Antibiotics, primary symbionts and wing polyphenism in three aphid species.

The possible role of the primary Buchnera symbionts in wing polyphenism is examined in three aphid species. Presumptive winged aphids were fed on antibiotic-treated beans to destroy these symbionts. As previously reported, this leads to inhibited growth and low/zero fecundity. When such treatment is applied to the short-day-induced gynoparae (the winged autumn migrant) of the black bean aphid, Aphis fabae, it also causes many insects to develop as wingless or winged/wingless intermediate adult forms (apterisation). However, whilst antibiotic treatment of crowd-induced, long-day winged forms of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (a green and a pink clone) and the vetch aphid, Megoura viciae has similar effects on size and fecundity, it does not affect wing development. Food deprivation also promotes apterisation in A. fabae gynoparae but not in the crowd-induced winged morphs of the other two species. Thus, it appears that apterisation in A. fabae is not a direct effect of antibiotic treatment or a novel role for symbionts but is most likely related to impaired nutrition induced by the loss of the symbiont population.