The role of olfactory cues in the sequential radiation of a gall‐boring beetle,Mordellistena convicta

1. Herbivorous insects often have close associations with specific host plants, and their preferences for mating and ovipositing on a specific host‐plant species can reproductively isolate populations, facilitating ecological speciation. Volatile emissions from host plants can play a major role in assisting herbivores to locate their natal host plants and thus facilitate assortative mating and host‐specific oviposition. 2. The present study investigated the role of host‐plant volatiles in host fidelity and oviposition preference of the gall‐boring, inquiline beetle, Mordellistena convicta LeConte (Coleoptera: Mordellidae), using Y‐tube olfactometers. Previous studies suggest that the gall‐boring beetle is undergoing sequential host‐associated divergence by utilising the resources that are created by the diverging populations of the gall fly, Eurosta solidaginis Fitch (Diptera: Tephritidae), which induces galls on the stems of goldenrods including Solidago altissima L. (Asteraceae) and Solidago gigantea Ait. 3. Our results show that M. convicta adults are attracted to galls on their natal host plant, avoid the alternate host galls, and do not respond to volatile emissions from their host‐plant stems. 4. These findings suggest that the gall‐boring beetles can orient to the volatile chemicals from host galls, and that beetles can use them to identify suitable sites for mating and/or oviposition. Host‐associated mating and oviposition likely play a role in the sequential radiation of the gall‐boring beetle.     

Testing the nutrition hypothesis for the adaptive nature of insect galls: does a non‐adapted herbivore perform better in galls?

Abstract.  1. The nutrition hypothesis for the adaptive nature of galls states that gall-inducing insects control the nutrient levels in galls to their own benefit. Although the nutrition hypothesis is widely accepted, there have been few empirical tests of this idea.
2. A novel method is presented for testing the nutrition hypothesis that links manipulation of gall nutrient levels by the gall inducer to herbivore performance. The effects of adaptation and nutritional advantage are separated by using a herbivore that is adapted to a host plant susceptible to galling but one which never enters the gall environment.
3.  Hellinsia glenni (Cashatt), a plume moth (Pterophoridae) and one of its host plants provide an excellent system for testing the nutrition hypothesis because H. glenni larvae feed internally on the relatively nutrient-poor stems of a goldenrod, Solidago gigantea , but do not venture into the nutrient-rich galls induced on that plant by a tephritid fly, Eurosta solidaginis . The nutrition hypothesis was tested by transplanting early-instar H. glenni larvae into galls and stems of S. gigantea to determine if the larvae transplanted to galls would perform better compared with those larvae transplanted to stems.
4. The results support the nutrition hypothesis for the adaptive nature of galls. Hellinsia glenni achieved greater final mass in the gall environment compared with the final mass larvae achieved in the stem environment. There was also evidence that the quality of gall tissue is controlled by the gall inducer, which has not been previously demonstrated for mature E. solidaginis galls.     

Host‐race formation: promoted by phenology,constrained by heritability

Host‐race formation is promoted by genetic trade‐offs in the ability of herbivores to use alternate hosts, including trade‐offs due to differential timing of host‐plant availability. We examined the role of phenology in limiting host‐plant use in the goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis) by determining: (1) whether phenology limits alternate host use, leading to a trade‐off that could cause divergent selection on Eurosta emergence time and (2) whether Eurosta has the genetic capacity to respond to such selection in the face of existing environmental variation. Experiments demonstrated that oviposition and gall induction on the alternate host, Solidago canadensis, were the highest on young plants, whereas the highest levels of gall induction on the normal host, Solidago gigantea, occurred on intermediate‐age plants. These findings indicate a phenological trade‐off for host‐plant use that sets up the possibility of divergent selection on emergence time. Heritability, estimated by parent–offspring regression, indicated that host‐race formation is impeded by the amount of genetic variation, relative to environmental, for emergence time.     

Host range and host preference of a flea weevil, Orchestes hustachei, parasitizing aphid galls

Although larvae of flea weevils (Curculioninae: Rhamphini) have been known to be leaf miners, larvae of the rhamphine weevil Orchestes hustachei have been found in aphid galls of four Tetraneura species on Ulmus davidiana and in galls of Paracolopha morissoni on Zelkova serrata. This study clarified the feeding habits of O. hustachei larvae and evaluated gall selection by ovipositing females to test the hypothesis of host race formation on their hosts, Tetraneura and Paracolopha galls. When weevil larvae were placed in half‐cut galls, they always fed on aphids rather than on gall tissue. When given gall tissue only, all larvae failed to reach adulthood. The number of aphids surviving in a parasitized gall decreased significantly with the development of the weevil larvae. These results suggest that O. hustachei larvae use aphids as their major food source. In the field, ovipositing females did not discern between four Tetraneura species on U. davidiana, in spite of a large difference in suitability as food. Paracolopha morrisoni was introduced into Hokkaido approximately 100 years ago, together with the host plant Z. serrata. It is probable that P. morrisoni has recently come to be used as a host by O. hustachei in Hokkaido. Host choice experiments using Tetraneura sp. O and P. morrisoni galls indicated that female weevils from Z. serrata preferred P. morrisoni to Tetraneura sp. O galls, while females from U. davidiana selected the two types of gall randomly. On Z. serrata, female weevils selected larger P. morrisoni galls, while on U. davidiana, females did not show a preference for gall size. These results suggest that a host shift to P. morrisoni galls may have led to an initial stage of host race formation between the weevil population using Tetraneura galls on U. davidiana, and that using P. morrisoni galls on Z. serrata.     

Do parasitoids diversify in response to host‐plant shifts by herbivorous insects?

1. For herbivorous insects, the incorporation of a novel host into the diet, and subsequent formation of distinct host associations (races), is thought to be a significant early step in the speciation process. While many studies have addressed this issue, virtually nothing is known about the evolutionary response of natural enemies to herbivore host‐race formation. 2. The hypothesis that the parasitoid wasp Eurytoma gigantea (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) has formed host races in direct response to the host shift and subsequent host‐race formation by its host, the gallmaker Eurosta solidaginis (Diptera: Tephritidae) was tested. Emergence time, mating preference, and female oviposition preference were determined for parasitoids derived from galls of each Eurosta host race. 3. Male and female E. gigantea overlap broadly in their emergence times from each Eurosta host race, suggesting that there is no phenological barrier to gene flow. 4. In choice experiments, female parasitoids did not mate assortatively: females that emerged from one Eurosta host race were equally likely to mate with males from either Eurosta host race. 5. Oviposition behaviour experiments revealed that female parasitoids do not prefer to oviposit on their host race of origin and that there is no overall preference for one host race, even though fitness is higher when parasitoids are reared from Eurosta galls of the Solidago gigantea host race than when reared from Eurosta galls of the Solidago altissima host race. 6. These results suggest that E. gigantea has not diverged in parallel with its host in response to the herbivore host‐plant shift. Further studies are needed before the ubiquity of this diversification mechanism can be evaluated fully.     

Endophytic insect communities of two prairie perennials (Asteraceae: Silphium spp.)

Little is known of the biology of most insects that are endemic to prairie ecosystems of North America, with the exception of large and conspicuous species. In particular, species that are sequestered within plant tissues are commonly overlooked. In this paper, we assess the biodiversity of endophytic insects that inhabit stems of Silphium laciniatum L. and S. terebinthinaceum Jacquin (Asteraceae), endemic plants of tallgrass prairies. Endophytic herbivores, gall wasps Antistrophus rufus Gillette and A. minor Gillette (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) and stem-boring larvae of the beetle Mordellistena aethiops Smith (Coleoptera: Mordellidae) were attacked by 10 species of natural enemies. We report new host plant associations for herbivores, and new host insect associations for parasitoids. The two plant species differed significantly in their densities of gall wasps and the vertical dispersion of galls within stems. Interactions within and between trophic levels attest to the biodiversity of endophytic insect communities, and the specialized nature of these insects suggests they are highly vulnerable to habitat conservation practices that involve destruction of dead vegetation.     

Variation in selection pressures on the goldenrod gall fly and the competitive interactions of its natural enemies

Summary Larvae of the tephritid fly Eurosta solidaginis induce ball-shaped galls on the stem of tall goldenrod, Solidago altissima. Survival probability depends on gall size; in small galls the larva is vulnerable to parasitoid oviposition, whereas larvae in large galls are more frequently eaten by avian predators. Fly populations from 20 natural old fields in central Pennsylvania were monitored in 1983 and 1984 to examine the distribution of the selection intensity imposed by natural enemies, the parasitoids Eurytoma gigantea and E. obtusiventris, the inquiline Mordellistena unicolor, and the predatory birds Dendrocopus pubescens and Parus atricapillus. Mordellistena and E. obtusiventris are able to attack galls of all diameters while E. gigantea and the predatory birds preferentially assaulted small and large diameter galls, respectively. Eurosta in intermediate sized galls had the highest survivorship, hence selection had a stabilizing component. However, parasitoid attack was more frequent than bird attack, and the two did not exactly balance, thus there was also a directional component. The mean directional selection intensity on gall size was 0.21 standard deviations of the mean, indicating that larger gall size was favored. Interactions among the insect members of the Eurosta natural enemy guild are complex and frequent.     

Behavioural,ecological and genetic evidence confirm the occurrence of host‐associated differentiation in goldenrod gall‐midges

Host‐associated differentiation (HAD) is considered a step towards ecological speciation and an important mechanism promoting diversification in phytophagous insects. Although the number of documented cases of HAD is increasing, these still represent only a small fraction of species and feeding guilds among phytophagous insects, and most reports are based on a single type of evidence. Here we employ a comprehensive approach to present behavioural, morphological, ecological and genetic evidence for the occurrence of HAD in the gall midge Dasineura folliculi (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on two sympatric species of goldenrods (Solidago rugosa and S. gigantea). Controlled experiments revealed assortative mating and strong oviposition fidelity for the natal‐host species. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA showed an amount of genetic divergence between the two host‐associated populations compatible with cryptic species rather than host races. Lower levels of within‐host genetic divergence, gall development and natural‐enemy attack in the S. gigantea population suggest this is the derived host.     

Small‐scale resource tracking in a population of a long‐lived insect

How plant‐feeding insects distribute themselves and utilize their host plant resources is still poorly understood. Several processes may be involved, and their relative roles may vary with the spatial scale considered. Herein, we investigate small‐scale patterns, namely how population density of a gall midge is affected by individual growth form, phenology, and microsite characteristics of its herb host. The long‐lived plant individuals vary much with regard to number of shoots, flower abundance, and flowering phenology. This variation is connected to site characteristics, primarily the degree of sun exposure. The monophagous insect galls the flowers of the host plant – an easily defined food resource. It is a poor disperser, but very long‐lived; diapausing larvae can stay in the soil for many years. Galls were censused on individual plants during 5 years; from a peak to a low in gall population density. Only a very small fraction of the flowers produced (<0.5%) were galled even in the peak year. Nevertheless, most plant individuals had galls at least 1 year. In a stepwise multiple regression, plant size (number of shoots) was found to be the most important predictor of gall density (galls/flower). However, gall density decreased more than one order of magnitude over the plant size range observed. There was also a weak effect of plant phenology. Early flowering plants had lower gall densities than those starting later. Sun exposure had no direct effect on gall density, but a path analysis revealed indirect effects via the timing of flowering. Gall population change was highly synchronous in different parts of the study area with no significant decrease in synchrony with distance.     

Bottom‐up manipulations alter the community structures of galling insects and gall morphs on Neoboutonia macrocalyx trees in a moist tropical rainforest

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Physiological host range of two highly specialised mutualistic symbiotes: the fly Fergusonina turneri and its obligate nematode Fergusobia quinquenerviae,potential biocontrol agents of Melaleuca quinquenervia

In Australia, galls develop on Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S.T. Blake (Myrtaceae) as a result of the mutualistic association between the fly Fergusonina turneri Taylor (Diptera: Fergusoninidae) and its obligate nematode Fergusobia quinquenerviae Davies & Giblin-Davis (Tylenchida: Sphaerulariidae). The nematode induces gall formation, whereas the fly promotes gall maturation. Together they exploit M. quinquenervia buds and may inhibit stem elongation and flower formation. We delimited the physiological host range of this pair to determine their suitability as biological control agents of invasive M. quinquenervia populations in Florida, USA. Host use was assessed for eight species of Myrtaceae native to Florida, eight phylogenetically related ornamental species and oviposition alone on five non-myrtaceous species. Although oviposition was less specific, galls developed and matured only on M. quinquenervia. After establishment, galls are predicted to prevent flower and seed production, thereby reducing the regenerative potential of M. quinquenervia. This is the first example of an insect/nematode mutualism released as biological control agents of an invasive plant.     

VARIABLE SELECTION ON EUROSTA'S GALL SIZE. II. A PATH ANALYSIS OF THE ECOLOGICAL FACTORS BEHIND SELECTION

We examined phenotypic selection exerted by natural enemies on the gall-making fly Eurosta solidaginis in an extensive field study of 16 populations, spanning four generations. Gall-makers that induce small galls are vulnerable to the attack of Eurytoma gigantea. This imposes upward directional selection on gall size. Insectivorous birds, predominantly the downy woodpecker, are more likely to attack larvae that induce large galls than small ones, and this imposes downward directional selection. We used path analysis to explore the relative contributions of these natural enemies to the net directional selection on gall size. The path models further examined several ecological factors that influence selection intensity through their effects on parasitoid and bird attack rates. Net directional selection varied more strongly with E. gigantea attack than bird attack. Competitive interactions among birds and the three parasitoid species, including E. gigantea, were evidenced by low winter bird attack rates in fields where a high proportion of galls contained the overwintering parasitoids. Eurytoma gigantea attack was heavier in fields where mean gall size was small and bird attack heavier in fields where mean gall size was large. Neither birds nor E. gigantea showed simple density-dependent attack. Data suggested a form of frequency-dependent attack by birds but not by E. gigantea.     

Gall‐forming insect species richness along a non‐scleromorphic vegetation rainfall gradient in South Africa: The importance of plant community composition

Abstract Currently there is no single accepted hypothesis to explain gall‐forming insect species richness at a particular locality. Hygrothermal stress, soil nutrient availability, plant species richness, plant structural complexity, plant family or genus size, and host plant geographical range size have all been implicated in the determination of gall‐forming insect species richness. Previous studies of such richness at xeric sites have included predominantly scleromorphic vegetation, usually on nutrient‐poor soils. This study is the first to investigate gall‐forming insect species richness of xeric, non‐scleromorphic vegetation. Two habitat types were sampled at each of five localities across a rainfall gradient in the savanna biome of South Africa. The habitat types differed with respect to plant species composition and topography. Gall‐forming insect species richness did not increase with increasing hygrothermal stress or decreasing soil fertility. Rather, gall‐forming insect species richness was largely dependent on the presence of Terminalia sericea as well as other members of the Combretaceae and Mimosaceae. Plots where all these taxa were present had the highest gall‐forming insect species richness, up to 15 species, whereas plots with none of these taxa had a maximum of four galling‐insect species. Despite herb, shrub and tree strata not differing in gall‐forming insect species richness, insect galls were more common on woody than non‐woody plants. Also, stem galls were more frequent than apical or leaf galls. An alternative hypothesis to explain local gall‐forming insect species richness is suggested: galling insects may preferentially select those plant species with characteristics such as chemical toxicity, mechanical strength, degree of lignification or longevity that can be manipulated to benefit the galler. Thus plant community composition should be considered when attempting to explain gall‐forming insect species richness patterns.     

Gall Flies, Inquilines, and Goldenrods: A Model for Host-race Formation and Sympatric Speciation

Host shifts and subsequent host-race formation likely play amore common role in the speciation of herbivorous insects thanhas generally been recognized. Our studies of the interactionsof goldenrod host plants (Solidago: Compositae), the gall flyEurosta solidaginis (Diptera: Tephritidae), and the stem- andgall-boring Mordellistena convicta (Coleoptera: Mordellidae)provide behavioral, ecological, and genetic evidence of insecthost races that may represent incipient species formed via sympatricspeciation. Eurosta solidaginis has developed genetically differentiatedand reproductively isolated host races that are associated withthe ancestral host Solidago altissima and the derived host S.gigantea. Conventional wisdom suggests that shifts even to closelyrelated host plants are limited by host preferences or the inabilityto utilize a chemically and developmentally distinct host. However,our preliminary work with Eurosta from S. gigantea implies thathost choice and gall induction do not deter a shift to S. canadensis.The galling of Solidago by Eurosta created a new resource thathas led to a subsequent host range expansion by the stem-boringbeetle. Mordellistena convicta from stems and galls are geneticallydistinct and likely shifted from stems to galls. Beetles fromS. altissima versus S. gigantea galls exhibit assortative matingand higher preference for and/or performance on their natalhost. The present-day distributions of the Eurosta host racesand their behavioral isolating mechanisms do not suggest thatgeographic isolation was required for their formation; ratherthese characteristics suggest a sympatric mode of differentiation.Our findings lend credence to recent assertions that sympatricspeciation may be an important source of biodiversity.     

Host plant intraspecific variation determines gall traits

• Galls display a multiplicity of traits, including colours, which are driven by pigment accumulation. Their conspicuousness has attracted researchers' attention and several hypotheses have been raised. However, plants themselves vary intra-specifically, including in their pigment concentrations. As galls are a result of host tissue development, colours may be a by-product of the host's own traits, being more conspicuous simply because the sites where galls develop already have the predisposition to accumulate more pigment. Here, we call this the host variation hypothesis.
• We test this hypothesis using the system of galls induced by Palaeomystella oligophaga on Macairea radula host plant. Using spectrophotometry, we calculated the Anthocyanin Reflectance Index (ARI) of gall projections, which are responsible for their characteristic colours. We tested the influence of occupant identity (galling insect or any natural enemy), gall volume, parenchyma thickness, height from the ground, ARI of leaf, ARI of gall surface and ARI of the respective stem.
• We corroborated the host variation hypothesis since the anthocyanin content in stems and in galls' projections were positively related. Moreover, anthocyanin in galls' projections was positively related to anthocyanin in the gall surface and negatively related to gall volume and parenchyma thickness. This shows that, besides the host specificities, galls' own traits may also be responsible for pigment accumulation, influencing their colours.
• In this study, using colour as an example, we show that although galls tend to be considered complex expressions of galling insects' stimuli, their traits may be simply influenced by previous and specific attributes of the host organs.

     

Gall Formation on Cirsium arvense by Ditylenchus dipsaci

Ditylenchus dipsaci was found to cause gall formation on the stems of Cirsium arvense. The galls were characterized by extensive hypertrophy and hyperplasia, differentiation of nutritive tissue, nuclear modification, and a central cavity containing nematodes. These findings emphasize the importance of host response in investigations of host-parasite interactions and suggest that D. dipsaci may be evolving a host race by reproductive isolation within the confines of a plant gall.     

Phenotypic plasticity and similarity among gall morphotypes on a superhost,Baccharis reticularia (Asteraceae)

Understanding factors that modulate plant development is still a challenging task in plant biology. Although research has highlighted the role of abiotic and biotic factors in determining final plant structure, we know little of how these factors combine to produce specific developmental patterns. Here, we studied patterns of cell and tissue organisation in galled and non‐galled organs of Baccharis reticularia, a Neotropical shrub that hosts over ten species of galling insects. We employed qualitative and quantitative approaches to understand patterns of growth and differentiation in its four most abundant gall morphotypes. We compared two leaf galls induced by sap‐sucking Hemiptera and stem galls induced by a Lepidopteran and a Dipteran, Cecidomyiidae. The hypotheses tested were: (i) the more complex the galls, the more distinct they are from their non‐galled host; (ii) galls induced on less plastic host organs, e.g. stems, develop under more morphogenetic constraints and, therefore, should be more similar among themselves than galls induced on more plastic organs. We also evaluated the plant sex preference of gall‐inducing insects for oviposition. Simple galls were qualitative and quantitatively more similar to non‐galled organs than complex galls, thereby supporting the first hypothesis. Unexpectedly, stem galls had more similarities between them than to their host organ, hence only partially supporting the second hypothesis. Similarity among stem galls may be caused by the restrictive pattern of host stems. The opposite trend was observed for host leaves, which generate either similar or distinct gall morphotypes due to their higher phenotypic plasticity. The Relative Distance of Plasticity Index for non‐galled stems and stem galls ranged from 0.02 to 0.42. Our results strongly suggest that both tissue plasticity and gall inducer identity interact to determine plant developmental patterns, and therefore, final gall structure.     

Western Palaearctic phylogeography of an inquiline oak gall wasp,Synergus umbraculus

Insect‐induced galls on plants comprise species‐rich but self‐contained communities of herbivores and natural enemies. In the present study, we focus on galls induced by cynipid gall wasps on oaks, and on the least‐known trophic level that these galls contain: inquilines. These insects, also cynipids, feed on gall tissue and are an abundant but taxonomically poorly understood part of an otherwise well‐studied system. We used DNA sequence data to examine spatial patterns in the genetic diversity of Synergus umbraculus Olivier 1791 (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini), a widespread species attacking many host galls across the Western Palaearctic. Analysis of 239 cytochrome b sequences revealed eight haplogroups showing significant phylogeographic pattern across the Western Palaearctic, corresponding to putative glacial refugia in Iberia, Central Europe, Turkey, and Iran. There were significant genetic discontinuities across the Pyrenees and the Anatolian diagonal but no impact of the Alps, suggesting that significant discontinuities have biotic rather than physical causes. Detailed analysis of sites in the Carpathian Basin reveal a high diversity and low spatial structure, and identify Central Europe as the source of colonists for Quaternary colonization of Germany, France, and Britain. We found no evidence for host‐associated differentiation of S. umbraculus lineages associated with the most common cynipid host galls, suggesting frequent shifts within the host gall assemblage by inquiline lineages. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 102 , 750–764.     

Host gall size predicts host quality for the parasitoidEurytoma gigantea (Hymenoptera: eurytomidae), but can the parasitoid tell?

Simulation models presented here show that gall size of Eurosta solidaginisFitch (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a reliable predictor of its quality as a host to the parasitoid Eurytoma giganteaWalsh (Hymenoptera; Eurytomidae). The nutritional value of a gall to a parasitoid increases with diameter, but so does the likelihood that ovipositing parasitoids will fail to penetrate to the gall's central chamber. Despite the large differences in gall quality with size, this parasitoid seems incapable of distinguishing large, impenetrable galls from smaller, more suitable ones (Weis, A. E., et al., Ecol. Entomol. 10:341–348, 1985). This paper shows that Eurytomais capable of quick rejection of nonhost galls of similar size and shape to suitably sized host galls. Several lines of reasoning are explored to understand the seemingly maladaptive lack of sizediscrimination ability on host galls.     

Partitioning of herbivore hosts across time and food plants promotes diversification in the Megastigmus dorsalis oak gall parasitoid complex

Communities of insect herbivores and their natural enemies are rich and ecologically crucial components of terrestrial biodiversity. Understanding the processes that promote their origin and maintenance is thus of considerable interest. One major proposed mechanism is ecological speciation through host‐associated differentiation (HAD), the divergence of a polyphagous species first into ecological host races and eventually into more specialized daughter species. The rich chalcid parasitoid communities attacking cynipid oak gall wasp hosts are structured by multiple host traits, including food plant taxon, host gall phenology, and gall structure. Here, we ask whether the same traits structure genetic diversity within supposedly generalist parasitoid morphospecies. We use mitochondrial DNA sequences and microsatellite genotypes to quantify HAD for Megastigmus (Bootanomyia) dorsalis, a complex of two apparently generalist cryptic parasitoid species attacking oak galls. Ancient Balkan refugial populations showed phenological separation between the cryptic species, one primarily attacking spring galls, and the other mainly attacking autumn galls. The spring species also contained host races specializing on galls developing on different host‐plant lineages (sections Cerris vs. Quercus) within the oak genus Quercus. These results indicate more significant host‐associated structuring within oak gall parasitoid communities than previously thought and support ecological theory predicting the evolution of specialist lineages within generalist parasitoids. In contrast, UK populations of the autumn cryptic species associated with both native and recently invading oak gall wasps showed no evidence of population differentiation, implying rapid recruitment of native parasitoid populations onto invading hosts, and hence potential for natural biological control. This is of significance given recent rapid range expansion of the economically damaging chestnut gall wasp, Dryocosmus kuriphilus, in Europe.