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<p>Pests in stored grains, <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> and <i>Tenebrio obscurus</i>, show significant inter and intraspecific as well as sex-specific differences in their gut microbial communities. <i>T. obscurus</i> males generally possess higher microbial taxa richness and evenness than females. On the contrary, the gut microbiota of <i>T. molitor</i> females exhibits greater diversity and evenness compared to that of conspecific males. Key phyla, such as <i>Bacillota</i> and <i>Pseudomonadota</i>, are dominant in the gut of both beetle species, with varying relative abundances between the species and sexes. In <i>T. molitor</i>, <i>Spiroplasma</i> is the most abundant genus in males, whereas <i>Enterococcus</i> dominates in females; in <i>T. obscurus</i>, <i>Enterobacter</i> is the most common genus, whereas <i>Lactococcus</i> is more prevalent in females. Behavioral responses of the studied beetles to their own and other species’ frass indicated the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that act as pheromones. Frass of <i>T. molitor</i> males contains VOCs that act as an aggregation pheromone, while those of females act as a sex pheromone. VOCs emitted from frass of <i>T. obscurus</i> evoked no intraspecific behavioral responses, but those emitted from <i>T. obscurus</i> females attracted <i>T. molitor</i> males. Differences in gut microbiota composition of closely related beetle species, along with divergent behavioral responses to frass VOCs, may reflect their distinct evolutionary pathways and adaptive specialization for chemical communication.</p>

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Gut microbiota and frass volatiles: behavioral responses of Tenebrio molitor and Tenebrio obscurus

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月19日

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  • Vesta Skrodenytė-Arbačiauskienė,
  • Gabrielė Bumbulytė,
  • Arijus Auškalnis,
  • Jorigis Marčėnas,
  • Vincas Būda

摘要

Pests in stored grains, Tenebrio molitor and Tenebrio obscurus, show significant inter and intraspecific as well as sex-specific differences in their gut microbial communities. T. obscurus males generally possess higher microbial taxa richness and evenness than females. On the contrary, the gut microbiota of T. molitor females exhibits greater diversity and evenness compared to that of conspecific males. Key phyla, such as Bacillota and Pseudomonadota, are dominant in the gut of both beetle species, with varying relative abundances between the species and sexes. In T. molitor, Spiroplasma is the most abundant genus in males, whereas Enterococcus dominates in females; in T. obscurus, Enterobacter is the most common genus, whereas Lactococcus is more prevalent in females. Behavioral responses of the studied beetles to their own and other species’ frass indicated the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that act as pheromones. Frass of T. molitor males contains VOCs that act as an aggregation pheromone, while those of females act as a sex pheromone. VOCs emitted from frass of T. obscurus evoked no intraspecific behavioral responses, but those emitted from T. obscurus females attracted T. molitor males. Differences in gut microbiota composition of closely related beetle species, along with divergent behavioral responses to frass VOCs, may reflect their distinct evolutionary pathways and adaptive specialization for chemical communication.