Host Diet and Species Interact to Shape the Bacterial and Fungal Microbiome in the Regurgitant of Four Spodoptera Species.

Abstract

The gut microbiome of Lepidopteran insects is highly dynamic, influenced by both host diet and phylogeny. While microbial communities are thought to facilitate host adaptation to diverse diets and environments, the existence of a core microbiome shared among closely related herbivores remains largely untested. In this study, we examined the microbial communities in the regurgitant of four Spodoptera species (S. exigua, S. frugiperda, S. latifascia, and S. littoralis) across different diets (artificial diet, cotton, maize, and squash). Using a high-throughput sequencing, we characterized bacterial and fungal community composition and diversity. Bacterial communities were shaped by both diet and host species, indicating species-specific bacterial selection. In contrast, fungal communities were exclusively structured by diet, with lower diversity and dominance of a few key taxa. Notably, no operational taxonomic units were consistently shared across all species or diets, challenging the concept of a conserved core microbiome in these generalist herbivores. Understanding how microbial communities shape generalist herbivores' ability to feed on diverse plants may offer potential strategies for microbiome-based pest management.