Parturition and alate morph determination in the aphid Megoura viciae

In reproducing apterae of Megoura viciae, parturition is often completely arrested during periods of isolation from the host plant. In contrast, surgical removal of the rostrum (including the stylets), amputation of the extremities of the legs, or decapitation, all stimulate parturition away from the plant. These operations also induce alata-producing aphids to revert immediately to the production of apterae, but have no detectable effect on aptera-producers. Carbon dioxide or ether anaesthesia and nitrogen narcosis have a similar action on this maternally controlled response. Although the rostrum and tibio-tarsus bear sensilla whose removal might well be involved in inducing parturition, the influence on morph change is probably indirect and is to a great extent associated with the delay in the resumption of parturition. The effect can be reproduced by isolating individual aphids away from the food plant. The morph change cannot, however, be attributed to starvation since it also occurs when the genital pore of an actively feeding aphid is temporarily occluded. The change in physiology appears to be associated with the retention of embryos at a time when there is no sensory input from crowding.

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Résumé Chez les Megoura viciae aptères, la parturition est souvent complètement arrêtée pendant les périodes de séparation de la plante hôte. Par opposition, l'amputation chirurgicale du rostre (y compris les stylets), de l'extrémité des pattes (tarse et une partie du tibia), ou la décapitation, stimulent toutes la parturition en l'absence de la plante. Les pucerons induits à produire des ailés (élevage antérieur en groupe) retournent, après ces opérations, immédiatement vers la production d'aptères. Le dioxyde de carbone ou l'anesthésie à l'éther et la narcose à l'azote ont une action semblable sur ce déterminisme maternel. Bien que l'élimination des sensilla portées par le rostre et par l'ensemble tarse-tibia puisse être déterminante dans l'induction de la parturition, l'action sur le changement de type semble être principalement associée au retard consécutif dans la reprise de la parturition. Les anesthésiants qui, eux aussi, retardent l'apparition ou la reprise de la parturition, ont probablement une action indirecte du même type.Les pucerons groupés, isolés de la plante hôte pendant plus de 24 h, ont aussi tendance à retourner immédiatement à la production d'aptères. Ce changement de type ne peut, cependant, être attribué au jeûne puisqu'il se produit aussi quand, chez un puceron s'alimentant activement, le pore génital est momentanément bouché. Le changement physiologique semble être associé à la rétention des embryons à un moment où il n'y a pas l'influence sensorielle du groupement.Aucun de ces traitements, à l'exception du groupement, n'induit des pucerons antérieurement isolés à devenir des producteurs d'ailés.

     

The induction of normal and teratoid viviparae by a juvenile hormone and kinoprene in two species of aphids

ABSTRACT. Topical application of a juvenile hormone (JH1) and the JH mimic, kinoprene, to short-day, ovipara-producers of Megoura viciae usually leads to the production of oviparous/viviparous intermediate forms in the progeny sequence, in place of the expected sexual females (oviparae). The ovaries of these abnormal forms may contain embryos rather than the haploid yolky eggs of oviparae; 'mixed' ovaries containing both haploid eggs and embryos are also observed. The intermediates range in form from winged (alate) to wingless (apterous). The fully alate individuals usually contain only parthenogenetic ovaries but differ from the naturally occurring alate viviparae in that they are invariably infertile, have fewer antennal sense organs and often bear pheromone releasing glands on the metathoracic tibiae. The hormonally induced production of normal viviparae is difficult in this species but has been achieved by rearing short-day aphids on kinoprene-treated bean plants.
In Aphis fabae similar oviparous/viviparous teratomorphs have been reported and, in addition, single JH1 treatments were shown to induce normal viviparae at the end of the progeny sequence. Multiple applications, beginning prenatally and continuing through the postnatal development of the gynopara (winged ovipara-producer), showed that the numbers of viviparae born were related to the earliness of the treatment and to the dosage. The results are compared with the effect of a switch in photoperiod and discussed in relation to the endocrine control of aphid polymorphism.     

Olfactory antennal responses to plant volatiles in apterous virginoparae of the vetch aphidMegoura viciae

Electroantennogram (EAG) responses were recorded from apterous virginoparae of the vetch aphidMegoura viciae Buckton (Homoptera, Aphididae) to more than eighty volatile compounds in order to investigate its sensory ability to perceive plant odours. The response profile ofM. viciae reveals a differential sensitivity for the array of plant volatiles tested. The whole group of general green leaf volatiles is very stimulatory. In addition to (E)-2-hexenal, the following compounds of this group elicit large EAG responses: (E)-2-heptenal, 1-octenol-3, hexyl acetate, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, hexanol-1, hexanal, 2-heptanone and 3-octanone. Relatively large EAGs are also produced by 4-methoxybenzaldehyde (p-anisaldehyde), hexanonitrile, heptanonitrile, 1,6-hexanedithiol, butyl isothiocyanate, 4-pentenyl isothiocyanate, (−)-(1S)-β-pinene, (+)-(S)-carvone, (−)-(R)-carvone, α-terpineol, linalool and citronellal. The nitriles are the most effective of all plant volatiles tested. Structure-activity relationships occur in various groups of chemicals and members of the green leaf volatiles, benzaldehydes, isothiocyanates and monoterpenes are ranked accordingly. In the group of green leaf volatiles, aliphatic aldehydes are more stimulating than the corresponding alcohols. EAG responses to series of saturated aliphatic alcohols and aldehydes reveal that C₆ and C₇ compounds are the most stimulatory. Dose-response curves show that the rank order of EAG response amplitudes hardly changes at lower dosages. It is concluded thatM. viciae perceives general plant volatiles as well as more-specific components, such as nitriles and isothiocyanates, associated with the odour blends of non-host plant species.     

Acylated flavonol glycosides as probing stimulants of a bean aphid,Megoura crassicauda,from Vicia angustifolia

A bean aphid, Megoura crassicauda, which feeds selectively on the plant genus Vicia (Fabaceae), was found to be stimulated to probe an extract solution of the host plant, narrowleaf vetch, Vicia angustifolia L., depositing characteristic stylet sheaths on a parafilm membrane. Two acylated flavonol glycosides were isolated as the specific probing stimulants from the extracts and characterized as quercetin 3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->6)-[2"-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl]-beta-D-glucopyranoside and quercetin 3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->6)-[2"-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl]-beta-D-galactopyranoside. A mixture of these compounds in the same equivalency strongly induced the probing response from M. crassicauda, suggesting their kairomonal roles during host recognition.     

The identification of an aphid juvenile hormone, and its titre in relation to photoperiod

ABSTRACT. Whole body extractions from larval and adult apterous forms of Megoura viciae , and from adult Aphis fabae , were analysed for the known insect juvenile hormones (JHs) by a gas chromatography-mass spectrometric method. Low levels of JH III were detected in both aphid species, the first identification of a juvenile hormone from an homopteran insect. Although the mean titre in adult M. viciae is higher in long-day than in short-day reared insects (0.12±0.03 v. 0.04±0.01 ng/g), titres were variable and measurements overlapped. The results are discussed in the context of the hormonal control of aphid polymorphism and the question of identity of homopteran and hemipteran JH.     

Alterations in foraging behavior of Coccinella septempunctata and Propylea japonica mediated by a novel defended prey affect their predatory potential

Generalist aphidophagous coccinellids have to cope with novel prey aphids in environments that are changing rapidly because of anthropogenic activity. The goldenrod aphid, Uroleucon nigrotuberculatum (Olive) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a noxious prey, which was recently introduced into Japan. It is a major prey for the native Japanese predators Coccinella septempunctata bruckii Mulsant and Propylea japonica (Thunberg) (both Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in early summer on patches of solidago, Solidago altissima L. (Asteraceae). Prey preference of these coccinellids between this aphid and a native suitable prey aphid, Megoura crassicauda Mordvilko (Hemiptera: Aphididae), as well as their foraging behavior were studied for a better understanding of the negative impacts of the noxious novel aphid. Coccinella septempunctata initially preferred the novel prey, but later switched to the native prey, M. crassicauda; P. japonica had no preference for either prey. Feeding time of the first instars of C. septempunctata on U. nigrotuberculatum was significantly longer than that of P. japonica. The foraging bouts of fourth instars of C. septempunctata were significantly longer on U. nigrotuberculatum than on M. crassicauda, whereas only the feeding time of fourth instars of P. japonica on U. nigrotuberculatum was significantly longer than on M. crassicauda. Both coccinellids consumed less of U. nigrotuberculatum than of M. crassicauda. Thus, solidago patches infested by U. nigrotuberculatum may present an ecological trap, especially for C. septempunctata.     

Competition and dispersal in the pea aphid: clonal variation and correlations across traits

Abstract.  1. The presence of an across-species trade-off between dispersal ability and competitive ability has been proposed as a mechanism that facilitates coexistence. It is not clear if a similar trade-off exists within species. Such a trade-off would constrain the evolution of either trait and, given appropriate selection pressures, promote local adaptation in these traits.
2. This study found substantial levels of heritable variation in competitive ability of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Homoptera: Aphididae), measured in terms of relative survival when reared with a single clone of the vetch aphid, Megoura viciae Buckton (Homoptera: Aphididae).
3. Pea aphids can move to new patches by either flying (longer distance dispersal) or walking (local dispersal) from plant to plant. There was considerable clonal variation in dispersal ability, measured in terms of the proportion of winged offspring produced, and ability to survive away from their host plant.
4. Winged individuals showed longer off-plant survival times than wingless forms of the same pea aphid clone.
5. There was no evidence of a relationship between clonal competitive ability and either measure of dispersal ability, although the power of the test is limited by the number of pea aphid clones used in the trial.
6. However, there was a positive correlation between clonal fecundity and the proportion of winged offspring produced. Although speculative, it is suggested that clones that are more likely to either overwhelm their host plant or attract higher numbers of natural enemies as a result of having higher fecundity are more likely to produce winged morphs.     

Temperature control of male embryo viability of the aphid Megoura viciae

Summary

Early stages of gametogenesis were observed in embryos of Megoura viciae Buckton at two temperatures, 24°C and 27°C. The higher temperature is lethal for male embryos but not for female embryos. Spermatogenesis proceeds to the synizesis contraction stage at both temperatures but goes no further at 27°C. All the spermatocytes degenerate prior to undergoing metaphase I and gamete degeneration is followed by the death of the male embryos. In oogenesis, synizesis lasts for much longer and no differential viability at the two temperatures can be observed. A possible explanation, related to the different timing of meiosis in the two sexes, is proposed and discussed.     

A hemiterpene glucoside as a probing deterrent of the bean aphid, Megoura crassicauda, from a non-host vetch, Vicia hirsuta

The bean aphid, Megoura crassicauda Mordvilko, feeds selectively on plants belonging to the genus Vicia (Fabaceae). However, it never infests the tiny vetch, V. hirsuta (L.) Gray. The aphid appeared to discriminate between host and non-host plants by tasting specific chemicals during penetration of its stylet into the plant tissues. The aphid, after being stimulated by specific probing stimulants, deposited characteristic proteinous stylet sheaths through a parafilm membrane, which has one side in contact with an extract solution of Vicia angustifolia. However, an addition of a V. hirsuta extract to the medium strongly inhibited the salivary sheath formation. A specific probing deterrent was isolated from a V. hirsuta extract by monitoring the inhibitory effect, and identified as (E)-2-methyl-2-butene-1,4-diol 4-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside. A mixture of the glycoside and the stimulatory V. angustifolia fraction in the same equivalency found in plants significantly decreased the probing activity in M. crassicauda. Since the stylet insertion process is a crucial step for the aphid's settlement on a plant, the glycoside seems to act as an effective chemical barrier for V. hirsuta.