Wing plasticity associates with growth and energy metabolism in two color morphs of the pea aphid

The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, is a major pest of legume crops, exhibiting distinct polymorphism in wing and body color. We found that under crowded conditions, the red morph A. pisum produced more winged offspring than the green morph. The signaling pathways involved in aphid wing determination, like insulin and ecdysone, also play important roles in regulating growth, development, and metabolism.