Abstract
The type of host tissues and cells ingested by piercing and sucking insects greatly affects their nutrient intake, which may subsequently affect insect fitness. This study describes the sex differences in feeding site selection between male and female nymphs of the Chinese white wax scale insect (CWWS), Ericerus pela (Chavannes), feeding on leaves of the Chinese privet, Ligustrum lucidum. Our data showed that the stylet tips of female nymphs terminated in the phloem sieve elements of main or lateral veins, while those of male nymphs terminated in the palisade parenchyma. We concluded that female nymphs fed from sieve elements and males fed from parenchyma cells. The potential impact of these feeding patterns was discussed in relation to the selection of a site for attachment, nutrient acquisition, and mouthpart stretching mechanism. Among these factors, selection of a site for attachment and mouthpart stretching mechanism may be the main cause of sex differences in feeding sites between female and male nymphs of CWWS.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Auclair JL (1963) Aphid feeding and nutrition. Annu Rev Entomol 8:439–490
Beattie GAC, Weir RG, Clift RG, Jiang L (1990) Effect of nutrients on the growth and phenology of Gascardia destructor (Newstead) and Ceroplastes sinensis Del Guercio (Hemiptera: Coccidae) infesting citrus. J Aust Ent Soc 29:199–203
Bernays EA, Chapman RF (1994) Host plant selection by phytophagous insects. Chapman & Hall, New York, 312p
Calatayud PA, Le Rü B (2006) Cassava–mealybug Interactions. IRD Editions, Paris, 110p
Chen XM (2011) Natural population ecology of Ericerus pela (Chavannes). Science Press, Beijing, 136p
Cheng FK (1974) Studies on the wax scale Ericerus pela (Chavannes), with investigation into the rearing experiences by the masses. Acta Entomol Sin 17:376–382
Cid M, Fereres A (2010) Characterization of the probing and feeding behavior of Planococcus citri (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on grapevine. Ann Entomol Soc Am 103:404–417
Depieri RA, Panizzi AP (2011) Duration of feeding and superficial and in-depth damage to soybean seed by selected species of stink bugs (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Neotrop Entomol 40:197–203
Freeman TP, Buckner JS, Nelson DR, Chu CC, Henneberry TJ (2001) Stylet penetration by Bemisia argentifolii (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) into host leaf tissue. Ann Entomol Soc Am 94(5):761–768
Giordanengo P, Brunissen L, Rusterucci C, Vincent C, van Bel A, Dinant S, Girousse C, Faucher M, Bonnemain JL (2010) Compatible plant-aphid interactions: how aphids manipulate plant responses. Biologies 333:516–523
Gould GG, Jones CG, Rifleman P, Perez A, Coleman JS (2007) Variation in Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr.) phloem sap content caused by leaf development may affect feeding site selection behavior of the aphid, Chaitophorous populicola Thomas (Homoptera: Aphididae). Environ Entomol 6:1212–1225
Heriot AD (1934) The renewal and replacement of the stylets of sucking insects during each stadium, and the method of penetration. Can J Res 11:602–612
Kidd NAC (1976) Factors influencing leaf vein selection in the lime aphid (Eucallipterus tiliae L.). Oecologia 23:247–254
Koteja J (1985) Essay on the prehistory of the scale insects (Homoptera, Coccinea). Ann Zool 38:321–328
Kuwana I (1923) The Chinese white-wax scale, Ericerus pela Chavannes. Philipp J Sc 22:393–406
Lu ZX, Yu XP, Kong-luen H, Hu C (2007) Effect of nitrogen fertilizer on herbivores and its stimulation to major insect pests in rice. Rice Science 14:56–66
Mittler TE (1954) Studies on the feeding and nutrition of Tuberolachnus salignus (Gmelin)(Homoptera, Aphididae). I. The uptake of phloem sap. J Exp Bio 34:334–341
Mittler TE (1958a) Studies on the feeding and nutrition of Tuberolachnus salignus (Gmelin)(Homoptera, Aphididae).II. The nitrogen and sugar composition of ingested phloem sap and excreted honeydew. J Exp Bio 35:74–84
Mittler TE (1958b) Studies on the feeding and nutrition of Tuberolachnus salignus (Gmelin)(Homoptera, Aphididae). III. The nitrogen economy. J Exp Bio 35:626–638
O’Brien TP, McCully ME (1981) The study of plant structure: principles and selected methods. Melbourne, Termarcarphi, 357p
Pollard DG (1973) Plant penetration by feeding aphids (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea): a review. Bull Entomol Res 62:631–714
Schoonhoven LM, van Loon JJA, Dicke M (2005) Insect–plant biology (second edition). Oxford University Press, Oxford, 385p
Seo BY, Kwon YH, Jung JK, Kim GH (2009) Electrical penetration graphic waveforms in relation to the actual positions of the stylet tips of Nilaparvata lugens in rice tissue. J Asia-Pacific Entomol 12:89–95
Smith KM (1926) A comparative study of the feeding methods of certain Hemiptera and of the resulting effects upon the plant tissue, with special reference to the potato plant. Ann App Biol 13:109–139
Tort N (2004) A study on some anatomical parameters of the piercing-sucking process in leaves and branches of Pittosporum tobira L. (Pittosporaceae) infested by the cottony cushion scale, Icerya purchasi Maskell (Homoptera: Coccina, Margarodidae). J Pest Sci 77:53–56
Washington JR, Walker GP (1990) Histological studies of California red scale (Homoptera: Diaspididae) feeding on citrus. Ann Entomol Soc Am 83:939–948
Will T, van Bel AJE (2006) Physical and chemical interactions between aphids and plants. J Exp Bot 57:729–737
Zhao JJ, Chen XM, Wang ZL (2012a) Relationship between leaf anatomical structures of seven host plants and host-selection by Ericerus pela (Chavannes). J Trop & Subtrop Bot 20:247–255
Zhao JJ, Chen XM, Wang ZL, Ye SD, Chen Y, Wang SY (2012b) Ultrastucture of Ericerus pela (Chavannes) nymph mouthparts and ecological adaptions. Zool Res 33:447–454
Acknowledgments
We thank Paul-André Calatayud (senior research scientist, Institute de Recherche pour Le Développement, IRD, France) and Huang Shaoming (Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT, USA) for critically reading the manuscript. This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30771736), National Key Technology R & D Program of China (2011BAD33B02), Forestry Industry Research Special Funds for Public Welfare Projects (201204602), and Central Public-Interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund of CAF (Riricaf201004M).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Edited by Kleber Del Claro – UFU
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhao, J.J., Wang, Z.L., Chen, X.M. et al. Sex Differences in Piercing–Sucking Sites on Leaves of Ligustrum lucidum (Oleaceae) Infested by the Chinese White Wax Scale Insect, Ericerus pela (Chavannes) (Hemiptera: Coccidae). Neotrop Entomol 42, 158–163 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-013-0112-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-013-0112-x