Pea Aphid (IMAGE)
Caption
This species of aphid can be found as a pest on legumes and is represented by both pink and green color morphs. The aphids in these pictures are adult females, feeding on fava bean, the plant they are commonly cultured on in the laboratory. Survival on their nutritionally poor diet is supported by an ancient and obligate bacterial symbiosis with a bacterium called Buchnera. Aphid/Buchnera genome evolution has been intimate and includes examples of metabolic pathways shared between the two partners, and even loss of evolutionarily conserved pathways from one partner.
Credit
Tania Wyss, Wilson Lab, Department of Biology, University of Miami.
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