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Stabentheiner A, Mauerhofer T, Willfurth R, Kovac H, Stabentheiner E, Käfer H, Petrocelli I. The costs of overwintering in paper wasps (Polistes dominula and Polistes gallicus): the use of energy stores. J Comp Physiol B 2024; 194:131-144. [PMID: 38441658 PMCID: PMC11070328 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-024-01540-w] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Overwintering insects are facing energetic challenges because of food shortage, low temperature, and desiccation stress. Paper wasps of the genus Polistes overwinter as mated adults (gynes) in hibernacula protecting them from predation, snow, and rain but barely from low environmental temperature. In different climates, they face differing overwintering temperature regimes, and therefore they may differ in their energy use. We investigated how much of energy resources built up until autumn is used during diapause dormancy in natural hibernacula by measuring lipid, glycogen, and free carbohydrate content in autumn and early spring in Polistes dominula from temperate European (Austrian) and warm Mediterranean (Italian) climate and Polistes gallicus from Mediterranean climate. Winter energy consumption amounted to ~ 339 and ~ 310 J per wasp in the Austrian and Italian Polistes dominula populations. The smaller Italian Polistes gallicus consumed ~ 247 J. This amounts to 2.62, 2.35, and 1.79 J per day. Of this, the energy demand was mainly fuelled by lipids (84%, 93%, and 90%, respectively), but glycogen stores contributed also considerably (16%, 6%, and 9%). Free carbohydrates decreased only by 0.7%, 1%, and 0.8%. While fat stores seem still sufficient in spring, the wasps depleted most of their carbohydrates. The energy reserves of 396, 400, and 147 J per wasp remaining in spring in the three populations seem sufficient to fuel rest or simple brood care activities for a whole summer but restrict foraging flights to a few hours (~ 3.5-6 h). Results suggest that energy supply might become challenging in expected future climate scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Stabentheiner
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria.
| | - Teresa Mauerhofer
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Regina Willfurth
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Helmut Kovac
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria.
| | - Edith Stabentheiner
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Helmut Käfer
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Iacopo Petrocelli
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano, 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
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2
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Turko AJ, Firth BL, Craig PM, Eliason EJ, Raby GD, Borowiec BG. Physiological differences between wild and captive animals: a century-old dilemma. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb246037. [PMID: 38031957 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Laboratory-based research dominates the fields of comparative physiology and biomechanics. The power of lab work has long been recognized by experimental biologists. For example, in 1932, Georgy Gause published an influential paper in Journal of Experimental Biology describing a series of clever lab experiments that provided the first empirical test of competitive exclusion theory, laying the foundation for a field that remains active today. At the time, Gause wrestled with the dilemma of conducting experiments in the lab or the field, ultimately deciding that progress could be best achieved by taking advantage of the high level of control offered by lab experiments. However, physiological experiments often yield different, and even contradictory, results when conducted in lab versus field settings. This is especially concerning in the Anthropocene, as standard laboratory techniques are increasingly relied upon to predict how wild animals will respond to environmental disturbances to inform decisions in conservation and management. In this Commentary, we discuss several hypothesized mechanisms that could explain disparities between experimental biology in the lab and in the field. We propose strategies for understanding why these differences occur and how we can use these results to improve our understanding of the physiology of wild animals. Nearly a century beyond Gause's work, we still know remarkably little about what makes captive animals different from wild ones. Discovering these mechanisms should be an important goal for experimental biologists in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy J Turko
- Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 3C5
| | - Britney L Firth
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 3G1
| | - Paul M Craig
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 3G1
| | - Erika J Eliason
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Goleta, CA 93117, USA
| | - Graham D Raby
- Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada, K9L 0G2
| | - Brittney G Borowiec
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 3G1
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3
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Gay DR, Judd TM. Comparison of Protein and Carbohydrate Consumption and Processing in Emerging Workers, Gynes and Males of the Wasp Polistes metricus. INSECTS 2023; 14:617. [PMID: 37504623 PMCID: PMC10380711 DOI: 10.3390/insects14070617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
There is growing evidence that paper wasps' (Polistes') fate as workers or reproductive females (gynes) is affected by cues that exist at the larval stage and during eclosion. The nutritional requirements for workers and gynes are different early in their adult lives. Males are short-lived and have different nutritional needs than females. To determine the relative importance of larval and adult cues, we reared Polistes metricus individuals from prepupae to adults isolated from known environmental cues shown to affect caste differentiation. Individuals were given access to two foods with different ratios of protein and carbohydrates. Levels of protein, amino acids, carbohydrates and lipids were measured after the feeding trials. If larval experience drove feeding behavior in adults, we expected to see differences in protein and carbohydrate intake as well as differences in nutrient levels. Females showed no differences in feeding or nutrient levels. Males had lower levels of protein and amino acids than females but had similar feeding results to females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Gay
- Department of Biology, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701, USA
| | - Timothy M Judd
- Department of Biology, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701, USA
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4
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Juvenile hormone regulates reproductive physiology and the production of fertility cues in the swarm-founding wasp Polybia occidentalis. CHEMOECOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00049-022-00376-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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5
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Walton A, Toth AL. Resource limitation, intra‐group aggression and brain neuropeptide expression in a social wasp. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Walton
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames IA USA
| | - Amy L. Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames IA USA
- Department of Entomology Iowa State University Ames IA USA
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6
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de Souza AR, Silva RCD, Batista NR, Antonialli Júnior WF, Nascimento FSD. Lack of caste discrimination by males during sexual context in a neotropical paper wasp. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- André Rodrigues de Souza
- Departamento de Biologia Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão PretoUniversidade de São Paulo Ribeirão Preto Brasil
| | - Rafael Carvalho da Silva
- Departamento de Biologia Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão PretoUniversidade de São Paulo Ribeirão Preto Brasil
| | - Nathan Rodrigues Batista
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Entomologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul Dourados‐MS Brasil
| | | | - Fábio Santos do Nascimento
- Departamento de Biologia Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão PretoUniversidade de São Paulo Ribeirão Preto Brasil
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7
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Broadley HJ, Gould JR, Sullivan LT, Wang XY, Hoelmer KA, Hickin ML, Elkinton JS. Life History and Rearing of Anastatus orientalis (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), an Egg Parasitoid of the Spotted Lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae). ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 50:28-35. [PMID: 33247300 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvaa124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
To support efforts to manage and contain spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula White (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), research is being conducted to develop classical biological control methods. To date, two potential biocontrol agents from China have been identified: an egg parasitoid, Anastatus orientalis, and a nymphal parasitoid, Dryinus sinicus Olmi (Hymenoptera: Dryinidae). The research detailed here focuses on investigating the biology and rearing of A. orientalis to assess its potential efficacy in a biocontrol program and optimize its rearing. Female wasps lived significantly longer than male wasps (68 and 23 d, respectively) and females produced an average of 94 total progeny that successfully emerged as adults, with most progeny produced between weeks one and four of the females' lives. The sex ratio of the progeny, with no re-mating, was initially highly female-biased but became progressively more male-biased, likely due to sperm depletion. There was no evidence of additional mortality to SLF eggs from wasp host feeding, but the data were highly variable and the sample size was small. There was high parasitoid emergence when oviposition conditions mimicked mid-September Beijing temperature and photoperiod; however, there was little emergence under 25°C and long-day conditions because most progeny entered a diapause. Storage of parasitized eggs in 5°C chill lowered parasitoid emergence rates. Lastly, there was no evidence that storing field-collected SLF egg masses in 5°C for 10 mo prior to parasitization affected parasitism rates. These findings inform our rearing protocol for A. orientalis and facilitate our testing of this species as a potential biological control agent for SLF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J Broadley
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Science and Technology, Buzzards Bay, MA
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
| | - Juli R Gould
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Science and Technology, Buzzards Bay, MA
| | - Liam T Sullivan
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Science and Technology, Buzzards Bay, MA
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
| | - Xiao-Yi Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Forest Protection, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Kim A Hoelmer
- Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Newark, DE
| | - Mauri L Hickin
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Science and Technology, Buzzards Bay, MA
| | - Joseph S Elkinton
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
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8
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Walton A, Sheehan MJ, Toth AL. Going wild for functional genomics: RNA interference as a tool to study gene-behavior associations in diverse species and ecological contexts. Horm Behav 2020; 124:104774. [PMID: 32422196 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Identifying the genetic basis of behavior has remained a challenge for biologists. A major obstacle to this goal is the difficulty of examining gene function in an ecologically relevant context. New tools such as CRISPR/Cas9, which alter the germline of an organism, have taken center stage in functional genomics in non-model organisms. However, germline modifications of this nature cannot be ethically implemented in the wild as a part of field experiments. This impediment is more than technical. Gene function is intimately tied to the environment in which the gene is expressed, especially for behavior. Most lab-based studies fail to recapitulate an organism's ecological niche, thus most published functional genomics studies of gene-behavior relationships may provide an incomplete or even inaccurate assessment of gene function. In this review, we highlight RNA interference as an especially effective experimental method to deepen our understanding of the interplay between genes, behavior, and the environment. We highlight the utility of RNAi for researchers investigating behavioral genetics, noting unique attributes of RNAi including transience of effect and the feasibility of releasing treated animals into the wild, that make it especially useful for studying the function of behavior-related genes. Furthermore, we provide guidelines for planning and executing an RNAi experiment to study behavior, including challenges to consider. We urge behavioral ecologists and functional genomicists to adopt a more fully integrated approach which we call "ethological genomics". We advocate this approach, utilizing tools such as RNAi, to study gene-behavior relationships in their natural context, arguing that such studies can provide a deeper understanding of how genes can influence behavior, as well as ecological aspects beyond the organism that houses them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Walton
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
| | - Michael J Sheehan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Amy L Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA; Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
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9
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Taylor BA, Cini A, Cervo R, Reuter M, Sumner S. Queen succession conflict in the paper wasp Polistes dominula is mitigated by age-based convention. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Reproduction in cooperative animal groups is often dominated by one or a few individuals, with the remaining group members relegated to nonreproductive helping roles. This reproductive skew can evolve if helpers receive fitness benefits such as potential future inheritance of the breeding position, but the mechanisms by which inheritance is determined are not well resolved. Polistes paper wasps form highly reproductively skewed groups and inheritance of the breeding position is likely to play a key role in the maintenance of this social structure, making them excellent models for the processes by which simple societies are maintained. Reproductive succession is thought to be determined via an age-based convention in some Polistes species, but there is also evidence for contest-based succession systems in which the replacement queen uses physical aggression to overpower and thereby subordinate her nestmates. Here, we provide evidence that queen succession in colonies of the European paper wasp Polistes dominula is determined via convention rather than contest, with little disruption to the colony’s social functioning. We use queen removal experiments and fine-scale behavioral analyses to confirm that age is a strong predictor of succession, and that behavioral responses to queen removal are restricted to the oldest individuals rather than being experienced equally across the group. We provide the most comprehensive and detailed experimental analysis on the dynamics of breeder succession in a cooperatively breeding invertebrate to date, thereby shedding light on the mechanisms by which animal societies are able to maintain cohesion in the face of within-group conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Taylor
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Alessandro Cini
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Rita Cervo
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Max Reuter
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Seirian Sumner
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
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10
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de Souza AR, Santos EF, Nascimento FSD, Stanyon R, Lino-Neto J, Beani L. Sexually dimorphic traits and male fertility in a paper wasp. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Females of many social Hymenoptera commit their reproductive potential to a single male; they mate once and never re-mate. Sexual selection theory predicts that under this regimen female precopulatory mate choice is crucial. The targets of female choice, male secondary sexual traits, should convey information about the functional fertility of the male. Here, we evaluated semen quality and its correlates in the paper wasp Polistes dominula, a monandric species with a lek-based mating system. The main goal of the study was to test whether sperm viability and the total number of sperm covaried with sexually dimorphic abdominal spots, body size and parasitic infection by Xenos vesparum. Surprisingly, superior male fertility was not predicted by attractive sexual traits, such as little round spots and large body size. We also found no effect of the parasite on male fertility, sexual ornamentation or body size. We found only that sperm viability was positively associated with the number of sperm. Moreover, there was evidence of a counterintuitive relationship between (sexually unattractive) large irregular spots and large body size of dominant successful males. Overall, our results suggest a condition-dependent trade-off between body size and costly sexual signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Rodrigues de Souza
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Fernando Santos
- Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista ‘Júlio de Mesquita Filho’, São José do Rio Preto, Brazil
| | - Fábio Santos Do Nascimento
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Roscoe Stanyon
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - José Lino-Neto
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Laura Beani
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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11
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Walton A, Tumulty JP, Toth AL, Sheehan MJ. Hormonal modulation of reproduction in Polistes fuscatus social wasps: Dual functions in both ovary development and sexual receptivity. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 120:103972. [PMID: 31705844 PMCID: PMC7558460 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.103972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Hormones are often major regulators of complex behaviors, such as mating and reproduction. In insects, juvenile hormone (JH) is integral to many components of reproductive physiology and behavior, but its role in female sexual receptivity is not well understood. To investigate the influence of JH on receptivity, we utilized the social wasp Polistes fuscatus. In Polistes, mating behavior is temporally separated from other components of reproduction, which allows for examination of the physiology and behavior of mating, disentangled from fertilization and egg-laying. We reared virgin gynes (reproductive females) in the lab and divided them into four groups, in which gynes received multiple topical treatments of either 20 μg, 10 μg, 5 μg, or 0 μg of the JH analog methoprene. Gynes were then placed in petri dishes with 2 unrelated males and we recorded attempted and successful mating. Additionally, we measured gyne ovarian development and survival in each group. We found that methoprene increased both sexual receptivity and ovarian development, but was associated with a decrease in long-term survival. Receptivity increased linearly as methoprene treatment increased, but the effect of methoprene on ovarian development was independent of dose. These results demonstrate the importance of JH in sexual receptivity and mating behavior. We argue that the relatively understudied Polistes gyne has potential as a model for mating and reproduction, and for the internal and external regulation of this complex behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Walton
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, United States; Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, United States.
| | - James P Tumulty
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, United States
| | - Amy L Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, United States
| | - Michael J Sheehan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, United States
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12
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Southon RJ, Fernandes OA, Nascimento FS, Sumner S. Social wasps are effective biocontrol agents of key lepidopteran crop pests. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191676. [PMID: 31690237 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Biocontrol agents can help reduce pest populations as part of an integrated pest management scheme, with minimal environmental consequences. However, biocontrol agents are often non-native species and require significant infrastructure; overuse of single agents results in pest resistance. Native biocontrol agents are urgently required for more sustainable multi-faceted approaches to pest management. Social wasps are natural predators of lepidopteran pests, yet their viability as native biocontrol agents is largely unknown. Here, we provide evidence that the social paper wasp Polistes satan is a successful predator on the larvae of two economically important and resilient crop pests, the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis (on sugarcane Saccharum spp.) and the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (on maize Zea mays); P. satan wasps significantly reduce crop pest damage. These results provide the much-needed baseline experimental evidence that social wasps have untapped potential as native biocontrol agents for sustainable crop production and food security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin J Southon
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environmental Research, Department of Genetics Evolution and Environment, Division of Biosciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Odair A Fernandes
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), 14884-900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabio S Nascimento
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, 14040-900 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Seirian Sumner
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environmental Research, Department of Genetics Evolution and Environment, Division of Biosciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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Dittmann M, Buczkowski G, Scharf M, Bennett G. Gene expression changes in response to field-to-lab transition in the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 117:103901. [PMID: 31207215 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.103901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Gene expression research is a valuable tool for investigating how gene regulation and expression control the underlying behaviors that structure a eusocial insect colony. However, labs that focus on ant research frequently keep ant colonies in the lab for ease of sampling. It is typically impractical to accurately emulate the field conditions where ants are collected from, so laboratory colonies can be exposed to drastically different environmental conditions and food sources than they are naturally exposed to in the wild. These shifts in diet and environment can cause changes in the gene expression of the ants, affecting downstream behavioral and physiological systems. To examine the nature of these changes, colonies of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr, 1868), were excavated from North Carolina and transferred to the lab, where they were sampled monthly. Illumina and qPCR analyses were conducted on forager samples to detect any changes in gene expression. Approximately six percent of the Argentine ant genome, which represents 765 genes, showed changes in gene regulation after six months in the laboratory environment. The subset of these genes examined via qPCR show that the expression of many genes are correlated with each other, indicating that these genes might be a part of a regulatory network. These findings showed that ant colonies kept in the lab experience changes in gene expression, resulting in downstream effects. Therefore, lab ant colonies are not necessarily representative of wild colonies when conducting experiments on the gene expression, behavior, and physiology of these colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew Dittmann
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
| | | | - Michael Scharf
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Gary Bennett
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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14
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Welfare Dilemmas Created by Keeping Insects in Captivity. Anim Welf 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-13947-6_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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15
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Beani L, Cappa F, Manfredini F, Zaccaroni M. Preference of Polistes dominula wasps for trumpet creepers when infected by Xenos vesparum: A novel example of co-evolved traits between host and parasite. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205201. [PMID: 30356249 PMCID: PMC6200222 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The parasitic insect Xenos vesparum induces noticeable behavioral and physiological changes—e.g. castration—in its female host, the paper wasp Polistes dominula: parasitized putative workers avoid any colony task and desert the colony to survive in the nearby vegetation, like future queens and males do. In this long-term observational study, we describe the spectacular attraction of parasitized workers towards trumpet creeper bushes (Campsis radicans) in early-summer. Two thirds of all wasps that we sampled on these bushes were parasitized, whereas the parasite prevalence was much lower in our study area and most wasps sampled on other nearby flowering bushes were non-parasitized. First, we describe the occurrence and consistency of this phenomenon across different sites and years. Second, we evaluate the spatial behavior of parasitized wasps on C. radicans bushes, which includes site-fidelity, exploitation and defense of rich extra-floral nectaries on buds and calices. Third, we record two critical steps of the lifecycle of X. vesparum on C. radicans: the parasite’s mating and a summer release of parasitic larvae, that can infect larval stages of the host if transported to the host’s nest. In a nutshell, C. radicans bushes provide many benefits both to the parasite X. vesparum and to its host: they facilitate the parasite’s mating and bivoltine lifecycle, a phenomenon never described before for this parasite, while, at the same time, they provide the wasp host with shelter inside trumpet flowers and extrafloral gland secretions, thus likely enhancing host survival and making it a suitable vector for the infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Beani
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italia
| | - Federico Cappa
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italia
| | - Fabio Manfredini
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, United Kingdom
| | - Marco Zaccaroni
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italia
- * E-mail:
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16
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Oviposition Preferences and Behavior of Wild-Caught and Laboratory-Reared Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), in Relation to Substrate Particle Size. INSECTS 2018; 9:insects9040141. [PMID: 30326641 PMCID: PMC6315680 DOI: 10.3390/insects9040141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB), Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), has become one of the most important coconut and oil palm pests. This species was detected attacking coconut palms on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi in December 2013, and an eradication program was initiated. One of the major challenges for eradication has been the identification of new breeding sites. Information on the factors influencing oviposition is needed to aid in finding sites likely to host the immature stages of this insect. In this study, a series of choice tests were conducted to assess the oviposition preferences of both laboratory-reared and wild-caught CRB. Mated females, of both lab-reared and wild-caught beetles, were offered for oviposition a choice between sand and two mulch substrates, one with small and one with large particle sizes. Both types of CRB laid eggs preferentially in substrate of small particle size rather than large and none laid eggs in sand. Lab-reared and wild-caught CRB differed in their oviposition behavior and size. These results can be used to aid in the identification of breeding sites for management programs and eradication efforts.
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17
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Weiner S, Geffre A, Toth A. Functional genomics in the wild: a case study with paper wasps shows challenges and prospects for RNA interference in ecological systems. Genome 2018; 61:266-272. [DOI: 10.1139/gen-2017-0066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is a useful tool to assess gene function by knocking down expression of a target gene and has been used successfully in domestic and laboratory organisms. However, the use of RNAi for functional genomics has not fully extended into ecological model organisms in natural environments. Assessment of gene function in the wild is important because gene function can be environmentally and context dependent. Here, we present a case study using RNAi to assess gene function in wild paper wasps Polistes metricus, to test roles for two candidate genes (NADH dehydrogenase (NADHdh) and retinoid and fatty acid binding protein (RfaBp)) in the development of reproductive castes. Previous studies have shown that these genes are upregulated in larvae that become queens compared to workers, but this pattern was reversed in the laboratory, making field-based studies necessary. We orally administered dsRNA to larvae in field colonies and found evidence of a short-term knockdown followed by a compensatory rebound in expression for RfaBp. We also observed the predicted worker-like decrease in lipid stores in NADHdh dsRNA treated wasps, suggesting a possible role for NADHdh in caste development. We discuss our results in the context of challenges for using RNAi for functional genomics in ecological model organisms in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- S.A. Weiner
- Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - A.G. Geffre
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - A.L. Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
- Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
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18
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Genomic tools for behavioural ecologists to understand repeatable individual differences in behaviour. Nat Ecol Evol 2018; 2:944-955. [PMID: 29434349 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0411-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Behaviour is a key interface between an animal's genome and its environment. Repeatable individual differences in behaviour have been extensively documented in animals, but the molecular underpinnings of behavioural variation among individuals within natural populations remain largely unknown. Here, we offer a critical review of when molecular techniques may yield new insights, and we provide specific guidance on how and whether the latest tools available are appropriate given different resources, system and organismal constraints, and experimental designs. Integrating molecular genetic techniques with other strategies to study the proximal causes of behaviour provides opportunities to expand rapidly into new avenues of exploration. Such endeavours will enable us to better understand how repeatable individual differences in behaviour have evolved, how they are expressed and how they can be maintained within natural populations of animals.
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19
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Love AC, Lovern MB, DuRant SE. Captivity influences immune responses, stress endocrinology, and organ size in house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 252:18-26. [PMID: 28733227 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Revised: 07/08/2017] [Accepted: 07/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Studies using wild animals in laboratory-based research require bringing wild-captured organisms into a novel setting, which can have long-lasting impacts on physiology and behavior. In several species, captivity stimulates stress hormone production and can alter immune function. Despite this, there is little consensus on how captivity influences stress hormone regulation, or if captivity-induced changes in stress hormone production and regulation mediate changes in immune function. In this study, we investigate the influence of captivity on the physiology of a wild bird commonly-used in laboratory-based research, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). We tested how captivity influences stress endocrinology, immune responses, and organ mass, and also investigated if the production or regulation of corticosterone, the main stress hormone in birds, correlated with changes in immunity. We found that baseline corticosterone concentrations and maximum capacity of the adrenals to secrete corticosterone increase following captivity and remain elevated after 9weeks of captivity. A measure of innate immune function, the bactericidal ability of plasma, also increased with time spent in captivity. Wound healing was also influenced by time spent in captivity, with birds taking almost 2days longer to heal if they were wounded after 3weeks in captivity when compared with birds that were wounded immediately upon capture. Additionally, captivity caused notable reductions in spleen and liver mass. Together, these results imply that captivity can have long-lasting effects on house sparrow corticosterone release and immune function, and suggest that even after 9weeks house sparrows do not acclimate physiologically to life in captivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley C Love
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
| | - Matthew B Lovern
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Sarah E DuRant
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
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20
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Kennedy P, Baron G, Qiu B, Freitak D, Helanterä H, Hunt ER, Manfredini F, O'Shea-Wheller T, Patalano S, Pull CD, Sasaki T, Taylor D, Wyatt CDR, Sumner S. Deconstructing Superorganisms and Societies to Address Big Questions in Biology. Trends Ecol Evol 2017; 32:861-872. [PMID: 28899581 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2017.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Social insect societies are long-standing models for understanding social behaviour and evolution. Unlike other advanced biological societies (such as the multicellular body), the component parts of social insect societies can be easily deconstructed and manipulated. Recent methodological and theoretical innovations have exploited this trait to address an expanded range of biological questions. We illustrate the broadening range of biological insight coming from social insect biology with four examples. These new frontiers promote open-minded, interdisciplinary exploration of one of the richest and most complex of biological phenomena: sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Kennedy
- Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
| | - Gemma Baron
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, United Kingdom
| | - Bitao Qiu
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dalial Freitak
- Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 1, P.O. Box 65, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Heikki Helanterä
- Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 1, P.O. Box 65, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Edmund R Hunt
- Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
| | - Fabio Manfredini
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas O'Shea-Wheller
- Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
| | | | - Christopher D Pull
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, United Kingdom; IST Austria (Institute of Science and Technology Austria), Am Campus 1, A-3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Takao Sasaki
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Tinbergen Building, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, United Kingdom
| | - Daisy Taylor
- Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher D R Wyatt
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Seirian Sumner
- Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom; Current address: Centre for Biodiversity & Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
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21
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Kasper C, Vierbuchen M, Ernst U, Fischer S, Radersma R, Raulo A, Cunha-Saraiva F, Wu M, Mobley KB, Taborsky B. Genetics and developmental biology of cooperation. Mol Ecol 2017. [PMID: 28626971 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Despite essential progress towards understanding the evolution of cooperative behaviour, we still lack detailed knowledge about its underlying molecular mechanisms, genetic basis, evolutionary dynamics and ontogeny. An international workshop "Genetics and Development of Cooperation," organized by the University of Bern (Switzerland), aimed at discussing the current progress in this research field and suggesting avenues for future research. This review uses the major themes of the meeting as a springboard to synthesize the concepts of genetic and nongenetic inheritance of cooperation, and to review a quantitative genetic framework that allows for the inclusion of indirect genetic effects. Furthermore, we argue that including nongenetic inheritance, such as transgenerational epigenetic effects, parental effects, ecological and cultural inheritance, provides a more nuanced view of the evolution of cooperation. We summarize those genes and molecular pathways in a range of species that seem promising candidates for mechanisms underlying cooperative behaviours. Concerning the neurobiological substrate of cooperation, we suggest three cognitive skills necessary for the ability to cooperate: (i) event memory, (ii) synchrony with others and (iii) responsiveness to others. Taking a closer look at the developmental trajectories that lead to the expression of cooperative behaviours, we discuss the dichotomy between early morphological specialization in social insects and more flexible behavioural specialization in cooperatively breeding vertebrates. Finally, we provide recommendations for which biological systems and species may be particularly suitable, which specific traits and parameters should be measured, what type of approaches should be followed, and which methods should be employed in studies of cooperation to better understand how cooperation evolves and manifests in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Kasper
- Institute for Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Ulrich Ernst
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Stefan Fischer
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Aura Raulo
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Filipa Cunha-Saraiva
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Min Wu
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology and Evolution, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kenyon B Mobley
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | - Barbara Taborsky
- Institute for Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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22
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Jandt JM, Suryanarayanan S, Hermanson JC, Jeanne RL, Toth AL. Maternal and nourishment factors interact to influence offspring developmental trajectories in social wasps. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 284:20170651. [PMID: 28637858 PMCID: PMC5489728 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The social and nutritional environments during early development have the potential to affect offspring traits, but the mechanisms and molecular underpinnings of these effects remain elusive. We used Polistes fuscatus paper wasps to dissect how maternally controlled factors (vibrational signals and nourishment) interact to induce different caste developmental trajectories in female offspring, leading to worker or reproductive (gyne) traits. We established a set of caste phenotype biomarkers in P. fuscatus females, finding that gyne-destined individuals had high expression of three caste-related genes hypothesized to have roles in diapause and mitochondrial metabolism. We then experimentally manipulated maternal vibrational signals (via artificial 'antennal drumming') and nourishment levels (via restricted foraging). We found that these caste-related biomarker genes were responsive to drumming, nourishment level or their interaction. Our results provide a striking example of the potent influence of maternal and nutritional effects in influencing transcriptional activity and developmental outcomes in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Jandt
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | | | - John C Hermanson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Robert L Jeanne
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Amy L Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
- Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
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23
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de Souza AR, Lino-Neto J, Tibbetts EA, Turillazzi S, Beani L. The leks of Polistes dominula paper wasps: tiny abdominal spots play a critical role in male attacks toward potential rivals. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2016.1197970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- André R. de Souza
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - José Lino-Neto
- Biologia Celular, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Avenida Peter Henry Rolfs s/n, Campus Universitário, 36570-900 Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth A. Tibbetts
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 48109-1048 MI, USA
| | - Stefano Turillazzi
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy
| | - Laura Beani
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy
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24
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de Souza AR, Petrocelli I, Lino-Neto J, Santos EF, Noll FB, Turillazzi S. Ontogenic Caste Differences in the Van der Vecht Organ of Primitively Eusocial Neotropical Paper Wasps. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0154521. [PMID: 27167514 PMCID: PMC4864236 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have reported incipient morphological caste dimorphism in the Van der Vecht organ size of some temperate Polistes paper wasps. Whether species other than the temperate ones show a similar pattern remains elusive. Here, we have studied some Neotropical Polistes species. By comparing females collected through the year, we showed caste related differences in the size of the Van der Vecht organ in P. ferreri (body size corrected Van der Vech organ size of queens = 0.45 ± 0.06, workers = 0.38 ± 0.07 mm2, p = 0.0021), P. versicolor (body size corrected Van der Vech organ size of queens = 0.54 ± 0.11, workers = 0.46 ± 0.09 mm2, p = 0.010), but not P. simillimus (body size corrected Van der Vech organ size of queens = 0.52 ± 0.05, workers = 0.49 ± 0.06 mm2, p = 0.238). Therefore, it seems that queens and workers of some Neotropical Polistes have diverged in their ontogenic trajectory of the Van der Vecht organ size, providing clear evidence for incipient morphological caste dimorphism. As Polistes are distributed mostly in the tropics, we propose that physical caste differences may be widespread in the genus. Also, we highlight that morphological divergence in the queen–worker phenotypes may have started through differential selection of body structures, like the Van der Vecht organ.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Rodrigues de Souza
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570–000, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Iacopo Petrocelli
- Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica ‘Leo Pardi’, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via Romana 17, 50125, Firenze, Italy
| | - José Lino-Neto
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570–000, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Fernando Santos
- Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernando Barbosa Noll
- Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Stefano Turillazzi
- Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica ‘Leo Pardi’, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via Romana 17, 50125, Firenze, Italy
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25
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Berens AJ, Tibbetts EA, Toth AL. Candidate genes for individual recognition in Polistes fuscatus paper wasps. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2015; 202:115-29. [PMID: 26660069 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-015-1057-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2015] [Revised: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Few animals are known to individually recognize conspecifics, i.e. learn and recall unique individuals during subsequent encounters, and nearly all are social vertebrates. Remarkably, the social paper wasp Polistes fuscatus has recently been discovered to possess this ability, which is useful for remembering identities during competitive social interactions. We analyzed brain gene expression in staged encounters between pairs of individuals to explore potential mechanisms underlying wasps' ability to recall familiar individuals using real-time qRT-PCR. We identified four candidate genes (IP3K, IP3R, Nckx30C and Su(var)2-10) that were down-regulated in the presence of familiar individuals compared to single wasps and pairs of wasps meeting for the first time. These candidate genes are related to calcium signaling, therefore, we treated wasps with lithium chloride, a pharmacological agent that inhibits calcium signaling in neurons. This treatment decreased aggression in paper wasps, but did not affect expression of genes related to calcium signaling. The results suggest calcium signaling differences may be related to individual memory recall in wasps, and we present four promising candidate genes for future study. These data suggest genes associated with dominance behavior may be co-opted for individual recognition, but further work is needed to establish a causal association with the behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Berens
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
| | - E A Tibbetts
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - A L Toth
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
- Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
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