Enlarge / Certain species of beetle have evolved unusual "back pockets" to safely house symbiotic bacteria during metamorphosis—the only known instance of this among insects.
Certain species of beetle have evolved unusual "back pockets" to safely house symbiotic bacteria during metamorphosis—the only known instance of this among insects. It's part of a mutually beneficial arrangement, since the bacteria protect vulnerable larvae and pupae from fungi. Scientists have also determined that only adult females retain these symbiotic bacteria, shuffling the populations out of those back pockets via friction to the genital area as they emerge from their pupae, according to a new paper published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology.
“We show how an insect can maintain beneficial microbial partners despite the drastic rearrangements of body structures that occur during metamorphosis,” said co-author Laura V. Flórez of the University of Copenhagen. “By modifying unique ‘pockets’ on their backs, Lagria beetles manage to keep their protective symbionts and facilitate their relocation during pupation to newly developed adult organs.”
There are many examples of microbial symbionts in nature. For instance, the Hawaiian bobtail squid has a built-in flashlight to help the creature navigate those murky nighttime waters, hunt for prey, and hide from predators in turn. It's a special organ on the underside, a convenient little cavity that houses colonies of bacteria, Vibrio fischeri. Once that bacterial colony reaches a critical threshold, they all begin to glow, serving as a light source for the squid. Aphids, tubeworms, digger wasps, cereal weevils, and bean bugs have also evolved symbiotic relationships with microbes for various purposes.
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