Abstract: 【Aim】 This study aims to explore the diversity of microorganisms in the wax secreted by male nymphs of Ericerus pela (Chavannes), to analyze the bacterial and fungal species and to compare the microorganism change in the wax layers with different thicknesses (the wax layer thickens with the developmental stage of male nymphs). 【Methods】 The MiSeq high-throughput sequencing method was employed to sequence the 16S rRNA of bacteria and the internal transcribed space (ITS) of fungi in the wax secreted by male nymphs of E. pela at different developmental stages. The bacterial and fungal OTUs, richness and alpha diversity was calculated and analyzed with the Mothur software. 【Results】 According to 470 OTUs obtained from 3 bacterial samples, 18 phyla, 30 classes, 92 families and 173 genera were identified. Meanwhile, 3 phyla, 15 classes, 43 families and 68 genera were identified from 264 OTUs obtained from 2 fungal samples. As the dominant bacteria, Comamonas accounted for 79.79%, 41.61% and 46.86% of the total bacteria in the wax secreted by male nymphs at the early, middle and late stages, respectively. Cladosporium and Cryptococcus were two important components of fungi in the wax, accounting for 17.01% and 60.84% fungi in the wax secreted by male nymphs at the early and late stages, respectively. 【Conclusion】 There are some differences in bacterial and fungal communities in the wax secreted by male nymphs of E. pela at different developmental stages. The bacterial diversity in the wax layers increases initially and then decreases with the developmental stage of male nymph, while the fungal diversity in the wax layers decreases with the wax thickening.

Key words: Ericerus pela, wax, bacteria, fungi, community composition, species diversity