Ontogenetic shifts in the metabolomic profiles of Battus polydamas (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae: Troidini) Feeding on Aristolochia gigantea.
- 1Graduate Program in Ecology, Department of Zoology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil. [email protected].
- 2Department of Botany, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil.
- 3Graduate Program in Microbial Biology, Department of Phytopathology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil.
Abstract
Insect development involves profound physiological reorganization that can alter the assimilation and allocation of metabolites across life stages. In herbivorous insects, these processes are tightly linked to diet-derived chemical exposure, yet how metabolic organization shifts throughout ontogeny remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated ontogenetic metabolomic variation in Battus polydamas feeding on Aristolochia gigantea, a system characterized by a specialized ecological interaction between insect and host plant. We examined how chemical profiles vary across larval, pupal, and adult stages, as well as in the host plant and larval frass, to determine whether metamorphosis is associated with stage-specific reorganization of the insect metabolome. Multivariate analyses revealed clear separation among sample types, and PERMANOVA confirmed significant differences among groups. Pupae and adult bodies showed the greatest similarity, whereas plant and frass formed distinct clusters. Wings exhibited a differentiated metabolomic profile. Molecular networking revealed a diverse set of primary and secondary metabolites, including carbohydrates, amino acids, phenolics, fatty acids, and sterol-related compounds. Nine metabolites differed significantly among plant, insect stages, and frass. Lipid- and sterol-related compounds showed stage-specific variation, particularly in pupae and wings, while phenolic derivatives and fatty acids distinguished insect tissues from plant and frass samples. Frass displayed marked chemical divergence, consistent with differential assimilation and metabolic processing. In summary, the metabolomic profile of B. polydamas is reorganized across ontogeny, reflecting stage-specific patterns of metabolite retention and transformation throughout development.
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BibTeX
@article{schirmer2026ontogenetic,
title = {{Ontogenetic shifts in the metabolomic profiles of Battus polydamas (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae: Troidini) Feeding on Aristolochia gigantea.}},
author = {Sofia Coradini Schirmer and Thomas Christopher Rhys Williams and Jefferson Brendon Almeida Dos Reis},
journal = {Journal of chemical ecology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1007/s10886-026-01769-5},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42895586},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Ontogenetic shifts in the metabolomic profiles of Battus polydamas (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae: Troidini) Feeding on Aristolochia gigantea.
AU - Sofia Coradini Schirmer
AU - Thomas Christopher Rhys Williams
AU - Jefferson Brendon Almeida Dos Reis
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
JO - Journal of chemical ecology
DO - 10.1007/s10886-026-01769-5
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42895586
AB - Insect development involves profound physiological reorganization that can alter the assimilation and allocation of metabolites across life stages. In herbivorous insects, these processes are tightly linked to diet-derived chemical exposure, yet how metabolic organization shifts throughout ontogeny remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated ontogenetic metabolomic variation in Battus polydamas feeding on Aristolochia gigantea, a system characterized by a specialized ecological interaction between insect and host plant. We examined how chemical profiles vary across larval, pupal, and adult stages, as well as in the host plant and larval frass, to determine whether metamorphosis is associated with stage-specific reorganization of the insect metabolome. Multivariate analyses revealed clear separation among sample types, and PERMANOVA confirmed significant differences among groups. Pupae and adult bodies showed the greatest similarity, whereas plant and frass formed distinct clusters. Wings exhibited a differentiated metabolomic profile. Molecular networking revealed a diverse set of primary and secondary metabolites, including carbohydrates, amino acids, phenolics, fatty acids, and sterol-related compounds. Nine metabolites differed significantly among plant, insect stages, and frass. Lipid- and sterol-related compounds showed stage-specific variation, particularly in pupae and wings, while phenolic derivatives and fatty acids distinguished insect tissues from plant and frass samples. Frass displayed marked chemical divergence, consistent with differential assimilation and metabolic processing. In summary, the metabolomic profile of B. polydamas is reorganized across ontogeny, reflecting stage-specific patterns of metabolite retention and transformation throughout development.
SN - 0098-0331
SN - 1573-1561
ER -