Diversity of microbial groups associated with the gut of the eri silkworm, Samia ricini, (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) and white grub, Anamola dimidiata, (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) larvae as revealed by phospholipid fatty acids analysis

Abstract

The phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) technique was used to explore microbial groups that are associated with S. ricini and A. dimidiata larvae. A total of seven microbial groups were detected in the foregut, midgut and hindgut of S. ricini, respectively, as follows: Gram- bacteria (3.19%, 6.38%, 6.75%); Gram+ bacteria (15.3%, 15.5%, 13.5%); anaerobes (9.32%, 16.46%, 10.89%); Actinomycetes (1.13%. 2.0%, 0.62%); Methanotrophs (0.58%, 0.68%, 0.25%), micro-eukaryote (66.29%, 55.27%, 67.87%) and fungi (4.19%, 4.04%, 4.69%). Similar microbial groups detected in S. ricini were also found in the gut of A. dimidiata in varying proportions. This study has revealed that the gut of these two insects is associated with a diverse group of microbiota which may be critical to host physiology, and has generated a basic understanding of the diversity of microbial communities associated with these insects which will form a basis for further studies on the symbiotic status of these microbes.