Meet the citrus mealy bug, the bug that succeeds in the coolest bug-ception in nature. This bug feeds on animal sap, nothing too weird. But it gets interesting when you look deeper into this bug. The citrus mealy bug has small bacteria called Tremblaya princeps that have yet more microbes called Moranella endobia. The bug uses these two as supplement in its diet. The three have a symbiotic relationship- they can't survive without each other. All that is known about this relationship is that each one of the organisms is that each make amino acids, and bring about their share of necessary chemical reactions to survive. Beyond that, all is a mystery. This was an example of discovery science.
By: Ed Yong
Date: November 21, 2011
Journal: Discover Magazine
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