An attelabid weevil (Euops splendida) cultivates fungi

Sakurai, Kazuhiko

doi:10.1007/bf02350306

Cited by 21 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…This may relate to the antibiotic-producing characteristic of P. herquei. Some studies show that when teneral females with soft cuticle newly emerge from leaf-rolls, spores could not be found in their mycangia (Sakurai, 1985); we also observed this phenomenon in our study. Till now, it is still unclear how the fungal cultivar is transmitted in generations.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

“…The holes appear to facilitate spore germination and fungal colonization of the leaf (Figure 1g). Males lack mycangia and comb-like plates, as observed in this and previous studies (Sakurai, 1985). After inoculation of the spores, the female mates with a male and then uses her legs to fold the leaf piece longitudinally, leaving the apex of the leaf piece unfolded.…”

Section: Morphological and Behavioral Adaptationssupporting

confidence: 67%

“…The marine snails Littoraria irrorata farm intertidal fungi on marsh grass (Silliman and Newell, 2003), the fungus-growing lizard beetle Doubledaya bucculenta make a fungal garden inside bamboo (Toki et al, 2012), and the attelabid weevils inoculate symbiotic fungus on leaf-rolls (Sakurai, 1985). In these systems, the elaborate structural and behavioral adaptations of the insects have been involved for fungal cultivation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Among the subfamily Attelabinae, species in the genus Euops have a symbiotic association with fungi: the female weevils roll leaf pieces and inoculate them with a fungal symbiont stored in their mycangium. They lay one or a few eggs in the leaf cradles (leaf-rolls), and then the larvae develop by feeding on the inside layers of the leaf cradles (Sakurai, 1985;Wang et al, 2010). Inoculation with the fungal symbiont decreases the cellulose content of the host plant's leaves.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These adaptations include the female's mycangium, the comb plates on her abdomen, and the characteristic posture she assumes when depositing fungal spores (Sakurai, 1985). Recent studies suggested that the fungal cultivar tissues have only a minor nutritional value (Kobayashi et al, 2008;Li et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Farming of a defensive fungal mutualist by an attelabid weevil

Wang

Feng²,

Tian

et al. 2015

The ISME Journal

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The mutualism between fungus-growing animals and fungi is a classic example of a complex interspecies association. A handful of insects, notably the well-recognized fungus-farming ants, termites and beetles, have developed advanced agriculture, which includes seeding new gardens with crop propagules, improving growth conditions and protecting and harvesting the fungal crop. More examples, which could be called 'proto-fungiculture', involve fewer adaptations, as exemplified by marine snails that farm intertidal fungi on marsh grass. Recent work has indicated that the solitary leaf-rolling weevil Euops chinensis (family Attelabidae) has a protofarming symbiosis with the mycangial fungus Penicillium herquei (family Trichocomaceae). In this study, we investigated how the weevils create cradles (leaf-rolls) for their offspring and protect the fungal garden. We describe new specialized structures and behaviors that E. chinensis females use for leaf-rolling and fungus inoculation. The fungus P. herquei produces the antibiotic ( þ )-scleroderolide in laboratory culture and in leaf-rolls, which can serve to inhibit microbial 'weeds' and pests, thus protecting the fungal garden against potential infection. The fungiculture of E. chinensis differs from other advanced insect fungiculture systems because female weevils do not continuously tend the inoculated microbe and do not depend nutritionally on the fungus. The defensive role of the cultivated fungus makes the attelabid weevils exceptional in 'proto-fungiculture' animals.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Section: Morphological and Behavioral Adaptationssupporting

confidence: 67%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Farming of a defensive fungal mutualist by an attelabid weevil

Wang

Feng²,

Tian

et al. 2015

The ISME Journal

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Fungal Cultivation by Insects

Dentinger

Bills

2018

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

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Fungi and insects are two hyperdiverse groups of organisms that have interacted for millennia. Over time, some insects have come to rely on fungi for a variety of resources, including room and board. Ants, wasps, beetles and a variety of other insects have adapted to using fungi primarily for reinforcing structures or as sources of food, with the most extreme examples resulting in cultivation of fungal crops. Chief among these examples are the mushroom‐farming ants and termites, and the wood‐boring beetles and wasps. These systems offer compelling insights into a miniature world that parallels our own human agricultural systems, providing new perspectives on sustainable practices that have endured millions of years of parasites, pests and environmental change. Yet our basic documentation of the natural history of fungal cultivation by insects is still very incomplete, with new discoveries regularly appearing that expand our knowledge of the true diversity of these interactions. Key Concepts Fungiculture evolved independently at least six times in three orders of insects. Fungus‐farming ants, termites, beetles and wasps are prime examples of obligate fungiculture. Insects cultivate fungi for food or structure. Diverse lineages of fungi belonging to Ascomycota and Basidiomycota are cultivated. Fungal crops are typically transmitted vertically, but may or may not engage in reproduction outside of gardens. Fungi are capable of transforming plant materials into consumable forms for the insects, expanding ecological opportunities for both partners. Insect fungicultural systems have been stable symbioses for millions of years, yet fungal gardens are complex communities of interacting microorganisms.

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