Easy-bleeding

Guides

• Monophadnus

  Monophadnus is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae. Species in this genus are specialized herbivores of Ranunculaceae plants, particularly Helleborus species. Larvae sequester host plant secondary metabolites—including furostanol saponins and, in some species, phytoecdysteroids—into their haemolymph for chemical defense against predators. This sequestration represents a documented case of bioaccumulation, with ecdysteroid concentrations in larval haemolymph reaching levels thousands of times higher than in host plant tissues.

  sawflyHelleboruschemical-defensesequestrationphytoecdysteroidsaponinbioaccumulationeasy-bleedingspecialized-herbivoreRanunculaceae