Symbiotic microbiota may reflect host adaptation by resident to invasive ant species
Fig 5
Relative abundances of Wolbachia, Lactobacillales and Enterobacteriaceae and vitamin B concentration in workers of T. melanocephalum.
(A) A shift in abundances of Wolbachia, Lactobacillales and Enterobacteriaceae in T. melanocephalum workers from invaded versus non-invaded areas occurs when dietary composition is shifted to sugar (carbohydrate) or locusts (protein) respectively. (B) No shift in abundances of Wolbachia, Lactobacillales and Enterobacteriaceae in T. melanocephalum workers from invaded versus non-invaded areas occurs when diet is not changed in protein or sugar content, respectively. (C) Vitamin B concentration in T. melanocephalum workers from S. invicta invaded and non-invaded areas after supplying with sugar and locusts as food, respectively. (D) Vitamin B concentration in T. melanocephalum workers supplied with complementary food (e.g. peptone or sugar for ants from S. invicta invaded areas and non-invaded areas, respectively) (as follow-up experiment to (C)). ‘LG’ (on the y-axis) stands for logarithm to the base of 10.