Di-symbiotic-system
Guides
Periphyllus lyropictus
Norway Maple Aphid
Periphyllus lyropictus is a specialist aphid species feeding exclusively on Norway maple (Acer platanoides). It possesses a distinctive di-symbiotic bacterial system involving Buchnera aphidicola and Serratia symbiotica as co-obligate nutritional endosymbionts. The S. symbiotica strain in this species exhibits a highly invasive phenotype with bacterial motility due to complete flagellum expression, contrasting with the strictly compartmentalized symbiont arrangement found in related aphid species. The two symbionts metabolically complement each other for biosynthesis of essential amino acids and B vitamins.