1
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Soler JJ, Møller AP. Defensive tolerance to parasitism is correlated with sexual selection in swallows. Oecologia 2023; 203:267-276. [PMID: 37462738 PMCID: PMC10684419 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05419-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/18/2023]
Abstract
Parasite-mediated sexual selection has been the topic of extensive research and enthusiastic debate for more than three decades. Here, we suggest that secondary sexual characters may not only signal parasite resistance but also defensive tolerance. We exemplify this possibility by analysing information on two sexually selected traits, annual reproductive success, and ectoparasitism in a barn swallow Hirundo rustica population followed for more than 30 years. For each individual, we estimated the slope of the association between reproductive success and parasitism as an index of tolerance and subsequently explored the association with the expression of the sexually selected traits. In accordance with expectations of parasites playing a role in sexual selection, tail length was negatively related to load of chewing lice and nest size was positively related to tolerance to chewing lice. We discuss the importance of considering defensive tolerance for understanding the role of parasite-mediated sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan José Soler
- Depto. Ecología Funcional Y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Sacramento S/N, La Cañada de San Urbano, 04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - Anders Pape Møller
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, Orsay, France
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2
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Encel SA, Simpson EK, Schaerf TM, Ward AJW. Immune challenge affects reproductive behaviour in the guppy ( Poecilia reticulata). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230579. [PMID: 37564068 PMCID: PMC10410201 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Immunocompetence and reproduction are among the most important determinants of fitness. However, energetic and metabolic constraints create conflict between these two life-history traits. While many studies have explored the relationship between immune activity and reproductive fitness in birds and mammals inoculated with bacterial endotoxin, very few have focused on fish. Fish have been neglected in this area due, in part, to the claim that they are largely resistant to the immune effects of endotoxins. However, the present study suggests that they are susceptible to significant effects with respect to reproductive behaviour. Here, we examined the reproductive behaviour of male guppies following exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in comparison to that of male guppies in a control treatment. Additionally, we investigated the responses of females to these males. We show that although immune challenge does not suppress general activity in male guppies, it significantly reduces mating effort. While females showed no difference in general activity as a function of male treatments, they did exhibit reduced group cohesion in the presence of LPS-exposed males. We discuss this in the context of sickness behaviours, social avoidance of immune-challenged individuals and the effects of mounting an immune response on reproductive behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella A. Encel
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown 2006, Australia
| | - Emily K. Simpson
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown 2006, Australia
| | - Timothy M. Schaerf
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown 2006, Australia
| | - Ashley J. W. Ward
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown 2006, Australia
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3
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Lizard Dewlap Color and Malaria Infection: Testing the Hamilton-Zuk Hypothesis. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15020209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis indicates that parasites may have a negative effect on the appearance of sexual traits within an infected individual. Anolis sagrei, or brown anoles, are small invasive lizards common throughout Florida and many other areas where they have been introduced. The colorful dewlaps under the chins of males are used as a signal during territorial contests with other males and as an ornament to attract females. Anoles may be infected by the malaria parasite Plasmodium floridense. In this study, we investigated the relationship of malarial infection with dewlap color and spectral brightness of A. sagrei. We achieved this by capturing male brown anoles, taking blood samples to examine for malarial infection, and recording the color of their dewlaps. We found that the dewlaps of infected Anolis sagrei had duller coloration than the dewlaps of uninfected lizards. These results provide support for the Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis. Our results suggest that infection by P. floridense could potentially influence fitness of the lizards by reducing the expression of their color signals. Additional research on fitness effects of the malaria parasite on anoles is important for fully understanding this phenomenon.
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Damas-Moreira I, Maia JP, Tomé B, Salvi D, Perera A, Harris DJ. Blood parasites in sympatric lizards: what is their impact on hosts’ immune system? AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 2022. [DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Assessment of parasites and their pathogenicity is essential for studying the ecology of populations and understanding their dynamics. In this study, we investigate the prevalence and intensity of infection of haemogregarines (phylum Apicomplexa) in two sympatric lizard species, Podarcis vaucheri and Scelarcis perspicillata, across three localities in Morocco, and their effect on host immune response. We used the Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) skin testing technique to relate the level of immune response with parasite infection. Prevalence and intensity levels were estimated with microscopy, and 18S rRNA gene sequences were used to confirm parasite identity. All parasites belong to the haemogregarine lineage found in other North African reptiles. There were differences in prevalence between localities and sexes. Overall, infected lizards were larger than uninfected ones, although we did not detect differences in parasitaemia across species, sex or locality. The swelling response was not related to the presence or number of haemogregarines, or to host body size, body condition, sex or species. We found no evidence of impact for these parasites on the circulating blood cells or the hosts’ immune system, but more data is needed to assess the potential impact of mixed infections, and the possibility of cryptic parasite species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Damas-Moreira
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - João P. Maia
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, N° 7, 4485-661 Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre FC4, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- Institut de Biología Evolutiva (CSIC - Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Beatriz Tomé
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, N° 7, 4485-661 Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre FC4, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Daniele Salvi
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, N° 7, 4485-661 Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
- Department of Health, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 Coppito, L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Ana Perera
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, N° 7, 4485-661 Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
| | - D. James Harris
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, N° 7, 4485-661 Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
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5
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Lopez‐Serna S, Gonzalez‐Quevedo C, Rivera‐Gutierrez HF. Beyond illness: Variation in haemosporidian load explains differences in vocal performance in a songbird. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:18552-18561. [PMID: 35003692 PMCID: PMC8717280 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In animal communication, signals are expected to evolve to be honest, so that receivers avoid being manipulated by signalers. One way that signals can evolve to be honest is for them to be costly, with only high-quality individuals being able to bear the costs of signal expression. It has been proposed that parasites can introduce costs that affect the expression of sexually selected traits, and there is evidence to support the role of parasitism in modulating animal behavior. If host infection status or intensity is found to relate to differences in signal expression, it may indicate a fitness cost that mediates honesty of signals. Birdsong is a good model for testing this, and physically challenging songs representing complex motor patterns provide a good example of sexually selected traits indicating individual condition. We performed a field study to evaluate the relationship between song performance and avian malaria infection in a common songbird. Previous work on this subject has almost always evaluated avian malaria in terms of binary infection status; however, parasitemia-infection intensity-is rarely assessed, even though differences in parasite load may have profound physiological consequences. We estimated parasitemia levels by using real-time PCR. We found that birds with higher parasitemia displayed lower vocal performance, providing evidence that this song trait is an honest signal of parasitic load of haemosporidian parasites. To our knowledge, this study links parasite load and the expression of a sexually selected trait in a way that has not been addressed in the past. Studies using song performance traits and parasitemia offer an important perspective for understanding evolution of characters via sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salome Lopez‐Serna
- Instituto de BiologíaFacultad de Ciencias Exactas y NaturalesGrupo de Ecología y Evolución de VertebradosUniversidad de AntioquiaMedellínColombia
| | - Catalina Gonzalez‐Quevedo
- Instituto de BiologíaFacultad de Ciencias Exactas y NaturalesGrupo de Ecología y Evolución de VertebradosUniversidad de AntioquiaMedellínColombia
| | - Hector Fabio Rivera‐Gutierrez
- Instituto de BiologíaFacultad de Ciencias Exactas y NaturalesGrupo de Ecología y Evolución de VertebradosUniversidad de AntioquiaMedellínColombia
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García‐Rosales A, Stephenson BP, Ramírez‐Bautista A, Manjarrez J, Pavón NP. Female choice and male aggression in the polymorphic lizard
Sceloporus minor. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron García‐Rosales
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones Centro de Investigación Biológica Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo Mineral de La Reforma Mexico
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Comportamiento Animal Departamento de Biología Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana‐Iztapalapa Iztapalapa Mexico
| | | | - Aurelio Ramírez‐Bautista
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones Centro de Investigación Biológica Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo Mineral de La Reforma Mexico
| | - Javier Manjarrez
- Centro de Investigación en Recursos Bióticos Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México Toluca Mexico
| | - Numa P. Pavón
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Comunidades Centro de Investigación Biológica Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo Mineral de La Reforma Mexico
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7
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Butler JM, Maruska KP. Opsin Expression Varies with Reproductive State in the Cichlid Fish Astatotilapia burtoni. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:240-248. [PMID: 33972997 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals use visual communication to convey crucial information about their identity, reproductive status, and sex. Plasticity in the auditory and olfactory systems has been well-documented, however, fewer studies have tested for plasticity in the visual system, a surprising detail since courtship and mate choice are largely dependent on visual signals across taxa. We previously found reproductive state-dependent plasticity in the eye of the highly social cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. Male A. burtoni increase their courtship, including multicomponent visual displays, when around ovulated females, and ovulated females are more responsive to male visual courtship displays than non-ovulated females. Based on this, we hypothesized that ovulation status impacts visual capabilities in A. burtoni females. Using electroretinograms, we found that ovulated females had greater visual sensitivity at wavelengths corresponding to male courtship coloration compared with non-reproductively-receptive females. In addition, ovulated females had higher neural activation in the retina and higher mRNA expression levels of neuromodulatory receptors (e.g., sex-steroids; gonadotropins) in the eye than non-ovulated females. Here, we add to this body of work by testing the hypothesis that cone opsin expression changes with female reproductive state. Ovulated females had higher expression of short wavelength sensitive opsins (sws1, sws2a, sws2b) compared with mouthbrooding females. Further, expression of sws2a, the most abundant opsin in the A. burtoni eye, positively correlated with levels of circulating 11-ketotestosterone and estradiol and estrogen, androgen, and gonadotropin system receptor expression in the eye in females. These data indicate that reproductive state-dependent plasticity also occurs at the level of photoreceptors, not just through modulation of visual signals at downstream retinal layers. Collectively, these data provide crucial evidence linking endocrine modulation of visual plasticity to mate choice behaviors in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie M Butler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Bldg, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.,Department of Biology, Stanford University, 304 Gilbert, 371 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Karen P Maruska
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Bldg, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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Megía-Palma R, Barrientos R, Gallardo M, Martínez J, Merino S. Brighter is darker: the Hamilton–Zuk hypothesis revisited in lizards. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Several studies of lizards have made an erroneous interpretation of negative relationships between spectral brightness and parasite load, and thus provided misleading support for the Hamilton–Zuk hypothesis (HZH). The HZH predicts that infected hosts will produce poorer sexual ornamentation than uninfected individuals as a result of energetic trade-offs between immune and signalling functions. To test whether there is a negative relationship between spectral brightness and pigment content in the skin of lizards, we used spectrophotometry to quantify the changes in spectral brightness of colour patches of two species after chemically manipulating the contents of orange, yellow and black pigments in skin samples. Carotenoids were identified using high-performance liquid chromatography. In addition, we compared the spectral brightness in the colour patches of live individuals with differential expression of nuptial coloration. Overall, the analyses demonstrated that the more pigmented the colour patch, the darker the spectrum. We provide a comprehensive interpretation of how variation in pigment content affects the spectral brightness of the colour patches of lizards. Furthermore, we review 18 studies of lizards presenting 24 intraspecific tests of the HZH and show that 14 (58%) of the tests do not support the hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Megía-Palma
- Universidad de Alcalá (UAH), Área de Parasitología, Departamento de Biomedicina y Biotecnología, Facultad de Farmacia, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- CIBIO, InBIO – Research Network in Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, Vairão, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rafael Barrientos
- Road Ecology Laboratory, Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, José Antonio Novais, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuela Gallardo
- Laboratorio de Histología, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Martínez
- Universidad de Alcalá (UAH), Área de Parasitología, Departamento de Biomedicina y Biotecnología, Facultad de Farmacia, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - Santiago Merino
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal, Madrid, Spain
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9
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Phenological and intrinsic predictors of mite and haemacoccidian infection dynamics in a Mediterranean community of lizards. Parasitology 2021; 148:1328-1338. [PMID: 34078494 PMCID: PMC8383277 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182021000858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Ectotherms are vulnerable to environmental changes and their parasites are biological health indicators. Thus, parasite load in ectotherms is expected to show a marked phenology. This study investigates temporal host–parasite dynamics in a lizard community in Eastern Spain during an entire annual activity period. The hosts investigated were Acanthodactylus erythrurus, Psammodromus algirus and Psammodromus edwardsianus, three lizard species coexisting in a mixed habitat of forests and dunes, providing a range of body sizes, ecological requirements and life history traits. Habitat and climate were considered as potential environmental predictors of parasite abundance, while size, body condition and sex as intrinsic predictors. Linear models based on robust estimates were fitted to analyse parasite abundance and prevalence. Ectoparasitic mites and blood parasites from two haemococcidian genera were found: Lankesterella spp. and Schellackia spp. Habitat type was the only predictor explaining the abundance of all parasites, being mostly higher in the forest than in the dunes. The results suggest that particularities in each host–parasite relationship should be accounted even when parasites infect close-related hosts under the same environmental pressures. They also support that lizard parasites can be biomarkers of environmental perturbation, but the relationships need to be carefully interpreted for each host–parasite assemblage.
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10
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Ibáñez A, Fritz U, Auer M, Martínez-Silvestre A, Praschag P, Załugowicz E, Podkowa D, Pabijan M. Evolutionary history of mental glands in turtles reveals a single origin in an aquatic ancestor and recurrent losses independent of macrohabitat. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10396. [PMID: 34001926 PMCID: PMC8129087 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89520-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the relevance of chemical communication in vertebrates, comparative examinations of macroevolutionary trends in chemical signaling systems are scarce. Many turtle and tortoise species are reliant on chemical signals to communicate in aquatic and terrestrial macrohabitats, and many of these species possess specialized integumentary organs, termed mental glands (MGs), involved in the production of chemosignals. We inferred the evolutionary history of MGs and tested the impact of macrohabitat on their evolution. Inference of ancestral states along a time-calibrated phylogeny revealed a single origin in the ancestor of the subclade Testudinoidea. Thus, MGs represent homologous structures in all descending lineages. We also inferred multiple independent losses of MGs in both terrestrial and aquatic clades. Although MGs first appeared in an aquatic turtle (the testudinoid ancestor), macrohabitat seems to have had little effect on MG presence or absence in descendants. Instead, we find clade-specific evolutionary trends, with some clades showing increased gland size and morphological complexity, whereas others exhibiting reduction or MG loss. In sister clades inhabiting similar ecological niches, contrasting patterns (loss vs. maintenance) may occur. We conclude that the multiple losses of MGs in turtle clades have not been influenced by macrohabitat and that other factors have affected MG evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Ibáñez
- grid.5522.00000 0001 2162 9631Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland ,grid.10789.370000 0000 9730 2769Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Uwe Fritz
- grid.438154.f0000 0001 0944 0975Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Dresden, 01109 Dresden, Germany
| | - Markus Auer
- grid.438154.f0000 0001 0944 0975Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Dresden, 01109 Dresden, Germany
| | | | | | - Emilia Załugowicz
- grid.5522.00000 0001 2162 9631Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Dagmara Podkowa
- grid.5522.00000 0001 2162 9631Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Maciej Pabijan
- grid.5522.00000 0001 2162 9631Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
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11
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Hund AK, Hubbard JK, Krausová S, Munclinger P, Safran RJ. Different underlying mechanisms drive associations between multiple parasites and the same sexual signal. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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12
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Horváth G, Jiménez‐Robles O, Martín J, López P, De la Riva I, Herczeg G. Linking behavioral thermoregulation, boldness, and individual state in male Carpetan rock lizards. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:10230-10241. [PMID: 33005378 PMCID: PMC7520217 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms affecting consistent interindividual behavioral variation (i.e., animal personality) are of wide scientific interest. In poikilotherms, ambient temperature is one of the most important environmental factors with a direct link to a variety of fitness-related traits. Recent empirical evidence suggests that individual differences in boldness are linked to behavioral thermoregulation strategy in heliothermic species, as individuals are regularly exposed to predators during basking. Here, we tested for links between behavioral thermoregulation strategy, boldness, and individual state in adult males of the high-mountain Carpetan rock lizard (Iberolacerta cyreni). Principal component analysis revealed the following latent links in our data: (i) a positive relationship of activity with relative limb length and color brightness (PC1, 23% variation explained), (ii) a negative relationship of thermoregulatory precision with parasite load and risk-taking (PC2, 20.98% variation explained), and (iii) a negative relationship between preferred body temperature and relative limb length (PC3, 19.23% variation explained). We conclude that differences in boldness and behavioral thermoregulatory strategy could be explained by both stable and labile state variables. The moderate link between behavioral thermoregulatory strategy and risk-taking personality in our system is plausibly the result of differences in reproductive state of individuals or variation in ecological conditions during the breeding season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Horváth
- Behavioural Ecology GroupDepartment of Systematic Zoology and EcologyEötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestHungary
| | - Octavio Jiménez‐Robles
- Department of Ecology and EvolutionResearch School of BiologyAustralian National UniversityCanberraAustralia
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary BiologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesCSICMadridSpain
| | - José Martín
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesCSICMadridSpain
| | - Pilar López
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesCSICMadridSpain
| | - Ignacio De la Riva
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary BiologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesCSICMadridSpain
| | - Gábor Herczeg
- Behavioural Ecology GroupDepartment of Systematic Zoology and EcologyEötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestHungary
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13
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López Juri G, Rossi N, Chiaraviglio M, Cardozo G. Phenotypic diversity and its relationship to reproductive potential in changing social contexts in a lizard model. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Phenotype in lizards is related to reproductive function, and hence to reproductive output. Besides the intraspecific diversity in phenotypes, their temporal variation throughout the reproductive season in relation to the variation of social contexts builds extra complexity into sexual selection scenarios. One useful model for understanding phenotypic diversity dynamics is Tropidurus spinulosus because it presents sexual dimorphism in different phenotypic traits, dichromatism in regions related to reproductive behaviour, and it has intense social reproductive interactions. We aimed to evaluate how the reproductive and phenotypic traits of individuals vary with changing social contexts, and how intrasexual phenotypic diversity and reproductive potential are explained by the phenotypic traits. In this study, we used data obtained during four consecutive breeding seasons (2015–2018) in a wild population. The social context, characterized according to the operational sex ratio, varied between months and, therefore, some phenotypic and reproductive traits also varied. We found that body robustness and chromatic diversity were the main sources of phenotypic diversity and were related to reproductive traits in both sexes. Our results help to understand the dynamics and reproductive implications of phenotypic diversity in changing social contexts in a lizard social model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe López Juri
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Nicola Rossi
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Margarita Chiaraviglio
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Gabriela Cardozo
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
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14
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Badiane A, Martin M, Meylan S, Richard M, Decencière Ferrandière B, Le Galliard JF. Male ultraviolet reflectance and female mating history influence female mate choice and male mating success in a polyandrous lizard. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
AbstractPre-copulatory female mate choice based on male ultraviolet (UV) coloration has been demonstrated in several vertebrate species; however, post-copulatory mechanisms have been largely overlooked. Here, we investigated female mate preference based on male UV coloration in the common lizard Zootoca vivipara, in which males display conspicuous UV coloration on their throat. During two successive years, we staged sequential mating trials between females and four different males with UV-reduced or control belly and throat coloration. We recorded pre-copulatory female behaviour, copulation behaviour and assigned paternity to all offspring. Females were more aggressive towards UV-reduced males and, during the second year, UV-reduced males had a lower probability of siring at least one egg (fertilization success) during the last mating trials. However, in the second year, copulation was shorter with control males. Altogether, our results suggest that females exert subtle pre-copulatory mate preference based on male UV ornaments and, conditional on the study year and female mating history, some degree of post-copulatory preference for UV-control males leading to differential male fertilization success. This study suggests that UV-based female mate choice may be more widespread than previously thought in vertebrates, and emphasizes the importance of using a study design well adapted to the species reproductive behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Badiane
- Institut d’Écologie et des Sciences de l’Environnement (IEES), CNRS, IRD, INRA, Sorbonne Université, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris, France
| | - Mélissa Martin
- Institut d’Écologie et des Sciences de l’Environnement (IEES), CNRS, IRD, INRA, Sorbonne Université, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Meylan
- Institut d’Écologie et des Sciences de l’Environnement (IEES), CNRS, IRD, INRA, Sorbonne Université, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris, France
| | - Murielle Richard
- CNRS UMR 5321, Station d’Écologie Théorique et Expérimentale, Route du CNRS, Saint-Girons, France
| | - Beatriz Decencière Ferrandière
- Centre de Recherche en écologie Expérimentale et Prédictive (CEREEP-Ecotron IleDeFrance), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, PSL Research University, UMS 3194, 11 chemin de Busseau, Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours, France
| | - Jean-François Le Galliard
- Institut d’Écologie et des Sciences de l’Environnement (IEES), CNRS, IRD, INRA, Sorbonne Université, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris, France
- Centre de Recherche en écologie Expérimentale et Prédictive (CEREEP-Ecotron IleDeFrance), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, PSL Research University, UMS 3194, 11 chemin de Busseau, Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours, France
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15
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Abstract
Colourful ornaments often communicate salient information to mates, and theory predicts covariance between signal expression and individual quality. This has borne out among pigment-based signals, but the potential for 'honesty' in structural coloration is unresolved. Here, I synthesized the available evidence to test this prediction via meta-analysis and found that, overall, the expression of structurally coloured sexual signals is positively associated with individual quality. The effects varied by the measure of quality, however, with body condition and immune function reliably encoded across taxa, but not age nor parasite resistance. The relationship was apparent for both the colour and brightness of signals and was slightly stronger for iridescent ornaments. These results suggest diverse pathways to the encoding and exchange of information among structural colours while highlighting outstanding questions as to the development, visual ecology and evolution of this striking adornment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E White
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2106, Australia
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16
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Mészáros B, Jordán L, Bajer K, Martín J, Török J, Molnár O. Relationship between oxidative stress and sexual coloration of lizards depends on thermal habitat. THE SCIENCE OF NATURE - NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN 2019; 106:55. [PMID: 31612286 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-019-1649-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sexual signals serve as an honest indicator of individual quality, reflecting either developmental and/or maintenance costs. A possible underlying physiological mechanism is oxidative stress, which could mediate energy trade-offs between sexual signals and other quality traits. In ectotherms, thermal performance acts as a key indicator of individual quality and influence signal intensity. We investigated how oxidative state is reflected in visual signals of lizards from different thermal habitats. According to our hypothesis, efficient thermoregulation requires different strategies in different thermal environments. In a habitat with predictable temperature changes, animals are less exposed to suboptimal temperature ranges and selection will, therefore, be stronger on the maximum oxidative damage at optimal body temperature. Contrarily, in a habitat with rather stochastic thermal shifts, individuals are often constricted by suboptimal thermal conditions, and oxidative damage can be limiting on a wide temperature range. We used Iberolacerta cyreni and Psammodromus algirus inhabiting stochastic and predictable thermal environments respectively. We examined two aspects of oxidative stress: the level of reactive oxygen metabolites at the preferred temperature (maximal ROM) and the temperature range in which animals produce at least 80% of the maximum level of reactive oxygen metabolites (effective ROM range). In I. cyreni, we found that duller coloration was related to a wider effective ROM range, while expression of coloration in P. algirus was negatively correlated with the maximal ROM. Our results suggest that different thermal constraints affect different aspects of oxidative damage which can indicate individual quality and are, therefore, represented in sexual ornaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boglárka Mészáros
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.
| | - Lilla Jordán
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
| | - Katalin Bajer
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
| | - José Martín
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - János Török
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.,Ecology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, H-1117, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Molnár
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
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17
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Rossi N, Benitez-Vieyra S, Cocucci A, Chiaraviglio M, Cardozo G. Sexual dichromatism and color diversity in the spiny lava lizard Tropidurus spinulosus using lizard visual modelling. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14270. [PMID: 31582783 PMCID: PMC6776660 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50712-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Colors are important vehicles for social signals in many taxa. In Squamata, previous studies have linked color characteristics and chromatic diversity to sexual selection and, particularly, species showing male-biased body size dimorphism also showed male-biased dichromatism and color diversity. Sexual dichromatism may occur in body regions used for conspecific communication and it may be expressed at wavelengths, such as ultraviolet, easily perceivable by conspecifics. We tested this prediction in a social lizard model, Tropidurus spinulosus, using spectrophotometry and visual modelling which enable colors to be interpreted as the individuals of the same taxon see them. Our results indicate that sexual dichromatism occurs in the ventral regions and the flanks, which are the body regions involved in sexual displays. Males show greater color diversity, having larger color volumes and more contrasting colors. These findings reinforce the idea that sexual selection towards males is coupled with the evolution of male-biased, diverse, coloration which could act as a signal in social reproductive contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Rossi
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Córdoba, Argentina. .,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - S Benitez-Vieyra
- Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva y Biología Floral, IMBIV-CONICET, FCEFyN, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - A Cocucci
- Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva y Biología Floral, IMBIV-CONICET, FCEFyN, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - M Chiaraviglio
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Córdoba, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - G Cardozo
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Córdoba, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
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18
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Butler JM, Whitlow SM, Rogers LS, Putland RL, Mensinger AF, Maruska KP. Reproductive state-dependent plasticity in the visual system of an African cichlid fish. Horm Behav 2019; 114:104539. [PMID: 31199904 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Visual communication is used widely across the animal kingdom to convey crucial information about an animals' identity, reproductive status, and sex. Although it is well-demonstrated that auditory and olfactory sensitivity can change with reproductive state, fewer studies have tested for plasticity in the visual system, a surprising detail since courtship and mate choice behaviors in many species are largely dependent on visual signals. Here, we tested for reproductive state-dependent plasticity in the eye of the cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni using behavioral, gene expression, neural activation, and electrophysiology techniques. Males court ovulated females more intensely than gravid females, and ovulated females were more responsive to male courtship behaviors than gravid females. Using electroretinography to measure visual sensitivity in dark-adapted fish, we revealed that gravid, reproductively-ready females have increased visual sensitivity at wavelengths associated with male courtship coloration compared to non-gravid females. After ovulation was hormonally induced, female's spectral sensitivity further increased compared to pre-injection measurements. This increased sensitivity after hormone injection was absent in non-gravid females and in males, suggesting an ovulation-triggered increase in visual sensitivity. Ovulated females had higher mRNA expression levels of reproductive neuromodulatory receptors (sex-steroids; gonadotropins) in the eye than nonovulated females, whereas males had similar expression levels independent of reproductive/social state. In addition, female mate choice-like behaviors positively correlated with expression of gonadotropin system receptors in the eye. Collectively, these data provide crucial evidence linking endocrine modulation of visual plasticity to mate choice behaviors in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie M Butler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, USA.
| | - Sarah M Whitlow
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, USA
| | | | | | | | - Karen P Maruska
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, USA
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19
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Lynn JC, Cole GL. The effect of against-background contrast on female preferences for a polymorphic colour sexual signal. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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20
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Zamora-Camacho FJ, Comas M. Beyond Sexual Dimorphism and Habitat Boundaries: Coloration Correlates with Morphology, Age, and Locomotor Performance in a Toad. Evol Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s11692-018-9466-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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21
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Álvarez-Ruiz L, Megía-Palma R, Reguera S, Ruiz S, Zamora-Camacho FJ, Figuerola J, Moreno-Rueda G. Opposed elevational variation in prevalence and intensity of endoparasites and their vectors in a lizard. Curr Zool 2018; 64:197-204. [PMID: 30402060 PMCID: PMC5905508 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoy002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying the causes of parasite geographic distribution is relevant to understand ecological and evolutionary processes that affect host populations as well as for species conservation. Temperature is one of the most important environmental variables affecting parasite distribution, as raising temperatures positively affect development, reproduction, and rate of transmission of both endo- and ectoparasites. In this context, it is generally accepted that, in mountains, parasite abundance decreases with elevation. However, empirical evidence on this topic is limited. In the present study, we analyzed the elevational variation of hemoparasites and ectoparasites of a lizard, Psammodromus algirus, along a 2,200-m elevational gradient in Sierra Nevada (SE Spain). As predicted, ectoparasite (mites, ticks, mosquitoes, and sandflies) abundance decreased with elevation. However, hemoparasite prevalence and intensity in the lizard augmented with altitude, showing a pattern contrary to their vectors (mites). We suggest that tolerance to hemoparasites may increase with elevation as a consequence of lizards at high altitudes taking advantage of increased body condition and food availability, and reduced oxidative stress. Moreover, lizards could have been selected for higher resistance against hemoparasites at lowlands (where higher rates of replication are expected), thus reducing hemoparasite prevalence and load. Our findings imply that, in a scenario of climate warming, populations of lizards at high elevation may face increased abundance of ectoparasites, accompanied with strong negative effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lola Álvarez-Ruiz
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación-CSIC, Ctra. Náquera Km. 4.5, Moncada, Valencia, E-46113, Spain
| | - Rodrigo Megía-Palma
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, c/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, Madrid, E-28006, Spain
| | - Senda Reguera
- Unit of Ethology and Animal Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary, University CEU Cardenal Herrera, Alfara del Patriarca, (Valencia), E-46113, Spain
| | - Santiago Ruiz
- Servicio de Control de Mosquitos, Diputación Provincial de Huelva, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Huelva, Spain
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Francisco J Zamora-Camacho
- Departamento de Biogeografía y Cambio Global, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, C/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, Madrid, E-28006, Spain
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
- Departamento de Ecología de Humedales, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, c/Américo Vespucio s/n, Sevilla, E-41092, Spain
| | - Gregorio Moreno-Rueda
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, E-18071, Spain
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22
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Mészáros B, Herczeg G, Bajer K, Török J, Molnár O. Effects of energy and thermoregulation time on physiological state and sexual signal in a lizard. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 327:570-578. [PMID: 29377549 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 12/26/2017] [Accepted: 01/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Theory of sexual selection states that males often develop showy signals, which reduce their survival but increase their reproductive success. During mate choice, these conspicuous signals can be honest indicators of individual quality conveying information about the signaler's physiological state. Sexually selected signals are influenced by many environmental factors; however, whether signals and physiological state are affected together is rarely studied. The ultraviolet-blue throat color of male Lacerta viridis is an intra- and intersexually selected signal connected to blood parasite infection and influenced by environmental factors. The aim of this study was to experimentally investigate how ecologically relevant environmental factors affect color signal intensity and key physiological traits parallel. During the mating season, we exposed 40 adult male lizards infected with blood parasites to food and basking time treatments in a full factorial design. We measured color, amount of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), hematocrit, immunocompetence, and blood parasite intensity before and after treatments. High basking time resulted in elevated immunocompetence coupled with increased ROMs. The high food treatment increased nuptial color brightness, but also increased ROMs and decreased immunocompetence. In summary, our study provides experimental evidence about environmentally induced parallel changes in an honest sexual signal and several quality-indicator physiological traits. We showed that available energy and time for high metabolism have independent and sometimes opposite effects on individual state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boglárka Mészáros
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Herczeg
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Katalin Bajer
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,Laboratório de Biogeografia e Macroecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte Centro de Biociências, Departamento de Botânica, Ecologia e Zoologia, Campus Universitário, Lagoa Nova, Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - János Török
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Molnár
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,Laboratório de Biogeografia e Macroecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte Centro de Biociências, Departamento de Botânica, Ecologia e Zoologia, Campus Universitário, Lagoa Nova, Natal-RN, Brazil
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23
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Kopena R, López P, Martín J. Immune challenged male Iberian green lizards may increase the expression of some sexual signals if they have supplementary vitamin E. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2401-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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24
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Megía-Palma R, Martínez J, Merino S. Manipulation of parasite load induces significant changes in the structural-based throat color of male iberian green lizards. Curr Zool 2017; 64:293-302. [PMID: 30402070 PMCID: PMC6007217 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zox036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The honesty of structural-based ornaments is controversial. Sexual selection theory predicts that the honesty of a sexual signal relies on its cost of production or maintenance. Therefore, environmental factors with negative impact on individuals could generate high costs and affect the expression of these sexual signals. In this sense, parasites are a main cost for their hosts. To probe the effect of parasites on the structural-based coloration of a lacertid species Lacerta schreiberi, we have experimentally removed ticks from a group of male Iberian green lizards using an acaricide treatment (i.e., the broad-use insecticide fipronil). All individuals were radio-tracked and recaptured after 15 days to study changes in coloration in both the ultraviolet (UV)-blue (structural-based) and UV-yellow (structural and pigment-based) ornamentations after manipulation, as well as changes in endo- and ectoparasitic load and body condition. Additionally, after the experiment, we measured the skin inflammatory response to a mitogen. The fipronil treatment was effective in reducing ticks and it was associated with a significant reduction of hemoparasite load. Throughout the season, individuals treated with fipronil tended to maintain the brightness of the UV-blue throat coloration while control lizards tended to increase it. However, individuals treated with fipronil that were not infected with hemoparasites significantly reduced the brightness of the UV-blue throat coloration. Individuals with a higher initial tick load exhibited a lower UV saturation increment (UV-blue) and a higher brightness increment (UV-yellow) during the experiment. Overall these results experimentally support the idea that parasites adversely influence the expression of the structural-based coloration of male Iberian green lizards. This adds evidence to the hypothesis that sexual ornaments in lizards function as honest signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Megía-Palma
- Dept Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, J. Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Martínez
- Área Parasitología, Dept Biomedicina y Biotecnología, Área de Parasitología. Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, Alcalá de Henares, E-28871, Madrid, Spain
| | - Santiago Merino
- Dept Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, J. Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006, Madrid, Spain
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25
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Lisboa CMCA, Bajer K, Pessoa DMA, Huber MAA, Costa GC. Female Brazilian whiptail lizards (Cnemidophorus ocellifer) prefer males with high ultraviolet ornament reflectance. Behav Processes 2017; 142:33-39. [PMID: 28528929 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Conspicuous colouration is an important way of social communication in many taxa. The role of ultraviolet (UV) signals in intraspecific communication has only recently been studied in lizards, and there is not a general understanding of the adaptive role of UV colouration. Colour ornaments can signal male quality in mate choice and are therefore suitable for reliably predicting the outcome of female preference. Here, we tested the potential role of UV colouration in female spatial preference in a non-territorial teiid lizard, Cnemidophorus ocellifer. We experimentally manipulated the UV reflectance of size-matched male pairs and tested the effects of our treatment on females' spatial distribution. We found that females associated with males of higher UV reflectance, suggesting that UV colour can be an important clue during mate preference decisions. Our results provide the first empirical evidence for the importance of UV colouration in female preference in a mutually ornamented lizard species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina M C A Lisboa
- Laboratory of Biogeography and Macroecology, Department of Ecology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universitário Lagoa Nova, Natal RN 59078-900, Brazil.
| | - Katalin Bajer
- Laboratory of Biogeography and Macroecology, Department of Ecology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universitário Lagoa Nova, Natal RN 59078-900, Brazil; Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Daniel M A Pessoa
- Laboratory of Sensory Ecology, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universitário Lagoa Nova, Natal, RN 59078-900, Brazil
| | - Marc A A Huber
- Laboratory of Biogeography and Macroecology, Department of Ecology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universitário Lagoa Nova, Natal RN 59078-900, Brazil
| | - Gabriel C Costa
- Department of Biology, Auburn University at Montgomery, Montgomery, AL 36124, USA
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26
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Václav R, Kolníková Z. Effects of food and thermal regimes on body condition indices and skin colouration in corn snakes. Biologia (Bratisl) 2017. [DOI: 10.1515/biolog-2017-0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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27
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Rodrigo MP, Javier M, Santiago M. Structural- and carotenoid-based throat colour patches in males of Lacerta schreiberi reflect different parasitic diseases. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2205-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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28
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Megía-Palma R, Martínez J, Merino S. A structural colour ornament correlates positively with parasite load and body condition in an insular lizard species. Naturwissenschaften 2016; 103:52. [PMID: 27262291 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-016-1378-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2015] [Revised: 05/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Pigment-based ornaments in vertebrates may reflect the body condition or health status of the individual in correlation with environmental stress and hormonal balance. Among the environmental factors shaping sexual colouration, parasitic infections have been stressed as an important evolutionary pressure constraining the maintenance of pigment-based ornaments. However, the honesty of structure-based ornaments in vertebrates is still under debate. Structural UV-biased ornaments in Gallotia lizards were described as a trait used by conspecifics during mate and rival assessment suggesting the reliability of these signals. We investigated the relationship between parasitaemia, body condition and a structural-based ornament present in the cheek of the sexually dichromatic Canarian lacertid Gallotia galloti in a population with an almost 100 % prevalence of haemoparasites. Using spectrophotometric techniques, we found that males with higher values of cheek UV chroma were infected with more haemoparasites. No significant relationship was found between haemoparasite load and body condition. However, males with higher cheek UV chroma showed significantly better body condition. In addition, we found that cheek hue was significantly related to body condition of individuals in both sexes. In males, cheek reflectivity biased towards the UV range was significantly related to better body condition. In females, those individuals with better body condition showed more whitish cheeks with less UV suggesting that cheek hue serves as an intersexual signal for sex recognition. We conclude that the positive relationship between cheek chroma and parasite load in male lizards is compatible with both differential density of melanin and iridophore arrangement in the dermis conveying an individual's ability to cope with environmental stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Megía-Palma
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, J. Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Javier Martínez
- Área Parasitología. Departamento de Biomedicina y Biotecnología.Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, Alcalá de Henares, E-28871, Madrid, Spain
| | - Santiago Merino
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, J. Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006, Madrid, Spain
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Molnár O, Bajer K, Szövényi G, Török J, Herczeg G. Space Use Strategies and Nuptial Color in European Green Lizards. HERPETOLOGICA 2016. [DOI: 10.1655/herpetologica-d-13-00018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Horváth G, Martín J, López P, Garamszegi LZ, Bertók P, Herczeg G. Blood Parasite Infection Intensity Covaries with Risk-Taking Personality in Male Carpetan Rock Lizards (Iberolacerta cyreni). Ethology 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Horváth
- Behavioural Ecology Group; Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology; Eötvös Loránd University; Budapest Hungary
| | - José Martín
- Departmento de Ecología Evolutiva; Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales; CSIC; Madrid Spain
| | - Pilar López
- Departmento de Ecología Evolutiva; Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales; CSIC; Madrid Spain
| | | | - Péter Bertók
- Faculty of Veterinary Sciences; Szent István University; Budapest Hungary
| | - Gábor Herczeg
- Behavioural Ecology Group; Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology; Eötvös Loránd University; Budapest Hungary
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Haklová-Kočíková B, Hižňanová A, Majláth I, Račka K, Harris DJ, Földvári G, Tryjanowski P, Kokošová N, Malčeková B, Majláthová V. Morphological and molecular characterization of Karyolysus--a neglected but common parasite infecting some European lizards. Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:555. [PMID: 25492802 PMCID: PMC4298996 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-014-0555-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2014] [Accepted: 11/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Blood parasites of the genus Karyolysus Labbé, 1894 (Apicomplexa: Adeleida: Karyolysidae) represent the protozoan haemogregarines found in various genera of lizards, including Lacerta, Podarcis, Darevskia (Lacertidae) and Mabouia (Scincidae). The vectors of parasites are gamasid mites from the genus Ophionyssus. Methods A total of 557 individuals of lacertid lizards were captured in four different localities in Europe (Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia) and blood was collected. Samples were examined using both microscopic and molecular methods, and phylogenetic relationships of all isolates of Karyolysus sp. were assessed for the first time. Karyolysus sp. 18S rRNA isolates were evaluated using Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood analyses. Results A total of 520 blood smears were examined microscopically and unicellular protozoan parasites were found in 116 samples (22.3% prevalence). The presence of two Karyolysus species, K. latus and K. lacazei was identified. In total, of 210 samples tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the presence of parasites was observed in 64 individuals (prevalence 30.5%). Results of phylogenetic analyses revealed the existence of four haplotypes, all part of the same lineage, with other parasites identified as belonging to the genus Hepatozoon. Conclusions Classification of these parasites using current taxonomy is complex - they were identified in both mites and ticks that typically are considered to host Karyolysus and Hepatozoon respectively. Furthermore although distortions to the intermediate host erythrocyte nuclei were observed, the defining characteristic of Karyolysus, the haplotypes were nearly identical to those reported from lizards in the Iberian Peninsula, where such distortions were not reported and which were thus identified as Hepatozoon. Based on the phylogenetic analyses, neither vertebrate host, nor geographical patterns of the studied blood parasites could be established. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-014-0555-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Božena Haklová-Kočíková
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic.
| | - Adriana Hižňanová
- Institute of Biology and Ecology, University of P. J. Šafárik in Košice, Moyzesova 11, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic.
| | - Igor Majláth
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic. .,Institute of Biology and Ecology, University of P. J. Šafárik in Košice, Moyzesova 11, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic.
| | - Karol Račka
- Department of Parasitology, State Veterinary Institute Jihlava, Rantířovská 93, 586 05, Jihlava, Czech Republic.
| | - David James Harris
- CI-BIO-UP, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursors Genéticos da Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.
| | - Gábor Földvári
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, 2 István Street, Budapest, H-1078, Hungary.
| | - Piotr Tryjanowski
- Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71 C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland.
| | - Natália Kokošová
- Institute of Biology and Ecology, University of P. J. Šafárik in Košice, Moyzesova 11, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic.
| | - Beáta Malčeková
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
| | - Viktória Majláthová
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic.
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Bajer K, Horváth G, Molnár O, Török J, Garamszegi LZ, Herczeg G. European green lizard (Lacerta viridis) personalities: Linking behavioural types to ecologically relevant traits at different ontogenetic stages. Behav Processes 2014; 111:67-74. [PMID: 25475912 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2014.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2014] [Revised: 11/05/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Consistent individual differences within (animal personality) and across (behavioural syndrome) behaviours became well recognized during the past decade. Nevertheless, our knowledge about the evolutionary and developmental mechanisms behind the phenomena is still incomplete. Here, we explored if risk-taking and exploration were consistent and linked to different ecologically relevant traits in wild-caught adult male European green lizards (Lacerta viridis) and in their 2-3 weeks old laboratory-reared offspring. Both adults and juveniles displayed animal personality, consistency being higher in juveniles. We found correlation between risk-taking and exploration (suggestive of a behavioural syndrome) only in adults. Juveniles were more explorative than adults. Large or ectoparasite-free adult males were more explorative than small or parasitized males. Juvenile females tended to be more risk-taking than males. Behaviour of fathers and their offspring did not correlate. We conclude that European green lizards show high behavioural consistency and age is an important determinant of its strength and links to traits likely affecting fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katalin Bajer
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary; Laboratório de Biogeografia e Macroecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Centro de Biociências, Departamento de Botânica, Ecologia e Zoologia, Campus Universitário - Lagoa Nova, 59078-900 Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Gergely Horváth
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Orsolya Molnár
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary; Department of Biological Sciences, Darthmouth College, Life Sciences Center, 78 College Street, Hanover, NH 03766, USA
| | - János Török
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Zsolt Garamszegi
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, c/Americo Vespucio, s/n, 41092 Seville, Spain
| | - Gábor Herczeg
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
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Maia JP, Harris DJ, Carranza S, Gómez-Díaz E. A comparison of multiple methods for estimating parasitemia of hemogregarine hemoparasites (apicomplexa: adeleorina) and its application for studying infection in natural populations. PLoS One 2014; 9:e95010. [PMID: 24743340 PMCID: PMC3990604 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2013] [Accepted: 03/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying factors influencing infection patterns among hosts is critical for our understanding of the evolution and impact of parasitism in natural populations. However, the correct estimation of infection parameters depends on the performance of detection and quantification methods. In this study, we designed a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay targeting the 18 S rRNA gene to estimate prevalence and intensity of Hepatozoon infection and compared its performance with microscopy and PCR. Using qPCR, we also compared various protocols that differ in the biological source and the extraction methods. Our results show that the qPCR approach on DNA extracted from blood samples, regardless of the extraction protocol, provided the most sensitive estimates of Hepatozoon infection parameters; while allowed us to differentiate between mixed infections of Adeleorinid (Hepatozoon) and Eimeriorinid (Schellackia and Lankesterella), based on the analysis of melting curves. We also show that tissue and saline methods can be used as low-cost alternatives in parasitological studies. The next step was to test our qPCR assay in a biological context, and for this purpose we investigated infection patterns between two sympatric lacertid species, which are naturally infected with apicomplexan hemoparasites, such as the genera Schellackia (Eimeriorina) and Hepatozoon (Adeleorina). From a biological standpoint, we found a positive correlation between Hepatozoon intensity of infection and host body size within each host species, being significantly higher in males, and higher in the smaller sized host species. These variations can be associated with a number of host intrinsic factors, like hormonal and immunological traits, that require further investigation. Our findings are relevant as they pinpoint the importance of accounting for methodological issues to better estimate infection in parasitological studies, and illustrate how between-host factors can influence parasite distributions in sympatric natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- João P. Maia
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain
- * E-mail: (JPM); (EGD)
| | - D. James Harris
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
| | - Salvador Carranza
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Gómez-Díaz
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain
- * E-mail: (JPM); (EGD)
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