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Melanic mutation causes a fitness decline in bean beetles infected by W olbachia
Author(s) -
Numajiri Yuko,
Kondo Natsuko I.,
Toquenaga Yukihiko
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1111/eea.12588
Subject(s) - biology , fecundity , melanism , host (biology) , zoology , parasitism , longevity , wolbachia , population , mutant , botany , ecology , genetics , demography , gene , sociology
W olbachia cannot live outside a host, which is thought to be the reason for host‐ W olbachia coevolution toward benign parasitism, especially because the fitness of W olbachia is traded against its host's fitness. Insect melanism has been reported to have a positive effect on pathogen resistance, but melanic mutants of C allosobruchus analis ( F abricius) and C allosobruchus chinensis (L.) ( C oleoptera: C hrysomelidae) are infected with W olbachia . C allosobruchus chinensis is infected with CI ‐inducing W olbachia , and melanic mutants exhibit fitness decline. Interestingly, this decline is not observed in C . analis melanic mutants that are infected with CI ‐free W olbachia . Our research question is whether the infection of CI ‐inducing W olbachia causes fitness decline of melanic hosts in C . analis . We examined fecundity, fertility, and longevity of C . analis melanic mutants and compared them between uninfected and infected hosts with CI ‐inducing W olbachia . Infected melanic mutants of C . analis exhibited fitness decline leading to reduced hatch rates even when parental combinations were compatible. W olbachia can invade a host population by causing CI to decrease the fraction of uninfected hosts, but melanic mutant hosts decrease the number of infected hosts through fitness decline. Nevertheless, the melanism in hosts is not able to stop W olbachia invasion in C . analis .