Microbiota characterization among Heliconius erato phyllis caterpillars

Butterflies of the genus Heliconius (Lepidoptera - Nymphalidae) are insects considered model organisms, mainly for genetic and evolutionary studies. Recently, it is possible to observe an increase in the number of studies involving the evaluation of insect microbiota, which reveal that interactions between microorganisms and insects are often beneficial and responsible for maintaining host health. Studies that approach this theme with butterflies of the genus Heliconius are still scarce. This research aimed to describe the microbiota present in immature fecal samples of Heliconius erato phyllis. Six fecal samples of caterpillars of different maternal origins, collected in southern Brazil, were analyzed. To characterize the microbiota present in each fecal sample, fragments of the hypervariable V3-V4 region of the prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene were amplified using primers 515F and 806R and subsequently sequenced using an Ion Torrent PGM (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, US).