Stability of the microbial population in the gut of omnivorous wireworms (Coleoptera, Elateridae)
- Authors: Samoylova E.S.1, Kostina N.V.2, Striganova B.R.1
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Affiliations:
- Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution
- Faculty of Soil Science
- Issue: Vol 44, No 4 (2017)
- Pages: 430-438
- Section: Ecology
- URL: https://journals.rcsi.science/1062-3590/article/view/182442
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359017040124
- ID: 182442
Cite item
Abstract
The variability of the microbial population structure of the gut of omnivorous wireworms Agriotes obscurus (L) and Selatosomus aeneus (L) was studied. The limits of intra- and interspecific and intersite variation were determined. The stability of the microbial composition of the gut allows us to reveal the list of obligate saprotrophs (with 95% probability) using only five replications. In the case of S. aeneus, the influence of starvation and diet change was studied. Starvation changed the microbial population structure, while the diet did not. The results confirm that omnivorous wireworms have a stable gut microbial population, which suggests an advanced mutualistic relationship between wireworms and their gut bacteria, possibly assisting in digestion and providing for ecological flexibility of wireworms.
About the authors
E. S. Samoylova
Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution
Author for correspondence.
Email: askofa@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Leninskii pr. 33, Moscow, 119071
N. V. Kostina
Faculty of Soil Science
Email: askofa@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Moscow, 119991
B. R. Striganova
Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution
Email: askofa@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Leninskii pr. 33, Moscow, 119071