Symbiont of brown-winged green bug, Plautia stali Scott

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Applied Entomology and Zoology Vol. 39; no. 2; pp. 109 - 115
• Main Authors: Abe, Y. (Fruit Tree Research Station, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan)), Mishiro, K, Takanashi, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Tokyo JAPANESE SOCIETY OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY 1995; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: gastric caeca; Hemiptera; opportunistic infection; Pentatomidae; PLAUTIA STALI; SERRATIA; SIMBIONTES; symbiont; SYMBIONTS; SYMBIOTE; vitamin
• ISSN: 0021-4914; 1347-6068
• DOI: 10.1303/jjaez.39.109

The presence of a symbiont of the brown-winged green bug, Plautia stali was confirmed. Long bacilliform microorganisms were commonly observed in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells of gastric caeca on the surface of the posterior midgut. Each cavity of the caeca opened into the midgut cavity via a fine pore. Symbionts that had multipled in the mycetocytes were released in the cavity of the caecum following degeneration of the host cells. Thereafter, the symbionts were extruded into the midgut cavity through the fine pore. It is possible that the symbionts are smeared on egg surfaces by adult females during the oviposition, and the hatched larvae may ingest the symbionts. The mycetomes may produce vitamin A1 or carotin and vitamin E, because these substances were only detected in the caeca. Vertical transmission of the symbiont was inhibited by disinfectant, and larvae hatched from sterilized eggs did not become adults due to death from opportunistic infections caused by various microorganisms such as fungus, Serratia and/or a Staphylococcus-like bacteria. Application of Serratia-like bacteria on the egg surface caused high mortality of 2nd inster larvae.