Department of Plant Protection, Campus of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.
Department of Agriculture, Imperial College, University of London, London, UK.
Mol Biol Rep. 2024 Aug 28;51(1):940. doi: 10.1007/s11033-024-09817-7.
The larvae of Altenia spp. and gall aphids are known to feed on plants related to Anacardiaceae. This study documents the aphidophagous habit of Altenia wagneriella, which was verified by molecular techniques, subsequently by the gut dissection test, and direct observation.
To identify the moth larvae and adult aphids, two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and cytochrome b (Cytb), were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Nested PCR with the aphid-specific primer pairs AphidF and AphidR was used to detect aphids in the body of moth larvae. The specificity of the primers was verified by PCR analysis of DNA from moth larvae and adult aphids.
The method detected aphids in moth larvae, and a band of approximately 200 bp was amplified from moth larvae feeding on aphids. No cross reactions with moth larvae were observed. In the laboratory, all moth larvae feeding on aphids (Forda marginata) were also PCR positive for aphids.
Gall-inducing insects are microhabitat engineers that manipulate their host to obtain a better nutrient supply, as well as protection from natural enemies and abiotic factors. This is the first recorded instance worldwide of the carnivorous larva of the moth A. wagneriella acting as an aphid predator, as well as the first record of a host insect for this species. Additionally, it is the first effort to molecularly analyze the predator-prey relationship between the moth larvae and the aphids inside the wild pistachio gall.
已知 Altenia 属幼虫和瘿蚜以金壳果科植物为食。本研究记录了 Altenia wagneriella 的食蚜习性，这一习性通过分子技术、随后的肠道解剖测试和直接观察得到了验证。
为了鉴定蛾幼虫和成虫蚜虫，我们通过聚合酶链反应（PCR）扩增了两个线粒体基因，细胞色素 c 氧化酶 I（COI）和细胞色素 b（Cytb）。使用蚜虫特异性引物对 AphidF 和 AphidR 的巢式 PCR 来检测蛾幼虫体内的蚜虫。通过对蛾幼虫和成虫蚜虫的 DNA 进行 PCR 分析来验证引物的特异性。
该方法能够检测到蛾幼虫体内的蚜虫，并且从取食蚜虫的蛾幼虫中扩增出约 200bp 的条带。未观察到与蛾幼虫的交叉反应。在实验室中，所有取食蚜虫（Fordia marginata）的蛾幼虫均对蚜虫 PCR 阳性。
诱导瘿的昆虫是微生境工程师，它们操纵宿主以获得更好的营养供应，以及免受天敌和非生物因素的影响。这是全世界首次记录到食蚜性蛾幼虫 A. wagneriella 作为蚜虫捕食者的行为，也是该物种首次记录到宿主昆虫。此外，这也是首次尝试对野外阿月浑子虫瘿中蛾幼虫与蚜虫之间的捕食者-猎物关系进行分子分析。
