Recurrent evolution of gut symbiotic bacteria in pentatomid stinkbugs

Abstract

Diverse animals are intimately associated with microbial symbionts. How such host--symbiont associations have evolved is a fundamental biological issue. Recent studies have revealed a variety of evolutionary relationships, such as obligatory, facultative, and free-living, of gut bacterial symbiosis within the stinkbug family Pentatomidae, although the whole evolutionary picture remains elusive.