Behavior and ecology of Old World Luperini beetles of the genusAulacophora (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Lewis, Phil; Metcalf, Robert L.

doi:10.1007/bf01245968

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 22 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…These defense metabolites are oxygenated tetracyclic triterpenes that are extremely bitter and render plants toxic or unpalatable to many invertebrates and vertebrate herbivores, including humans (Da Costa and Jones, 1971 , Ferguson and Metcalf, 1985 ). However, cucurbitacins can also serve as kairomones (semiochemicals that benefit certain receivers) (Metcalf, 1986 ) for a number of specialized phytophagous chrysomelid beetles of the Old World tribe Luperini, in the genus Aulacophor a (Jaccard et al, 2021 , Chambliss and Jones, 1966 , Castellanos‐Morales et al, 2018 , Lewis and Metcalf, 1996 ). Both squash and Diabroticine beetles share origins in Mesoamerica and have coevolved over an extended period of time (Metcalf, 1979 , Metcalf, 1986 , Metcalf and Lampman, 1989 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of squash domestication on a belowground tritrophic interaction

Jaccard

Marguier

Arce

et al. 2022

Plant Enviro Interactions

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The domestication of plants has commonly resulted in the loss of plant defense metabolites, with important consequences for the plants' interactions with herbivores and their natural enemies. Squash domestication started 10′000 years ago and has led to the loss of cucurbitacins, which are highly toxic triterpenes. The banded cucumber beetle (Diabrotica balteata), a generalist herbivore, is adapted to feed on plants from the Cucurbitaceae and is known to sequester cucurbitacins, supposedly for its own defense. However, the evidence for this is inconclusive. In this study we tested the impact of squash domestication on the chemical protection of D. balteata larvae against a predatory rove beetle (Dalotia coriaria). We found that cucurbitacins do not defend the larvae against this common soil dwelling predator. In fact, D. balteata larvae were less attacked when they fed on cucurbitacin‐free roots of domesticated varieties compared to high‐cucurbitacin roots of wild plants. This study appears to be the first to look at the consequences of plant domestication on belowground tritrophic interactions. Our results challenge the generalized assumption that sequestered cucurbitacins protect this herbivore against natural enemies, and instead reveals an opposite effect that may be due to a tradeoff between coping with cucurbitacins and avoiding predation.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of squash domestication on a belowground tritrophic interaction

Jaccard

Marguier

Arce

et al. 2022

Plant Enviro Interactions

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Studies on the feeding response of Aulacophora beetle species to cucurbitacins revealed the feeding stimulant activity of cucurbitacins: A. foveicollis was stimulated to feed by cucurbitacin E Krishna, 1969, 1970), A. lewisii and A. coffeae strongly responded to cucurbitacin D (Lewis and Metcalf, 1996), A. indica and A. lewisii were stimulated to feed by cucurbitacins B, E, I, and E-glucoside . However, the feeding preference of Aulacophora beetle species to the other cucurbitacins is unknown as yet.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the contrary, A. lewisii was strongly stimulated to feed by the cucurbitacins, but the beetle feeds almost solely on leaves from the genus Luffa (Lewis and Metcalf, 1996;. For these reasons, we have come to believe that some other constituents in addition to the cucurbitacins in leaves of cucurbitaceous plants play important roles in the host plant selection by the Aulacophora beetles.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Chemical factors influencing the feeding preference of three Aulacophora leaf beetle species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abe

Matsuda

2005

Appl. Entomol. Zool.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Three cucurbitaceous feeding leaf beetle species, Aulacophora indica, A. lewisii, and A. nigripennis, were investigated with regard to the relationship between feeding preference by the beetles and cucurbitacins B, E, I, and E-glucoside contents in the leaves of 18 cucurbitaceous plant species. HPLC analysis and TLC analysis of A. lewisii revealed that the cucurbitacin B and E-glucoside, which are strong feeding stimulants for A. indica and A. lewisii, were abundant in Lagenaria siceralia, Sicyos angulatus, and Cucumis melo leaves. In a feeding preference test using fresh leaves, A. indica preferred various cucurbitaceous plant species and methanol extracts regardless of the contents of the four cucurbitacins. A. lewisii mostly fed on Luffa cylindrica leaves in which the four cucurbitacins were not detected. A. lewisii was also stimulated to feed by the methanol extracts of Lagenaria siceraria and L. cylindrical, while A. nigripennis, which is only slightly stimulated to feed by the four cucurbitacins, fed primarily on Trichosanthes kirilowii var. japonica leaves. Among 18 cucurbitaceous plants, only Diplocyclos palmatus leaves were completely rejected by the three beetle species, and these beetle species did not even feed on D. palmatus leaves treated with the cucurbitacins. These results indicate that some leaf constituents as well as the four cucurbitacins play an important role in host plant selection by the three cucurbitaceous feeding beetle species.

show abstract

“…However, it feeds and grows rapidly beyond trenches cut by cabbage loopers (Dussourd, 1993; Dussourd & Denno, 1994). Fifth, some insects show vein cutting and trenching behaviour facultatively; the insects do not employ canal cutting on plants lacking exudates or with low levels of exudates (Dussourd & Denno, 1994; McCloud, Tallamy & Halaweish, 1995; Lewis & Metcalf, 1996; Evans et al. , 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do canal-cutting behaviours facilitate host-range expansion by insect herbivores?

Dussourd

2009

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

According to the escalation-radiation model of co-evolution, insect herbivores that acquire the ability to circumvent a plant defence enter a new adaptive zone and increase in species. How herbivore counter-adaptations to plant defences might lead to speciation is poorly understood. Studies of nymphalid butterflies suggest that the evolution of a broadened host range may be a critical step. This paper examines if leaf-feeding insects capable of deactivating defensive plant canals with canal cutting often have broad host ranges. A total of 94 species of canal-cutting insects were identified from the literature, including eight new canal cutters described in this paper. Only 27% of canal cutters with known host ranges are generalists that feed on plants in multiple families. The proportion of generalist canal cutters is similar or lower than estimates of generalists among phytophagous insects overall. Only five species, at most, of the canal-cutting generalists feed exclusively on plants with secretory canals. The paucity of generalists can be attributed in part to the considerable taxonomic distance separating canal-bearing plant families and to their corresponding chemical distinctiveness. The dependence of many canal-cutting species on host chemicals for defence would also favour specialization.

show abstract

Behavior and ecology of Old World Luperini beetles of the genusAulacophora (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Cited by 10 publications

References 22 publications

The effect of squash domestication on a belowground tritrophic interaction

The effect of squash domestication on a belowground tritrophic interaction

Chemical factors influencing the feeding preference of three Aulacophora leaf beetle species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Do canal-cutting behaviours facilitate host-range expansion by insect herbivores?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About