Polyethylene fragments affected the development of Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae)

Juliana María Ruiz Barrionuevo; Martín Geria Reines; Eduardo  Martin; Agustina Malizia; Alberto Galindo-Cardona; Lorena Escobar; A. Carolina Monmany Garzia

doi:10.30550/j.azl/1820

Authors

Juliana María Ruiz Barrionuevo Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, UNT https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7759-5661
Martín Geria Reines Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, UNT https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7681-0739
Eduardo Martin Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, UNT https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1402-3281
Agustina Malizia Instituto de Ecología Regional (IER), UNT-CONICET https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4433-3133
Alberto Galindo-Cardona Instituto de Ecología Regional (IER), UNT-CONICET https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3896-1934
Lorena Escobar Instituto de Ecología Regional (IER), UNT-CONICET https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7421-0420
A. Carolina Monmany Garzia Instituto de Ecología Regional (IER), UNT-CONICET https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0240-719X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30550/j.azl/1820

Keywords:

emergent pollutants, mechanical damage, ontogeny, secondary microplastics

Abstract

Products made of plastic have revolutionized people's way of life worldwide since they first appeared in 1950. Plastic products have many benefits to our society, but they have also provoked severe environmental problems and caused issues for many organisms. Microplastics (particles between 1 and 5000 micrometers) have a negative impact on many biological processes, including the development, immune system, and stress levels of different organisms. In the present study we report, for the first time, a kind of mechanical damage caused by microplastics to a greater wax moth larva Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae). This damage involved an interference in their cuticle development, provoking its death. Damage to development-related structures represents an acute lethal factor. Since an increasing number of insects are in contact with this pollutant in nature (e.g., soils), this type of damage becomes relevant and deserves attention from the scientific community.

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