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Macali A, Ferretti S, Scozzafava S, Gatto E, Carere C. Different behavioral profiles between invasive and native nudibranchs: means for invasion success? Curr Zool 2024; 70:406-417. [PMID: 39035756 PMCID: PMC11256000 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoae028] [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: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Behavior is predicted to be a primary determinant of the success of the invasion process during the early phases of colonization. Comparing invaders with sympatric native species may provide a good approach to unravel behavioral traits involved in an invasion process. In this study, we carried out an experimental simulation of the introduction and the acclimatization phase into a new environment and assessed the expression of activity, alertness, and habituation in an invasive Mediterranean population of the South African nudibranch Godiva quadricolor comparing its profiles with those of the sympatric Mediterranean native nudibranchs Cratena peregrina and Caloria quatrefagesi. Individuals of these 3 species were subjected to 3 behavioral tests: spontaneous activity, carried out in the introduction phase (immediately after sampling) and after a week of acclimatization; alert test, in which a potential threat was simulated by means of a tactile stimulus, and habituation test, in which the same alert test stimulus was repeated 5 times at 30-min intervals. The invasive G. quadricolor showed higher levels of exploration activity, thigmotaxis, alertness, and sensitization than the native species. These behavioral traits may represent pivotal drivers of the ongoing invasion process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando Macali
- Ichthyogenic Experimental Marine Centre (CISMAR), Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, Tuscia University, 01016 Borgo Le Saline, Tarquinia, Italy
| | - Sara Ferretti
- Ichthyogenic Experimental Marine Centre (CISMAR), Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, Tuscia University, 01016 Borgo Le Saline, Tarquinia, Italy
| | - Serena Scozzafava
- Ichthyogenic Experimental Marine Centre (CISMAR), Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, Tuscia University, 01016 Borgo Le Saline, Tarquinia, Italy
| | - Elia Gatto
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, Ferrara University, via Luigi Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Ferrara University, via Luigi Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Claudio Carere
- Ichthyogenic Experimental Marine Centre (CISMAR), Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, Tuscia University, 01016 Borgo Le Saline, Tarquinia, Italy
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2
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de Araujo Miles M, Johnson MJ, Stuckert AMM, Summers K. A histological analysis of coloration in the Peruvian mimic poison frog ( Ranitomeya imitator). PeerJ 2023; 11:e15533. [PMID: 37404476 PMCID: PMC10317021 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aposematism continues to be a phenomenon of central interest in evolutionary biology. The life history of the mimic poison frog, Ranitomeya imitator, relies heavily on aposematism. In order for aposematic signals to be effective, predators must be able to learn to avoid the associated phenotype. However, in R. imitator, aposematism is associated with four different color phenotypes that mimic a complex of congeneric species occurring across the mimic frog's geographic range. Investigations of the underlying mechanics of color production in these frogs can provide insights into how and why these different morphs evolved. We used histological samples to examine divergence in the color production mechanisms used by R. imitator to produce effective aposematic signals across its geographic range. We measured the coverage of melanophores and xanthophores (the area covered by chromatophores divided by total area of the skin section) in each color morph. We find that morphs that produce orange skin exhibit a higher coverage of xanthophores and lower coverage of melanophores than those that produce yellow skin. In turn, morphs that produce yellow skin exhibit a higher coverage of xanthophores and lower coverage of melanophores than those that produce green skin. Generally, across the morphs, a high ratio of xanthophores to melanophores is associated with colors of brighter spectral reflectance. Together, our results contribute to the understanding of color production in amphibians and document divergence in the histology of a species that is subject to divergent selection associated with aposematism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Adam M. M. Stuckert
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Kyle Summers
- Biology Department, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
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3
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Experimental evidence in a poison frog model suggests that tadpole transport on the dorsum may affects warning signal effectiveness in poison frogs. Evol Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-022-10219-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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4
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Ogilvie JG, Van Belleghem S, Range R, Papa R, McMillan OW, Chouteau M, Counterman BA. Balanced polymorphisms and their divergence in a Heliconius butterfly. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:18319-18330. [PMID: 35003675 PMCID: PMC8717333 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8423] [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: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of mimicry in similarly defended prey is well described by the Müllerian mimicry theory, which predicts the convergence of warning patterns in order to gain the most protection from predators. However, despite this prediction, we can find great diversity of color patterns among Müllerian mimics such as Heliconius butterflies in the neotropics. Furthermore, some species have evolved the ability to maintain multiple distinct warning patterns in single populations, a phenomenon known as polymorphic mimicry. The adaptive benefit of these polymorphisms is questionable since variation from the most common warning patterns is expected to be disadvantageous as novel signals are punished by predators naive to them. In this study, we use artificial butterfly models throughout Central and South America to characterize the selective pressures maintaining polymorphic mimicry in Heliconius doris. Our results highlight the complexity of positive frequency-dependent selection, the principal selective pressure driving convergence among Müllerian mimics, and its impacts on interspecific variation of mimetic warning coloration. We further show how this selection regime can both limit and facilitate the diversification of mimetic traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- James G. Ogilvie
- Department of Biological SciencesAuburn UniversityAuburnAlabamaUSA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstitutePanama CityPanama
| | | | - Ryan Range
- Department of Biological SciencesAuburn UniversityAuburnAlabamaUSA
| | - Riccardo Papa
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Puerto RicoRio PiedrasPuerto Rico
| | | | - Mathieu Chouteau
- Laboratoire Écologie, Évolution, Interactions des Systèmes Amazoniens (LEEISA)Université de GuyaneCNRSIFREMERCayenneFrench Guiana
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5
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Franklin AM, Rankin KJ, Ospina Rozo L, Medina I, Garcia JE, Ng L, Dong C, Wang L, Aulsebrook AE, Stuart‐Fox D. Cracks in the mirror hypothesis: High specularity does not reduce detection or predation risk. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. Franklin
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Katrina J. Rankin
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Laura Ospina Rozo
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Iliana Medina
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Jair E. Garcia
- Bio‐Inspired Digital Sensing Lab RMIT University Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - Leslie Ng
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Caroline Dong
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Lu‐Yi Wang
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Anne E. Aulsebrook
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Devi Stuart‐Fox
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
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Zvereva EL, Kozlov MV. Seasonal variations in bird selection pressure on prey colouration. Oecologia 2021; 196:1017-1026. [PMID: 34322748 PMCID: PMC8367932 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04994-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The direction and strength of selection for prey colouration by predators vary in space and time and depend on the composition of the predator community. We tested the hypothesis that bird selection pressure on prey colouration changes through the season due to changes in the proportion of naïve juvenile individuals in the bird community, because naïve and educated birds differ in their responses to prey colours. Bird predation on caterpillar-shaped plasticine models in two boreal forest sites increased sevenfold from early summer to mid-summer, and the time of this increase coincides with the fledging of juvenile birds. In early summer, cryptic (black and green) models were attacked at fivefold higher rates compared with conspicuous (red and yellow) models. By contrast, starting from fledging time, cryptic and conspicuous models were attacked at similar rates, hinting at a lower selectivity by naïve juvenile birds compared with educated adult birds. Cryptic models exposed in a group together with conspicuous models were attacked by birds at a threefold lower rate than cryptic models exposed singly, thus supporting the aposematic commensalism hypothesis. However, this effect was not observed in mid- and late summer, presumably due to the lack of avoidance of conspicuous prey by the juvenile birds. We conclude that selection pressure on prey colouration weakens considerably when naïve birds dominate in the community, because the survival advantages of aposematic colouration are temporarily lost for both the conspicuous and their neighbouring cryptic prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena L Zvereva
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland.
| | - Mikhail V Kozlov
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
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Neural divergence and hybrid disruption between ecologically isolated Heliconius butterflies. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2015102118. [PMID: 33547240 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2015102118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of behavioral evolution during speciation is well established, but we know little about how this is manifest in sensory and neural systems. A handful of studies have linked specific neural changes to divergence in host or mate preferences associated with speciation. However, the degree to which brains are adapted to local environmental conditions, and whether this contributes to reproductive isolation between close relatives that have diverged in ecology, remains unknown. Here, we examine divergence in brain morphology and neural gene expression between closely related, but ecologically distinct, Heliconius butterflies. Despite ongoing gene flow, sympatric species pairs within the melpomene-cydno complex are consistently separated across a gradient of open to closed forest and decreasing light intensity. By generating quantitative neuroanatomical data for 107 butterflies, we show that Heliconius melpomene and Heliconius cydno clades have substantial shifts in brain morphology across their geographic range, with divergent structures clustered in the visual system. These neuroanatomical differences are mirrored by extensive divergence in neural gene expression. Differences in both neural morphology and gene expression are heritable, exceed expected rates of neutral divergence, and result in intermediate traits in first-generation hybrid offspring. Strong evidence of divergent selection implies local adaptation to distinct selective optima in each parental microhabitat, suggesting the intermediate traits of hybrids are poorly matched to either condition. Neural traits may therefore contribute to coincident barriers to gene flow, thereby helping to facilitate speciation.
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Hernández-Agüero J, Polo V, García M, Simón D, Ruiz-Tapiador I, Cayuela L. Effects of prey colour on bird predation: an experiment in Mediterranean woodlands. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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9
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Yamazaki Y, Pagani-Núñez E, Sota T, Barnett CRA. The truth is in the detail: predators attack aposematic prey with less aggression than other prey types. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Aposematic organisms are often unprofitable to predators (e.g. because of defensive chemicals) which they advertise with a conspicuous signal (e.g. bright and conspicuous colour signals). Aposematism is thought to reduce predation of prey because the colour signal increases the ability of predators to learn, recognize and remember the prey’s defensive properties. The efficacy of aposematism has been extensively documented in laboratory studies, although its benefits seem to be harder to demonstrate in the field. In this study, we compared the levels of partial and overall predation among four prey types (undefended and cryptic, undefended and warning coloured, defended and cryptic, and aposematic prey). Overall, predation of warning coloured and defended (aposematic) prey was lower than the predation for cryptic and undefended prey; however, it was the same as predation of cryptic and defended prey. Moreover, aposematic prey had higher levels of partial predation (where prey was not wholly consumed by the predator) and lower attack intensities. This suggests that prey were being taste sampled, but also might be better able to survive attacks. Therefore, the benefits of aposematism may lie not only in reducing outright predation, but also in altering a predator’s post-attack behaviour, thus leading to greater escape opportunities and post-attack survival of prey. These results reinforce the importance of examining predation in more detail rather than simply examining attack rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Yamazaki
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Emilio Pagani-Núñez
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Teiji Sota
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Craig R A Barnett
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Barnett CRA, Ringhofer M, Suzuki TN. Differences in predatory behavior among three bird species when attacking chemically defended and undefended prey. J ETHOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-020-00668-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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11
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Nebel C, Sumasgutner P, Pajot A, Amar A. Response time of an avian prey to a simulated hawk attack is slower in darker conditions, but is independent of hawk colour morph. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:190677. [PMID: 31598248 PMCID: PMC6731706 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.190677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
To avoid predation, many species rely on vision to detect predators and initiate an escape response. The ability to detect predators may be lower in darker light conditions or with darker backgrounds. For birds, however, this has never been experimentally tested. We test the hypothesis that the response time of avian prey (feral pigeon Columbia livia f. domestica) to a simulated hawk attack (taxidermy mounted colour-polymorphic black sparrowhawk Accipiter melanoleucus) will differ depending on light levels or background colour. We predict that response will be slower under darker conditions, which would translate into higher predation risk. The speed of response of prey in relation to light level or background colour may also interact with the colour of the predator, and this idea underpins a key hypothesis proposed for the maintenance of different colour morphs in polymorphic raptors. We therefore test whether the speed of reaction is influenced by the morph of the hawk (dark/light) in combination with light conditions (dull/bright), or background colours (black/white). We predict slowest responses to morphs under conditions that less contrast with the plumage of the hawk (e.g. light morph under bright light or white background). In support of our first hypothesis, pigeons reacted slower under duller light and with a black background. However, we found no support for the second hypothesis, with response times observed between the hawk-morphs being irrespective of light levels or background colour. Our findings experimentally confirm that birds detect avian predators less efficiently under darker conditions. These conditions, for example, might occur during early mornings or in dense forests, which could lead to changes in anti-predator behaviours. However, our results provide no support that different morphs may be maintained in a population due to differential selective advantages linked to improved hunting efficiencies in different conditions due to crypsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Nebel
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701 Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Petra Sumasgutner
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701 Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Adrien Pajot
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701 Cape Town, South Africa
- Bordeaux Sciences Agro, 1 Cours du Général de Gaulle, 33170 Gradignan, France
| | - Arjun Amar
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701 Cape Town, South Africa
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12
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Seymoure BM, Linares C, White J. Connecting spectral radiometry of anthropogenic light sources to the visual ecology of organisms. J Zool (1987) 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B. M. Seymoure
- Department of Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USA
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USA
| | - C. Linares
- Department of Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USA
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USA
| | - J. White
- Department of Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USA
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USA
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13
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Seymoure BM. Enlightening Butterfly Conservation Efforts: The Importance of Natural Lighting for Butterfly Behavioral Ecology and Conservation. INSECTS 2018; 9:E22. [PMID: 29439549 PMCID: PMC5872287 DOI: 10.3390/insects9010022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Light is arguably the most important abiotic factor for living organisms. Organisms evolved under specific lighting conditions and their behavior, physiology, and ecology are inexorably linked to light. Understanding light effects on biology could not be more important as present anthropogenic effects are greatly changing the light environments in which animals exist. The two biggest anthropogenic contributors changing light environments are: (1) anthropogenic lighting at night (i.e., light pollution); and (2) deforestation and the built environment. I highlight light importance for butterfly behavior, physiology, and ecology and stress the importance of including light as a conservation factor for conserving butterfly biodiversity. This review focuses on four parts: (1) Introducing the nature and extent of light. (2) Visual and non-visual light reception in butterflies. (3) Implications of unnatural lighting for butterflies across several different behavioral and ecological contexts. (4). Future directions for quantifying the threat of unnatural lighting on butterflies and simple approaches to mitigate unnatural light impacts on butterflies. I urge future research to include light as a factor and end with the hopeful thought that controlling many unnatural light conditions is simply done by flipping a switch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett M Seymoure
- Department of Biology and Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
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