We established a stable system for breeding and maintaining this ecologically intriguing insect in the laboratory, and succeeded in detailed analyses of the gall-forming behaviour, gall formation process, and histochemical and physiological features. This weevil forms spherical galls on the shoots of Cuscuta campestris, an obligate parasitic plant.
Herein, we propose a new model insect, Smicronyx madaranus, for studying the mechanisms of gall formation. Because most of the gall systems are formed on trees, it is difficult to maintain them in laboratories and to comprehend the mechanisms operative in them through experimental manipulations. It is intriguing as to how insects reprogram and modify plant morphogenesis. Insect-induced galls are microhabitats distinct from the outer environment that support inhabitants by providing improved nutrients, defence against enemies, and other unique features.
