1
|
Attisano A, Gill BJ, Anderson MG, Gula R, Langmore NE, Okahisa Y, Sato NJ, Tanaka KD, Thorogood R, Ueda K, Theuerkauf J. Polymorphism at the nestling stage and host-specific mimicry in an Australasian cuckoo-host arms race. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:30-43. [PMID: 36426636 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Decades of research have shown that the coevolutionary arms race between avian brood parasites and their hosts can promote phenotypic diversification in hosts and brood parasites. However, relatively little is known about the role of brood parasitism in promoting phenotypic diversification of nestlings. We review field data collected over four decades in Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand to assess potential for coevolutionary interactions between the shining bronze-cuckoo (Chalcites lucidus) and its hosts, and how diversification at the nestling stage may be generating different subspecies. The shining bronze-cuckoo is a specialist parasite of a few hosts in the family Acanthizidae. It has diversified into subspecies, of which the nestlings closely mimic the respective host nestlings in each region. Additionally, some cuckoo subspecies have polymorphic nestlings. The Acanthizidae hosts have similar breeding and nesting habits and only moderately effective frontline defences against parasitism at cuckoo egg laying or at the egg stages. However, some hosts have developed highly effective defences at the nestling stage by recognising and ejecting cuckoo nestlings from the nest. As with the cuckoo nestlings, some hosts have polymorphic nestlings. The coevolutionary interactions in each region suggest different evolutionary stages of the arms race in which either the parasite or the host is currently in the lead. The presence of moderately effective defences at the egg laying and egg stages might explain why some hosts do not have defences at the nestling stage. The south-Pacific cuckoo - host systems are excellent models to explore the evolutionary mechanisms driving the diversification at the nestling stage in the coevolutionary arms race between avian brood parasites and their hosts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Attisano
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Brian J Gill
- Auckland Museum (retired), Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Michael G Anderson
- School of Natural Sciences, Auckland Campus, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Roman Gula
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Naomi E Langmore
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Rose Thorogood
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Research programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Jörn Theuerkauf
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Holleley CE, Grieve AC, Grealy A, Medina I, Langmore NE. Thicker eggshells are not predicted by host egg ejection behaviour in four species of Australian cuckoo. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6320. [PMID: 35428801 PMCID: PMC9012832 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09872-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Defences of hosts against brood parasitic cuckoos include detection and ejection of cuckoo eggs from the nest. Ejection behaviour often involves puncturing the cuckoo egg, which is predicted to drive the evolution of thicker eggshells in cuckoos that parasitise such hosts. Here we test this prediction in four Australian cuckoo species and their hosts, using Hall-effect magnetic-inference to directly estimate eggshell thickness in parasitised clutches. In Australia, hosts that build cup-shaped nests are generally adept at ejecting cuckoo eggs, whereas hosts that build dome-shaped nests mostly accept foreign eggs. We analysed two datasets: a small sample of hosts with known egg ejection rates and a broader sample of hosts where egg ejection behaviour was inferred based on nest type (dome or cup). Contrary to predictions, cuckoos that exploit dome-nesting hosts (acceptor hosts) had significantly thicker eggshells relative to their hosts than cuckoos that exploit cup-nesting hosts (ejector hosts). No difference in eggshell thicknesses was observed in the smaller sample of hosts with known egg ejection rates, probably due to lack of power. Overall cuckoo eggshell thickness did not deviate from the expected avian relationship between eggshell thickness and egg length estimated from 74 bird species. Our results do not support the hypothesis that thicker eggshells have evolved in response to host ejection behaviour in Australian cuckoos, but are consistent with the hypothesis that thicker eggshells have evolved to reduce the risk of breakage when eggs are dropped into dome nests.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clare E Holleley
- Australian National Wildlife Collection, National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.
| | - Alice C Grieve
- Australian National Wildlife Collection, National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Alicia Grealy
- Australian National Wildlife Collection, National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.,Langmore Group, Research School of Biology, Building 46, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia
| | - Iliana Medina
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Royal Parade, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Naomi E Langmore
- Langmore Group, Research School of Biology, Building 46, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kleindorfer S, Common LK, O'Connor JA, Garcia-Loor J, Katsis AC, Dudaniec RY, Colombelli-Négrel D, Adreani NM. Female in-nest attendance predicts the number of ectoparasites in Darwin's finch species. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211668. [PMID: 34905711 PMCID: PMC8670954 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Selection should act on parental care and favour parental investment decisions that optimize the number of offspring produced. Such predictions have been robustly tested in predation risk contexts, but less is known about alternative functions of parental care under conditions of parasitism. The avian vampire fly (Philornis downsi) is a myasis-causing ectoparasite accidentally introduced to the Galápagos Islands, and one of the major mortality causes in Darwin's finch nests. With an 11-year dataset spanning 21 years, we examine the relationship between parental care behaviours and number of fly larvae and pupae in Darwin's finch nests. We do so across three host species (Camarhynchus parvulus, C. pauper, Geospiza fuliginosa) and one hybrid Camarhynchus group. Nests with longer female brooding duration (minutes per hour spent sitting on hatchlings to provide warmth) had fewer parasites, and this effect depended on male food delivery to chicks. Neither male age nor number of nest provisioning visits were directly associated with number of parasites. While the causal mechanisms remain unknown, we provide the first empirical study showing that female brooding duration is negatively related to the number of ectoparasites in nests. We predict selection for coordinated host male and female behaviour to reduce gaps in nest attendance, especially under conditions of novel and introduced ectoparasites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Kleindorfer
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide 5001, Australia
- Konrad Lorenz Research Center for Behavior and Cognition and Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Lauren K. Common
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide 5001, Australia
| | | | - Jefferson Garcia-Loor
- Konrad Lorenz Research Center for Behavior and Cognition and Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - Andrew C. Katsis
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide 5001, Australia
| | - Rachael Y. Dudaniec
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, Australia
| | | | - Nico M. Adreani
- Konrad Lorenz Research Center for Behavior and Cognition and Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Attisano A, Sato NJ, Tanaka KD, Okahisa Y, Ueda K, Gula R, Theuerkauf J. Discrimination and ejection of eggs and nestlings by the fan-tailed gerygone from New Caledonia. Curr Zool 2021; 67:653-663. [PMID: 34805543 PMCID: PMC8599088 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Nestling rejection is a rare type of host defense against brood parasitism compared with egg rejection. Theoretically, host defenses at both egg and nestling stages could be based on similar underlying discrimination mechanisms but, due to the rarity of nestling rejector hosts, few studies have actually tested this hypothesis. We investigated egg and nestling discrimination by the fan-tailed gerygone Gerygone flavolateralis, a host that seemingly accepts nonmimetic eggs of its parasite, the shining bronze-cuckoo Chalcites lucidus, but ejects mimetic parasite nestlings. We introduced artificial eggs or nestlings and foreign gerygone nestlings in gerygone nests and compared begging calls of parasite and host nestlings. We found that the gerygone ejected artificial eggs only if their size was smaller than the parasite or host eggs. Ejection of artificial nestlings did not depend on whether their color matched that of the brood. The frequency of ejection increased during the course of the breeding season mirroring the increase in ejection frequency of parasite nestlings by the host. Cross-fostered gerygone nestlings were frequently ejected when lacking natal down and when introduced in the nest before hatching of the foster brood, but only occasionally when they did not match the color of the foster brood. Begging calls differed significantly between parasite and host nestlings throughout the nestling period. Our results suggest that the fan-tailed gerygone accepts eggs within the size range of gerygone and cuckoo eggs and that nestling discrimination is based on auditory and visual cues other than skin color. This highlights the importance of using a combined approach to study discrimination mechanisms of hosts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Attisano
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Keita D Tanaka
- Department of Life Sciences, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuji Okahisa
- Department of Life Sciences, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keisuke Ueda
- Department of Life Sciences, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Roman Gula
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jörn Theuerkauf
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Abernathy VE, Johnson LE, Langmore NE. An Experimental Test of Defenses Against Avian Brood Parasitism in a Recent Host. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.651733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Theoretical studies predict that hosts of avian brood parasites should evolve defenses against parasitism in a matter of decades. However, opportunities to test these predictions are limited because brood parasites rarely switch to naïve hosts. Here, we capitalize on a recent host switch by the brood-parasitic Pacific Koel (Eudynamys orientalis) in eastern Australia, to investigate how quickly the Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata), a recent host that has been annexed by the koel within the last 90 years, can learn to recognize and mob adult cuckoos and evolve the ability to eject parasite eggs. Pacific Koel nestlings kill all host young, so there should be strong selection for hosts to evolve defenses. However, low parasitism rates and high egg recognition costs might slow the spread of egg ejection in our study populations, while adult parasite recognition should be able to spread more rapidly, as this defense has been shown to be a learned trait rather than a genetically inherited defense. We tested Red Wattlebirds at two sites where parasitism rate differed. As predicted, we found that the Red Wattlebird showed little or no ability to eject foreign model eggs at either site, whereas two historical hosts showed high levels of egg ejection at both sites. However, Red Wattlebirds responded significantly more aggressively to a koel mount than to mounts of a harmless control and nest predator at the site with the higher parasitism rate and gave significantly more alarm calls overall toward the koel mount. Our results support previous evidence that recognition and mobbing of a brood parasite are learned traits and may be especially beneficial to naïve hosts that have not had enough time or a high enough selection pressure to evolve egg rejection.
Collapse
|
6
|
Marton A, Fülöp A, Bán M, Hauber ME, Moskát C. Female common cuckoo calls dampen the mobbing intensity of great reed warbler hosts. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Attila Marton
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary
- Juhász‐Nagy Pál Doctoral School University of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary
| | - Attila Fülöp
- Juhász‐Nagy Pál Doctoral School University of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary
- MTA‐DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary
| | - Miklós Bán
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary
- MTA‐DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary
| | - Márk E. Hauber
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign Urbana IL USA
| | - Csaba Moskát
- MTA‐ELTE‐MTM Ecology Research Group A Joint Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences The Biological Institute of the Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum Budapest Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Attisano A, Hlebowicz K, Gula R, Theuerkauf J. Threat recognition and response in an avian brood-parasite host from New Caledonia. Curr Zool 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Nest predation and avian brood parasitism are the main sources of nest failure in many passerine birds. Large predators threaten both brood and parents, whereas brood parasites pose only a danger to eggs or nestlings. The fan-tailed gerygone Gerygone flavolateralis from New Caledonia is subjected to high rates of nest predation by the New Caledonian crow Corvus moneduloides (responsible for about 20–40% of predation) and moderate rates of brood parasitism by the shining bronze-cuckoo Chalcites lucidus (parasitizing about 18% of nests), which also depredates nests that are too advanced for parasitism (13% of nests). To test if fan-tailed gerygones are able to discriminate predators from brood parasites, we presented 3 bird models at active gerygone nests: a brood parasite/small nest predator (shining bronze-cuckoo), a large nest predator (crow), and a small non-native bird (common chaffinch Fringilla coelebs), which is unknown to the gerygone, as a control. We assessed the response of adult gerygones to the presentation of each model by measuring the minimum approach distance, number of alarm calls, number of attacks, and time to first nest visit after the presentation (latency). Adult gerygones often attacked the cuckoo, approached but never attacked the chaffinch and always avoided the crow. Latency was shorter after an attack response and during brooding, but similar among models. We did not find any link between the cuckoo model presentation and later ejection of cuckoo nestlings. We conclude that adult fan-tailed gerygones discriminate between different models and respond accordingly to the level of threat, but do not show awareness of parasitism risk and increase of nestling ejection rates following exposure to the cuckoo model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Attisano
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Roman Gula
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jörn Theuerkauf
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Medina I, Kilner RM, Langmore NE. From micro- to macroevolution: brood parasitism as a driver of phenotypic diversity in birds. Curr Zool 2020; 66:515-526. [PMID: 33293930 PMCID: PMC7705515 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental question in biology is how diversity evolves and why some clades are more diverse than others. Phenotypic diversity has often been shown to result from morphological adaptation to different habitats. The role of behavioral interactions as a driver of broadscale phenotypic diversity has received comparatively less attention. Behavioral interactions, however, are a key agent of natural selection. Antagonistic behavioral interactions with predators or with parasites can have significant fitness consequences, and hence act as strong evolutionary forces on the phenotype of species, ultimately generating diversity between species of both victims and exploiters. Avian obligate brood parasites lay their eggs in the nests of other species, their hosts, and this behavioral interaction between hosts and parasites is often considered one of the best examples of coevolution in the natural world. In this review, we use the coevolution between brood parasites and their hosts to illustrate the potential of behavioral interactions to drive evolution of phenotypic diversity at different taxonomic scales. We provide a bridge between behavioral ecology and macroevolution by describing how this interaction has increased avian phenotypic diversity not only in the brood parasitic clades but also in their hosts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iliana Medina
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Rebecca M Kilner
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Naomi E Langmore
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abolins-Abols M, Hauber ME. Host defences against avian brood parasitism: an endocrine perspective. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.0980. [PMID: 30185646 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Host defences against avian brood parasites are the outcome of well-documented coevolutionary arms races, yet important questions about variation in hosts' antiparasitic response traits remain poorly understood. Why are certain defences employed by some species or individuals and not by others? Here, we propose that understanding variability in and the evolution of host defences can be facilitated by the study of the underlying physiological mechanisms. Specifically, because antiparasitic strategies involve behaviours that have been shown to be hormonally regulated in other contexts, we hypothesize that host responses to brood parasites are likely to be mediated by related endocrine mechanisms. We outline the hallmarks of the endocrine bases of parasite defence-related avian behaviours, review the current understanding of antiparasitic host tactics and propose testable hypotheses about the hormonal mechanisms that may mediate host defences. We consider these mechanisms in a life-history framework and discuss how endocrine factors may shape variation in host defences. By providing a hypothesis-driven mechanistic framework for defences against parasitism, this perspective should stimulate the study of their endocrine bases to enhance our understanding of the intricate arms races in avian host-parasite systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mikus Abolins-Abols
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
| | - Mark E Hauber
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
|
11
|
Li D, Zhang Z, Grim T, Liang W, Stokke BG. Explaining variation in brood parasitism rates between potential host species with similar habitat requirements. Evol Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-016-9850-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|