STUDY OF CAROTENOIDS IN THE GALL FORMING HOST AND ITS ECTO AND ENDOPARASITOIDS
Matvey I. Nikekshparg,1 Evelina I. Nikelshparg,2 Daniil N. Bratashov,1 Vasily V. Anikin,1
1 Saratov State University, Saratov, Russia 2 Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
Abstract
Gall is a tumor on a plant induced by various organisms, particularly insects. Plants with galls become a closed mini-ecosystems, which are inhabited by gall-forming phytophages, and various entomophages-parasitoids, and the food chains arise. One of the characteristic molecules obtained by insects with food are carotenoids. The aim of our work was to determine the composition and quantity of carotenoids in gall formers and their parasitoids using Raman spectroscopy. For this purpose, we have chosen a closed mini-ecosystem, which includes: a perennial hawkweed Hieracium x robustum; gall former: Aulacidea hieracii (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae); and its parasitoids: Eurytoma cynipsea (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) – an ectoparasitoid, Sycophila submutica – an endoparasitoid. Ectoparasitoids eat the host from the outside, while endoparasitoids develop inside the host larva. We used a Raman microspectrometer in ViaRenishaw (UK) with a 532 nm laser, an x5 objective, a numerical aperture of 0.75, a signal accumulation time of 60 seconds at a power of no more than 0.3 mW, and a laser spot size of 5.4 μm. As a result of the study, we found that in all insects the composition of carotenoids differs from that one of the host plant. It was found for the first time that the quantity of carotenoids in the three species is statistically different. The largest amount was noted in the gall former, the smallest in the endoparasitoid. This result was unexpected, since the endoparasitoid develops inside the gall former. This study may be promising for the development of new ways to identify insect species.
Speaker
Matvey I. Nikelshparg
Saratov State University
Russia
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