Host-Affected Body Coloration Dynamics in Perina nuda Larvae: A Quantitative Analysis of Color Variations and...

Insects' body coloration may be indirectly influenced by their host plants. Perina nuda (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), commonly known as the Banyan Tussock Moth and a serious pest of banyan trees (Ficus spp.) in southern China, exhibits light body coloration during its first- to third-instar stages, with its coloration progressively darkening as it matures, but little is known of the relationship between larval body coloration and host plants. To address this gap, we examined the R (red), G (green), B (blue), and L (lightness) values of the head, dorsal thorax and abdomen, stripe, dorsal mid-line, and tail of larvae fed on different hosts and host endogenous substance by using quantitative image analysis and chemical determination. Our results revealed that larval body coloration exhibited conserved ontogenetic patterns but varied significantly with host species, developmental age, and anatomical region. Redundancy analysis identified chlorophyll-b as the dominant driver, strongly associating with dorsal thorax-abdomen pigmentation. Flavonoids exhibited subthreshold significance, correlating with darker dorsal mid-line coloration, while nutrients (sugars, proteins) showed negligible effects. Linear regression revealed weak but significant links between leaf and larval body coloration in specific body regions. These findings demonstrate that host plant endogenous substances play a critical role in shaping larval body coloration. This study provides a foundation for understanding the ecological and biochemical mechanisms underlying insect pigmentation, with implications for adaptive evolution and pest management strategies.