Diversity and host associations of dipteran insects exploiting fungal fruiting bodies in Hokuriku, central Japan

Abstract

To clarify the diversity and host associations of dipteran insects exploiting fungal fruiting bodies, we collected fruiting bodies at 18 localities in Hokuriku region, central Japan, from 2012 to 2015 and examined them for the emergence of insects. In total, 14,107 dipteran individuals belonging to 20 families emerged from fungi of 8 orders, 25 families, 49 genera and 129 species. Approximately 79% of dipteran individuals belonged to three families, Phoridae, Muscidae and Drosophilidae. The faunal similarity at the family level was relatively high between central (warm‐temperate) and northern (cool‐temperate) areas of Japan. However, the species composition of Drosophilidae was much different between central and northern Japan. The difference in the species composition was discussed in relation to the climatic conditions and fungal flora. None of the species from Drosophilidae, Phoridae, Muscidae, Mycetophilidae, Lonchaeidae and Chloropidae were specialists (they exploited more than one species of fungi), but they showed differences their fungi preference. Adults of some families, especially Drosophilidae, were frequently collected from fruiting bodies, but those of other families were seldom collected, probably reflecting differences in adult feeding ecology.

Imprints of latitude, host taxon, and decay stage on fungus‐associated arthropod communities

“…Our metabarcoding‐based inferences are in broad agreement with previous molecular (Koskinen et al, 2019) and rearing‐based (Jakovlev, 2011; Põldmaa et al, 2016; Ståhls et al, 1989; Tuno et al, 2019) analyses of fungus‐associated insect communities, each of which has indicated frequent generalism in the use of available hosts. That fungus‐associated arthropods have wider host ranges than plant‐feeding insects was previously attributed to the temporally and spatially unpredictable occurrence of fungal fruiting bodies.…”

“…Our metabarcoding-based inferences are in broad agreement with previous molecular (Koskinen et al, 2019) and rearing-based (Jakovlev, 2011;Põldmaa et al, 2016;Ståhls et al, 1989;Tuno et al, 2019) analyses of fungusassociated insect communities, each of which has indicated frequent generalism in the use of available hosts.…”

“…Among fungi, one feature that has been shown to affect fungivore community composition is the morphological and structural divide between the hard, perennial fruiting bodies produced by many polypores and the soft and short‐lived fruiting bodies produced by many other basidiomycetes such as agarics (e.g., fungi characterized by stipes and caps) (Hanski, 1989; Jakovlev, 2012; Orledge & Reynolds, 2005; Schigel, 2012; Thorn et al, 2015). Within these main types of fruiting bodies, fungivore specialization on single host species appears to be rare (Epps & Arnold, 2018; Ståhls et al, 1989), with some signs of genus‐level host specialization (Kobayashi & Sota, 2021; Põldmaa et al, 2016; Tuno et al, 2019).…”

A novel nursery pollination system between a mycoheterotrophic orchid and mushroom‐feeding flies

“…Consequently, the male contribution to pollination is likely to be limited as they frequently remained on the flowers without penetrating the interior, despite using the flowers as mating sites. The specimens bearing pollinia were discovered to be flower‐ and fruit‐feeding Drosophila rufa (7/17), along with mushroom‐feeding Drosophila bizonata (9/17) and Drosophila brachynephros (1/17) (Mitsui et al, 2010; Tuno et al, 2019).…”

Mycophagy: A Global Review of Interactions between Invertebrates and Fungi

“…However, invertebrates thought to be polyphagous may instead be oligophagous. As an example, Drosophilidae preferentially feed on a few fungal genera while occasionally feeding on other fungi [ 63 , 99 ]. Feeding on less preferred fungi could be a trade-off between the quality and quantity hypotheses [ 99 ].…”