Qi, Q., Li, B., Zhang, X., Chen, X.M., Chen, H., & King-Jones, K. 2025 Ecological significance of a novel nitrogen fixation mechanism in the wax scale insect Ericerus pela. Insects 16: 836
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Notes: This study demonstrates that E. pela has evolved a highly effective nitrogen acquisition system driven by symbiotic microorganisms, ensuring a sufficient nitrogen supply and enabling it to thrive on nitrogen-deficient food sources. The findings reveal a unique evolutionary adaptation in which E. pela leveraged both bacterial nitrogen fixation and fungal amino acid synthesis to bolster its growth and development. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16080836
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