Hongmei Cheng, Xiaoyu Yan, Changjin Lin, Yu Chen, Le Ma, Luyao Fu, Xiaolin Dong, Chenxi Liu
The phytophagous (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is a global agricultural pest that damages many crops. Conversely, the predatory (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) shows promise as a biological control agent against lepidopteran and coleopteran pests. and are closely related species with different feeding habits, as confirmed via genomic and morphological analyses. However, no study investigating the implications of these differences has been reported. Herein, 16S rRNA sequencing technology was employed to analyze the microbiota diversity and function in different tissues (salivary glands, gut, sperm, and ovaries) of and to elucidate these differences from a microbial perspective. Additionally, the adult male-to-female ratio in organs was statistically similar, while that in was not. Based on the dominance of the symbionts in the two bug species, we inferred that is involved in reproduction and digestion in , while and play essential roles in reproduction and digestion. We analyzed the data on the microbial diversity of two bug species, laying a foundation for further understanding microbial symbiosis in and , which may inform the development of biological control strategies.
