Sexually dimorphic gall structures correspond to differential phytohormone contents in male and female wasp larvae

Sexually dimorphic galls are rare among gall-inducing insects and the reason for their occurrence is unknown. The pteromalid wasp Trichilogaster acaciaelongifoliae, which induces galls on Acacia longifolia, is one such species. In the present study, the anatomical and physiological attributes of male and female galls of T. acaciaelongifoliae are examined and compared. Histological preparations are used to characterize anatomical differences between male and female gall chambers. Bioassays, high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and an enzyme immunoassay are used to measure concentrations of auxin and cytokinin in normal buds, galled tissues, and larvae of both sexes. Female chambers are found to be 3.3-fold larger, and are associated with 1.5-fold more storage tissue and 3.5-fold more vascular tissues than male chambers. Tissues from female chambers induce stronger cytokinin-like bioactivity than tissues from male chambers. Female larvae have considerably higher concentrations of cytokinin free bases, ribosides, glucosides and monophosphates than male larvae; higher auxin-like bioactivity than in normal or galled plant tissues; and almost twice the concentration of auxin than male larvae. Both male and female larvae contain much higher auxin concentrations than either galled or normal plant tissues. These findings suggest that differing levels of phytohormones are involved in the development of sexual dimorphism of gall structures in this species.