2012 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Study on the evolution of obligatory cecidophagy as an example of an indirect host utilization through food sources induced by a third organism
| Project/Area Number |
21770095
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Biodiversity/Systematics
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| Research Institution | National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences |
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Principal Investigator |
YOSHITAKE Hiraku 独立行政法人農業環境技術研究所, 農業環境インベントリーセンター, 主任研究員 (50517662)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2010 – 2012
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| Keywords | 生物多様性 / 生物間相互作用 / 資源利用 / 間接効果 / 植食者 / クロツヤサルゾウムシ / タニウツギ / 虫こぶ |
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| Research Abstract |
Obligatory cecidophagy is a unique insect-plant interaction, because it is an indirect host plant utilization through galls induced by a third organism. The genus Wagnerinus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is known to contain species feeding exclusively on axillary bud galls induced on Weigela species (Caprifoliaceae) by a gall midge (Diptera). In this research project, an evolutionary study of the cecidophagous habit of Wagnerinus weevils was conducted in order to consider the adaptive significance of obligatory cecidophagy. Ecological data were gathered through field surveys and experiments. Phylogenetic relationships among Wagnerinus weevils were inferred from sequences of the mitochondrial COI gene. The evolutionary process of the obligatory cecidophagy was inferred from the results of phylogenetic analyses and ecological studies. A classification system of the genus was reconstructed based on various biological data accumulated in the course of this study.
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