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White plant shoots, wax-producing insects and other white structures made by arthropods: A mimicry complex?
- Source :
- European Journal of Entomology, Vol 114, Iss 1, Pp 343-349 (2017)
- Publication Year :
- 2017
- Publisher :
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Science, 2017.
-
Abstract
- Many insects masquerade as parts of plants, such as bark or leaves, or mimic poisonous organisms in order to defend themselves against predators. However, recent studies indicate that plants may mimic insects and other arthropods to deter herbivores. Here, I report visually similar white structures of plants and arthropods in Japan and suggest they are part of a mimicry complex. Young shoots covered with white trichomes or waxy substances may mimic wax-producing insects, such as woolly aphids, coccids and caterpillars, potentially resulting in reduced herbivory. Since wax-producing insects would reduce plant quality and quantity, be distasteful and attract natural enemies, herbivorous insects and mammals may avoid such white shoots. Furthermore, fungus-infected insects, gregarious braconid cocoons, spider egg sacs and froth made by froghopper nymphs or blasticotomid sawfly larvae are also conspicuously white and impose risks for herbivorous insects. Thus, these white structures may be mimicry models for white shoots and are likely to be part of a defensive mimicry complex. Although this study focuses on defence against herbivores, there are simultaneous physiological roles for white colouration that will not be discussed in depth here.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
010603 evolutionary biology
01 natural sciences
Predation
trichome
cocoon
plant mimicry
entomopathogenic fungus
Botany
Nymph
wax
Herbivore
Larva
biology
fungi
food and beverages
biology.organism_classification
anti-herbivore defence
Trichome
spider egg sac
010602 entomology
Sawfly
QL1-991
Insect Science
Entomopathogenic fungus
Mimicry
Zoology
spittlebug froth
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 18028829 and 12105759
- Volume :
- 114
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- European Journal of Entomology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....5caf0cf54269230611346cd9a38fe343