Adaptive radiation of phytophagous insects: With a special focus on the patterns and mechanisms of evolutionary transitions among functional feeding groups

Abstract

Phytophagous insects show a variety of feeding habits such as free feeding, galling, leaf mining, and seed predation. Evolutionary transitions among feeding habits play an important role in adaptive radiation of phytophagous insects. In this review, we discuss the patterns and mechanisms of evolutionary transitions among feeding habits, costs and benefits of each feeding habit, and traits that associate with each feeding habit. We particularly focus on the transitions toward galling and leaf-mining habits and give an overview of the proposed hypotheses for the adaptive significance of these feeding habits. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future prospects for research in this study area.