Prey Species Influences Culturable Gut Symbionts of a Generalist Predator

Abstract

Gut microorganisms have important influences on animals, and diet of animals can affect what microorganisms are present. Little research has been done on the gut microbes of predatory arthropods, and it is not currently well known whether gut microbes of predators are influenced by different types of prey. In this study, we compared the culturable gut microbes of the predatory stinkbug Podisus maculiventris when fed either Ceratomia catalpae larvae, which sequester plant toxins, or Trichoplusia ni, which do not. We were able to culture two additional bacteria types from P. maculiventris nymphs reared on the C. catalpae, suggesting that feeding on different prey species may alter the makeup of the gut microbe community in this predator. Further studies with both culturing and culture-independent techniques can offer insights into how feeding on different prey species affects gut microbe communities of predators.