Costs and Benefits of Wax Production in the Larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilus

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Pacheco, Paulo A. B.
Data de Publicação: 2021
Outros Autores: Borges, Isabel, Branco, Beatriz, Lucas, Éric, Soares, António O.
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: eng
Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/6177
Resumo: BACKGROUND: Larvae of the minute aphidophagous Scymnus nubilus Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are common predators in apple orchards, covered by a wax layer that might act as a defense mechanism against natural enemies. However, the costs and benefits of protection conferred by wax remain to be assessed. We tested the following hypothesis: there is a trade-off in wax producing ladybeetles between the protection conferred by wax cover and the physiological or behavioral costs associated with its production. We predict that: (1) wax production is an efficient defensive mechanism (against intraguild predation), (2) wax production is associated with detrimental physiological (growth, reproduction) or behavioral effects (behavioral compensation: increased biomass consumption). RESULTS: Tests were carried out in the laboratory with wax and waxless larvae of S. nubilus, with and without lacewing larvae of Chrysoperla agilis (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) being used as a potential intraguild predator of the coccinellid. Waxless individuals were more susceptible to intraguild predation by lacewing larvae. Adults originating from waxless larvae were lighter than the ones originating from wax larvae, suggesting a metabolic cost resulting from a constant need of wax production. Body-weight gain and conversion efficiency were lower in waxless larvae. Biomass consumption was similar, showing that waxless larvae did not compensate for the physiological cost by eating more aphid biomass. CONCLUSION: The results indicate the potential existence of a trade-off between growth and protection associated with wax production.
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spelling Costs and Benefits of Wax Production in the Larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilusCoccinellid larvae wax coverDefensive StrategyTrade-offsIntraguild PredationBiological ControlBACKGROUND: Larvae of the minute aphidophagous Scymnus nubilus Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are common predators in apple orchards, covered by a wax layer that might act as a defense mechanism against natural enemies. However, the costs and benefits of protection conferred by wax remain to be assessed. We tested the following hypothesis: there is a trade-off in wax producing ladybeetles between the protection conferred by wax cover and the physiological or behavioral costs associated with its production. We predict that: (1) wax production is an efficient defensive mechanism (against intraguild predation), (2) wax production is associated with detrimental physiological (growth, reproduction) or behavioral effects (behavioral compensation: increased biomass consumption). RESULTS: Tests were carried out in the laboratory with wax and waxless larvae of S. nubilus, with and without lacewing larvae of Chrysoperla agilis (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) being used as a potential intraguild predator of the coccinellid. Waxless individuals were more susceptible to intraguild predation by lacewing larvae. Adults originating from waxless larvae were lighter than the ones originating from wax larvae, suggesting a metabolic cost resulting from a constant need of wax production. Body-weight gain and conversion efficiency were lower in waxless larvae. Biomass consumption was similar, showing that waxless larvae did not compensate for the physiological cost by eating more aphid biomass. CONCLUSION: The results indicate the potential existence of a trade-off between growth and protection associated with wax production.This work was financed by the research project "PRO-BIO: Profiling Reliable Organisms as Bioindicators: an integrated approach for island systems" financed by the FLAD (Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento) and partially funded by a grant from the Direção Regional dos Recursos Florestais of Secretaria Regional dos Recursos Naturais, Governo Regional dos Açores, Portugal to the research project: PICONIA: Controlo biológico de populações de pragas de plantas endémicas produzidas em viveiro.MDPIRepositório da Universidade dos AçoresPacheco, Paulo A. B.Borges, IsabelBranco, BeatrizLucas, ÉricSoares, António O.2022-02-10T16:17:16Z2021-052021-05-01T00:00:00Zinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/6177engPacheco, P., Borges, I., Branco, B. Lucas, E. & Soares, A.O. (2021). Costs and benefits of wax production in the larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilus. “Insects”, 12(5), 458. DOI: 10.3390/insects1205045810.3390/insects120504582075-4450PMC815666334065731000653992000001info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessreponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãoinstacron:RCAAP2022-12-20T14:34:36Zoai:repositorio.uac.pt:10400.3/6177Portal AgregadorONGhttps://www.rcaap.pt/oai/openaireopendoar:71602024-03-19T16:28:19.925549Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) - Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãofalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Costs and Benefits of Wax Production in the Larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilus
title Costs and Benefits of Wax Production in the Larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilus
spellingShingle Costs and Benefits of Wax Production in the Larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilus
Pacheco, Paulo A. B.
Coccinellid larvae wax cover
Defensive Strategy
Trade-offs
Intraguild Predation
Biological Control
title_short Costs and Benefits of Wax Production in the Larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilus
title_full Costs and Benefits of Wax Production in the Larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilus
title_fullStr Costs and Benefits of Wax Production in the Larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilus
title_full_unstemmed Costs and Benefits of Wax Production in the Larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilus
title_sort Costs and Benefits of Wax Production in the Larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilus
author Pacheco, Paulo A. B.
author_facet Pacheco, Paulo A. B.
Borges, Isabel
Branco, Beatriz
Lucas, Éric
Soares, António O.
author_role author
author2 Borges, Isabel
Branco, Beatriz
Lucas, Éric
Soares, António O.
author2_role author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Repositório da Universidade dos Açores
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Pacheco, Paulo A. B.
Borges, Isabel
Branco, Beatriz
Lucas, Éric
Soares, António O.
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv Coccinellid larvae wax cover
Defensive Strategy
Trade-offs
Intraguild Predation
Biological Control
topic Coccinellid larvae wax cover
Defensive Strategy
Trade-offs
Intraguild Predation
Biological Control
description BACKGROUND: Larvae of the minute aphidophagous Scymnus nubilus Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are common predators in apple orchards, covered by a wax layer that might act as a defense mechanism against natural enemies. However, the costs and benefits of protection conferred by wax remain to be assessed. We tested the following hypothesis: there is a trade-off in wax producing ladybeetles between the protection conferred by wax cover and the physiological or behavioral costs associated with its production. We predict that: (1) wax production is an efficient defensive mechanism (against intraguild predation), (2) wax production is associated with detrimental physiological (growth, reproduction) or behavioral effects (behavioral compensation: increased biomass consumption). RESULTS: Tests were carried out in the laboratory with wax and waxless larvae of S. nubilus, with and without lacewing larvae of Chrysoperla agilis (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) being used as a potential intraguild predator of the coccinellid. Waxless individuals were more susceptible to intraguild predation by lacewing larvae. Adults originating from waxless larvae were lighter than the ones originating from wax larvae, suggesting a metabolic cost resulting from a constant need of wax production. Body-weight gain and conversion efficiency were lower in waxless larvae. Biomass consumption was similar, showing that waxless larvae did not compensate for the physiological cost by eating more aphid biomass. CONCLUSION: The results indicate the potential existence of a trade-off between growth and protection associated with wax production.
publishDate 2021
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2021-05
2021-05-01T00:00:00Z
2022-02-10T16:17:16Z
dc.type.status.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/6177
url http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/6177
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Pacheco, P., Borges, I., Branco, B. Lucas, E. & Soares, A.O. (2021). Costs and benefits of wax production in the larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilus. “Insects”, 12(5), 458. DOI: 10.3390/insects12050458
10.3390/insects12050458
2075-4450
PMC8156663
34065731
000653992000001
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
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dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI
publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI
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