Structural patterns of Lepidoptera galls and the case of Andescecidium parrai (Cecidosidae) galls on Schinus polygama (Anacardiaceae).

Abstract

Gall anatomical and metabolic peculiarities are determined by the feeding habit of the gall inducer, but develop under the constraints of the host plants. The chewing habit of the Lepidoptera larvae imposes a high impact on the host plant cells, and supposedly drives peculiar structural and histochemical patterns. So, our starting point was the search of such patterns in literature, and the test of these traits on the Andescecidium parrai (Cecidosidae)-Schinus polygama (Anacardiaceae) system, as a case study in Chilean flora. The literature on the structure of lepidopteran galls in the temperate and tropical regions comprises 13 works, describing stems as the most frequent host organs, followed by leaves, buds, and flowers. As common structural traits of Lepidoptera galls, the literature converge in describing the processes of cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia, resulting in a variable number of common storage parenchyma layers, interspersed by the redifferentiated sclerenchyma, vascular, and typical nutritive cells around the larval chamber. These nutritive cells accumulate lipids and proteins, which support the lepidopteran larvae nutrition. As expected, the A. parrai galls follow the patterns herein described for the lepidoptera-induced galls, but with peculiarities associated with its host organ. Even though the Lepidoptera galls have destructive mouthparts and can induce large and complex galls, they cannot alter important conservative features of their hosts' organs.