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Costs and Benefits of Wax Production in the Larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilus

2021-05Journal article Open access
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dc.contributor.authorPacheco, Paulo A. B.
dc.contributor.authorBorges, Isabel
dc.contributor.authorBranco, Beatriz
dc.contributor.authorLucas, Éric
dc.contributor.authorSoares, António O.
dc.date.accessioned2022-02-10T16:17:16Z
dc.date.available2022-02-10T16:17:16Z
dc.date.issued2021-05
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND: Larvae of the minute aphidophagous Scymnus nubilus Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are common predators in apple orchards, covered by a wax layer that might act as a defense mechanism against natural enemies. However, the costs and benefits of protection conferred by wax remain to be assessed. We tested the following hypothesis: there is a trade-off in wax producing ladybeetles between the protection conferred by wax cover and the physiological or behavioral costs associated with its production. We predict that: (1) wax production is an efficient defensive mechanism (against intraguild predation), (2) wax production is associated with detrimental physiological (growth, reproduction) or behavioral effects (behavioral compensation: increased biomass consumption). RESULTS: Tests were carried out in the laboratory with wax and waxless larvae of S. nubilus, with and without lacewing larvae of Chrysoperla agilis (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) being used as a potential intraguild predator of the coccinellid. Waxless individuals were more susceptible to intraguild predation by lacewing larvae. Adults originating from waxless larvae were lighter than the ones originating from wax larvae, suggesting a metabolic cost resulting from a constant need of wax production. Body-weight gain and conversion efficiency were lower in waxless larvae. Biomass consumption was similar, showing that waxless larvae did not compensate for the physiological cost by eating more aphid biomass. CONCLUSION: The results indicate the potential existence of a trade-off between growth and protection associated with wax production.en
dc.description.sponsorshipThis work was financed by the research project "PRO-BIO: Profiling Reliable Organisms as Bioindicators: an integrated approach for island systems" financed by the FLAD (Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento) and partially funded by a grant from the Direção Regional dos Recursos Florestais of Secretaria Regional dos Recursos Naturais, Governo Regional dos Açores, Portugal to the research project: PICONIA: Controlo biológico de populações de pragas de plantas endémicas produzidas em viveiro.en
dc.description.versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionpt_PT
dc.identifier.citationPacheco, P., Borges, I., Branco, B. Lucas, E. & Soares, A.O. (2021). Costs and benefits of wax production in the larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilus. “Insects”, 12(5), 458. DOI: 10.3390/insects12050458en
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/insects12050458pt_PT
dc.identifier.eissn2075-4450
dc.identifier.pmcPMC8156663
dc.identifier.pmid34065731
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/6177
dc.identifier.wos000653992000001
dc.language.isoengpt_PT
dc.peerreviewedyespt_PT
dc.publisherMDPIpt_PT
dc.relation.publisherversionhttps://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/5/458pt_PT
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/pt_PT
dc.subjectCoccinellid larvae wax coverpt_PT
dc.subjectDefensive Strategyen
dc.subjectTrade-offsen
dc.subjectIntraguild Predationen
dc.subjectBiological Controlen
dc.titleCosts and Benefits of Wax Production in the Larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilusen
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.conferencePlaceSwitzerlanden
oaire.citation.endPage11pt_PT
oaire.citation.issue(5)pt_PT
oaire.citation.startPage1pt_PT
oaire.citation.titleInsectspt_PT
oaire.citation.volume12pt_PT
person.familyNameBorges
person.familyNameCosta Miranda Soares
person.givenNameIsabel
person.givenNameAntónio Onofre
person.identifierhttps://scholar.google.pt/citations?hl=pt-PT&user=437hXTcAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&gmla=AJsN-F5w7l99EUPl7mEF6CUIe8gShoG-qh1JIsZgHvBNIcOKF9KZLfaWJRzUg1Nqo5GQc5LG7vzuF934vKSmkaMPReEiQbCQw7FcxxRVGJ8SSvhSWQUMnCcZ3AAXy3EhMwj6IOxB-1OJO1C5ig8Vnfo5PjuBq
person.identifier.ciencia-id1418-31F9-D1FE
person.identifier.ciencia-id7C14-956B-7B53
person.identifier.orcid0000-0003-1807-0659
person.identifier.orcid0000-0001-7922-6296
person.identifier.scopus-author-id14047770600
person.identifier.scopus-author-idhttps://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=7102762347
rcaap.rightsopenAccesspt_PT
rcaap.typearticlept_PT
relation.isAuthorOfPublication2761f52b-9e8d-4840-b328-35fc2491ac23
relation.isAuthorOfPublication8778654c-9073-4ab1-87c4-58649d70029a
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery2761f52b-9e8d-4840-b328-35fc2491ac23

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