Structural adaptations and mechanism of reflex bleeding in the larvae of the myrmecophilous ladybird Diomus thoracicus

Roux, Olivier; Vantaux, Amélie; Petitclerc, Frédéric; Orivel, Jérôme; Déjean, Alain; Billen, Johan

doi:10.1016/j.asd.2017.06.002

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 15 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Reflex bleeding is an antipredator defensive behavior that occurs in select members of the orders Plecoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, and Coleoptera (146). During reflex bleeding, insects increase their internal hydrostatic pressure via a series of muscle contractions, which induces the expulsion of hemolymph via breaches in thin cuticular membranes or through dedicated openings (75,124,131,146). Many insects that undergo reflex bleeding display aposematic coloration (113), and the substances in the reflex bleed-by toxicity, taste, odor, or mechanical means-deter or neutralize predators such as birds or other insects (10,97,124,131).…”

Section: Interplay Between the Circulatory System And Defense Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During reflex bleeding, insects increase their internal hydrostatic pressure via a series of muscle contractions, which induces the expulsion of hemolymph via breaches in thin cuticular membranes or through dedicated openings (75,124,131,146). Many insects that undergo reflex bleeding display aposematic coloration (113), and the substances in the reflex bleed-by toxicity, taste, odor, or mechanical means-deter or neutralize predators such as birds or other insects (10,97,124,131). Given the evolutionary distances among insects that engage in this process, reflex bleeding appears to be a case of convergent evolution in which a metabolically costly activity confers protection from predators.…”

Section: Interplay Between the Circulatory System And Defense Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The Insect Circulatory System: Structure, Function, and Evolution

Hillyer

Pass

2020

Annu. Rev. Entomol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Although the insect circulatory system is involved in a multitude of vital physiological processes, it has gone grossly understudied. This review highlights this critical physiological system by detailing the structure and function of the circulatory organs, including the dorsal heart and the accessory pulsatile organs that supply hemolymph to the appendages. It also emphasizes how the circulatory system develops and ages and how, by means of reflex bleeding and functional integration with the immune system, it supports mechanisms for defense against predators and microbial invaders, respectively. Beyond that, this review details evolutionary trends and novelties associated with this system, as well as the ways in which this system also plays critical roles in thermoregulation and tracheal ventilation in high-performance fliers. Finally, this review highlights how novel discoveries could be harnessed for the control of vector-borne diseases and for translational medicine, and it details principal knowledge gaps that necessitate further investigation.

show abstract

Section: Interplay Between the Circulatory System And Defense Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Interplay Between the Circulatory System And Defense Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Insect Circulatory System: Structure, Function, and Evolution

Hillyer

Pass

2020

Annu. Rev. Entomol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These defensive chemicals can be released by coccinellids in an antipredator defensive behaviour known as reflex bleeding [34][35][36]. When attacked, they contract their muscles to induce the expulsion of haemolymph through dedicated openings, bringing both endogenous and/or sequestered substances present in the haemolymph in contact with the attacking predator [37,38]. Any substance a coccinellid can accumulate and tolerate in its haemolymph thus has the potential to become an added layer of defence.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exotic predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic non-coevolved prey

Plata,

Züst,

Bermejo

et al. 2024

Proc. R. Soc. B.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Defensive chemicals of prey can be sequestered by some coevolved predators, which take advantage of prey toxins for their own defence. The increase in the number of invasive species in the Anthropocene has resulted in new interactions among non-coevolved predator and prey species. While novelty in chemical defence may provide a benefit for invasive prey against non-coevolved predators, resident predators with the right evolutionary pre-adaptations might benefit from sequestering these novel defences. Here, we chose a well-known system of invasive species to test whether non-coevolved predators can sequester and use toxins from exotic prey. Together with the invasive prickly pear plants, cochineal bugs ( Dactylopius spp.) are spreading worldwide from their native range in the Americas. These insects produce carminic acid, a defensive anthraquinone that some specialized predators sequester for their own defence. Using this system, we first determined whether coccinellids that prey on cochineal bugs in the Mediterranean region tolerated, sequestered, and released carminic acid in reflex bleeding. Then, we quantified the deterrent effect of carminic acid against antagonistic ants. Our results demonstrate that the Australian coccinellid Cryptolaemus montrouzieri sequestered carminic acid, a substance absent in its coevolved prey, from exotic cochineal bugs. When attacked, the predator released this substance through reflex bleeding at concentrations that were deterrent against antagonistic ants. These findings reveal that non-coevolved predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic prey and highlights the surprising outcomes of novel interactions that arise from species invasions.

show abstract

“…Diomus thoracicus male genitalia (illustrated in Gordon 1999) are structurally quite similar as well, but possess at least 1.5× the number of setae along the outer margins of each paramere and have the trabes strongly inflated in apical 2/3. The larva of D. thoracicus is also onisciform (Vantaux et al 2010;Roux et al 2017), but has the dorsal surface a uniform light bluish gray except for the contrasting white epipleurum of each abdominal segment. The perimeter of the body is distinctly fimbriate in D. thoracicus, whereas the new species has only a few setae on the head and posterior end of the abdomen.…”

Section: Systematics Diomus Mulsantmentioning

confidence: 99%

A new species of myrmecophilous lady beetle in the genus Diomus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Diomini) from Chiapas, Mexico that feeds on green coffee scale, Coccus viridis (Green) (Hemiptera: Coccidae)

Vandenberg

Iverson

Liere

2018

Zootaxa

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A new species of myrmecophilous lady beetle, Diomus lupusapudoves, sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Diomini), is described from a coffee agroecosystem in Chiapas, Mexico. The new species was found preying on the green coffee scale pest, Coccus viridis (Green), tended primarily by Azteca sericeasur Longino and Pheidole synanthropica Longino ants. The larval, pupal, and adult stages of the new species are described and habitus illustrations or photos provided along with anatomical details of the adult male and female genitalia. The species is most similar to Diomus thoracicus Fabricius (=type species of Diomus), another myrmecophile, which inhabits ant nests and feeds on ant brood. The new species has a peculiar onisciform larva that lacks dorsal setae, features that it shares with D. thoracicus. The new species is only the second species in the genus reported as a myrmecophile, although the life histories of most species have been poorly documented.

show abstract

Structural adaptations and mechanism of reflex bleeding in the larvae of the myrmecophilous ladybird Diomus thoracicus

Cited by 3 publications

References 15 publications

The Insect Circulatory System: Structure, Function, and Evolution

The Insect Circulatory System: Structure, Function, and Evolution

Exotic predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic non-coevolved prey

A new species of myrmecophilous lady beetle in the genus Diomus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Diomini) from Chiapas, Mexico that feeds on green coffee scale, Coccus viridis (Green) (Hemiptera: Coccidae)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About