Haelewaters Danny, Hiller Thomas, Gorczak Michał, Pfister Donald H
Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Farlow Reference Library and Herbarium of Cryptogamic Botany, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Insects. 2018 Jun 15;9(2):67. doi: 10.3390/insects9020067.
is an invasive ladybird (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) with the potential to outcompete native ladybird species in its invasive distribution area. It was introduced as a biological control agent in many countries but has also spread unintentionally in many others. (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales) is a minute (200⁻400 µm in size) biotrophic fungus that infects over 30 species of ladybirds. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the elytral color pattern, size, and sex of affect infection by . Coloration in has been linked to the presence of an antimicrobial alkaloid (harmonine). In fall 2016, we collected 763 individuals in Cambridge, Massaschusetts, of which 119 (16%) bore fruiting bodies. We analyzed 160 individuals (80 infected, 80 uninfected) concerning the intensity of infection by . Elytral sizes and coloration patterns were quantified using digital photography and analytical methods. Smaller ladybirds had a higher prevalence and higher intensity of parasitism. Additionally, male ladybirds bore more thalli compared to female ladybirds. Elytral color patterns had an effect on neither prevalence nor intensity of infection by Laboulbeniales in our dataset, although we found a slight trend to higher intensity of parasitism in more melanic males. This suggests that the development of Laboulbeniales might be affected by certain insect alkaloids.
是一种具有侵入性的瓢虫（鞘翅目，瓢虫科），在其入侵分布区域有可能胜过本地瓢虫物种。它在许多国家被作为生物防治剂引入，但也在许多其他国家无意间扩散开来。（子囊菌门，虫囊菌目）是一种微小的（大小为200⁻400微米）活体营养型真菌，可感染30多种瓢虫。本研究的目的是评估 的鞘翅颜色图案、大小和性别是否会影响 对其的感染。 中的颜色与一种抗菌生物碱（和谐素）的存在有关。2016年秋季，我们在马萨诸塞州剑桥收集了763只 个体，其中119只（16%）带有 子实体。我们分析了160只个体（80只被感染，80只未被感染）关于 感染强度的情况。使用数码摄影和分析方法对鞘翅大小和颜色图案进行了量化。体型较小的瓢虫寄生率和寄生强度更高。此外，雄性瓢虫比雌性瓢虫带有更多的菌体。在我们的数据集中，鞘翅颜色图案对虫囊菌目的感染率和感染强度均无影响，尽管我们发现黑色素沉着较多的雄性瓢虫寄生强度有略微升高的趋势。这表明虫囊菌目的发育可能受到某些昆虫生物碱的影响。
