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Host specialization involving attraction, avoidance and performance, in two phytophagous moth species
Author(s) -
Orsucci M.,
Audiot P.,
Pommier A.,
Raynaud C.,
Ramora B.,
Zanetto A.,
Bourguet D.,
Streiff R.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of evolutionary biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.289
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1420-9101
pISSN - 1010-061X
DOI - 10.1111/jeb.12766
Subject(s) - biology , attraction , host (biology) , european corn borer , larva , divergence (linguistics) , trait , ecology , zoology , philosophy , linguistics , computer science , programming language
Host specialization plays a key role in the extreme diversification of phytophagous insects. Whereas proximate mechanisms of specialization have been studied extensively, their consequences for species divergence remain unclear. Preference for, and performance on hosts are thought to be a major source of divergence in phytophagous insects. We assessed these major components of specialization in two moth species, the European corn borer ( ECB ) and the Adzuki bean borer ( ABB ), by testing their oviposition behaviour in different conditions (choice or no‐choice set‐ups) and their performances, by reciprocal transplant at the larval stage on the usual host and an alternative host plant. We demonstrated that both ABB and ECB have a strong preference for their host plants for oviposition, but that relative larval performances on the usual host and an alternative host differed according to the experiment and the trait considered (weight or survival). Finally, we show for the first time that the preference for maize in ECB conceals a strong avoidance of mugwort. The differences in performance, attraction and avoidance between ECB and ABB are discussed in the light of the underlying mechanisms and divergence process.