sclerotized and enlarged ovipositors upon their shifts in oviposition sites from rotting to ripening fruits. Inside the ovipositor plates, there are scale-like polarized protrusions termed “oviprovector scales” that are likely to aid the mechanical movement of the eggs. The size and spatial distribution of the scales need to be rearranged following the divergence of the ovipositors. In this study, we examined the features of the oviprovector scales in D. suzukii and its closely related species. We also investigated whether the scales are single-cell protrusions comprised of F-actin under the same conserved gene regulatory network as the well-characterized trichomes on the larval cuticular surface. Results The oviprovector scales of D. suzukii and D. subpulchrella were distinct in size and spatial arrangement compared to those of D. biarmipes and other closely related species. The scale numbers also varied greatly among these species. The comparisons of the size of the scales suggested a possibility that the apical cell area of the oviprovector has expanded upon the elongation of the ovipositor plates in these species. Our transcriptome analysis revealed that 43 out of the 46 genes known to be involved in the trichome gene regulatory network are expressed in the developing female genitalia of D. suzukii and D. subpulchrella. The presence of Shavenbaby (Svb) or svb was detected in the inner cavity of the developing ovipositors of D. melanogaster, D. suzukii, and D. subpulchrella. Also, shavenoid (sha) was expressed in the corresponding patterns in the developing ovipositors and showed differential expression levels between D. suzukii and D. subpulchrella at 48 h APF. Conclusions The oviprovector scales have divergent size and spatial arrangements among species. Therefore, these scales may represent a rapidly diversifying morphological trait of the female reproductive tract reflecting ecological contexts. Furthermore, our results showed that the gene regulatory network underlying trichome formation is also utilized to develop the rapidly evolving trichomes on the oviprovectors of these flies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-022-02046-1.
Collapse
|
7
|
Elastocapillary effect in self-repair of proboscises of butterflies and moths. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 601:734-745. [PMID: 34098448 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.05.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Self-repair in living organisms, without tissue regeneration or regrowth, is rare. Recent discovery that butterflies can self-repair the proboscis after the two halves (galeae) have been separated raised a question about the physical mechanism allowing them to reunite the parts. We discovered that butterflies pump saliva during repair of their proboscises. We then hypothesized that saliva spreading along the food canal of the proboscis would create capillary forces capable of bringing the galeae together. EXPERIMENT To test the hypothesis, we distinguished capillary forces from muscular action of the galeae by sedating butterflies and video tracking retraction of the saliva menisci during galeal separation. To theoretically show capillary adhesion, the elastic moduli of the galeae were measured, and the galeal profiles were extracted from videos as a function of time. The values were then fitted with a mathematical model based on an augmented Euler-Bernoulli beam theory whereby each galea was treated as a beam bent by capillary forces due to saliva. We also evaluated friction forces that prevented disjoining of the galea at the tip of their separation. FINDINGS The results showed that butterflies use saliva to repair their proboscises via capillary adhesion, and theoretically supported the role of saliva in providing the necessary capillary forces to bring the galeae together. Tangential shear forces acting parallel to the galea at the tip of their separation are caused primarily by friction between the cuticular linking structures.
Collapse
|
8
|
van Meer NMME, Cerkvenik U, Schlepütz CM, van Leeuwen JL, Gussekloo SWS. The ovipositor actuation mechanism of a parasitic wasp and its functional implications. J Anat 2020; 237:689-703. [PMID: 32533567 PMCID: PMC7495304 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitic wasps use specialized needle‐like structures, ovipositors, to drill into substrates to reach hidden hosts. The external ovipositor (terebra) consists of three interconnected, sliding elements (valvulae), which are moved reciprocally during insertion. This presumably reduces the required pushing force on the terebra and limits the risk of damage whilst probing. Although this is an important mechanism, it is still not completely understood how the actuation of the valvulae is achieved, and it has only been studied with the ovipositor in rest position. Additionally, very little is known about the magnitude of the forces generated during probing. We used synchrotron X‐ray microtomography to reconstruct the actuation mechanism of the parasitic wasp Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Braconidae) in four distinct phases of the probing cycle. We show that only the paired first valvulae of the terebra move independently, while the second valvula moves with the metasoma (‘abdomen’). The first valvula movements are initiated by rotation of one chitin plate (first valvifer) with respect to another such plate (second valvifer). This is achieved indirectly by muscles connecting the non‐rotating second valvifer and the abdominal ninth tergite. Contrary to previous reports, we found muscle fibres running inside the terebra, although their function remains unclear. The estimated maximal forces that can be exerted by the first valvulae are small (protraction 1.19 mN and retraction 0.874 mN), which reduces the risk of buckling, but are sufficient for successful probing. The small net forces of the valvulae on the substrate may still lead to buckling of the terebra; we show that the sheaths surrounding the valvulae prevent this by effectively increasing the diameter and second moment of area of the terebra. Our findings improve the comprehension of hymenopteran probing mechanisms, the function of the associated muscles, and the forces and damage‐limiting mechanism that are involved in drilling a slender terebra into a substrate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Uroš Cerkvenik
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Johan L van Leeuwen
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Cerkvenik U, van Leeuwen J, Kovalev A, Gorb SN, Matsumura Y, Gussekloo SWS. Stiffness gradients facilitate ovipositor bending and spatial probing control in a parasitic wasp. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.195628. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.195628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Many parasitic wasps use slender and steerable ovipositors to lay eggs in hosts hidden in substrates, but it is currently unknown how steering is achieved. The ovipositors generally consist of three longitudinally connected elements, one dorsal and two ventral valves that can slide along each other. For the parasitic wasp Diachasmimorpha longicaudata, it has been shown that protraction of the ventral valves causes incurving of the ventral valves towards the dorsal one, which results in a change in probing direction. We hypothesise that this shape change is due to differences in bending stiffness along the ovipositor. Alignment of the stiff tip of the dorsal valve with a more flexible ventral S-shaped region situated just behind the tip straightens this S-bend and results in upwards rotation of the ventral tip. We show that the S-shaped region of the ventral valves has a low bending stiffness because it contains soft materials such as resilin. In contrast, the large cross-sectional area of the dorsal valve tip area probably results in a high bending stiffness. Elsewhere, the dorsal valve is less stiff than the ventral valves. Our results support the hypothesis that the interaction between the stiff dorsal valve portion and the more flexible S-shaped region co-determine the configurational tip changes required for steering the ovipositor in any desired direction along curved paths in the substrate. This provides novel insights in the understanding of steering mechanisms of the hymenopteran ovipositor, and for the application in man-made probes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- U. Cerkvenik
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - J.L. van Leeuwen
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - A. Kovalev
- Zoological Institute: Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - S. N. Gorb
- Zoological Institute: Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Y. Matsumura
- Zoological Institute: Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - S. W. S Gussekloo
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|