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Australian Journal of Zoology Australian Journal of Zoology Society
Evolutionary, molecular and comparative zoology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

The effect of sideroxylonal-A on feeding of steelblue sawfly, Perga affinis affinis Kirby (Hymenoptera : Pergidae), larvae

Anthony Massaro A B and Paul D. Cooper https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1433-5309 A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Botany and Zoology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.

B Present address: c/o Russell Kennedy Lawyers, 469 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, Vic. 3000, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: paul.cooper@anu.edu.au

Australian Journal of Zoology 67(2) 114-123 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO19068
Submitted: 21 November 2019  Accepted: 21 May 2020   Published: 8 June 2020

Abstract

Plant secondary metabolites can affect insect feeding but responses are species-specific. Sideroxylonal-A (a formylated phloroglucinol) has been shown to inhibit feeding in several vertebrate and invertebrate herbivores. To investigate whether sideroxylonal-A affected feeding in sawfly larvae, Perga affinis affinis, we fed larvae eucalypt leaves containing various concentrations of sideroxylonal-A, and measured frass production as an indicator of consumption. We found that: (1) at least 80% of the sideroxylonal-A ingested by larvae was stored in the diverticulum; (2) less than 1% was excreted in frass; (3) feeding was unaffected by the concentration of sideroxylonal-A; and (4) larvae produced more frass on natal host leaves than on non-natal host leaves.

Additional keywords: feeding deterrent, formylated phloroglucinols, insect herbivory.


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