Chemoreceptor Diversity in Apoid Wasps and Its Reduction during the Evolution of the Pollen-Collecting Lifestyle of Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)

• DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa269
• Publication Date: 2021-01-14T23:05:04Z
• Authors: George F Obiero; Thomas Pauli; Elzemiek Geuverink; René Veenendaal; Oliver Niehuis; Ewald Große-Wilde
• Keywords: Eusociality; Lineage (genetic)

Abstract Chemoreceptors help insects to interact with their environment, detect and assess food sources oviposition sites, aid in intra- interspecific communication. In Hymenoptera, species of eusocial lineages possess large chemoreceptor gene repertoires compared solitary species, possibly because additional need recognize nest-mates caste. However, a critical piece information missing so far has been the size apoid wasps. Apoid wasps are paraphyletic group almost exclusively Hymenoptera phylogenetically positioned between ant bee, both which include species. We report chemosensory-related repertoire sizes three wasps: Ampulex compressa, Cerceris arenaria, Psenulus fuscipennis. annotated genes encoding odorant (ORs), gustatory, ionotropic receptors chemosensory soluble proteins odorant-binding transcriptomes tissues above early draft genomes two A. compressa C. arenaria. Our analyses revealed that larger OR than any bee lineage, last common ancestor Apoidea possessed considerably (∼160) previously estimated (73), expansion bees was less extensive assumed. Intriguingly, evolution pollen-collecting behavior stem lineage associated notable loss diversity. Thus, our results support view herbivorous tend smaller carnivorous, parasitoid, or kleptoparasitic