1
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Henske J, Eltz T. Age-dependent perfume development in male orchid bees, Euglossa imperialis. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246995. [PMID: 38511547 PMCID: PMC11006377 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246995] [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: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Male neotropical orchid bees concoct complex perfume blends by collecting exogenous volatiles from various sources, including orchids. These perfumes, stored in specialized hind-leg pouches and released during courtship, serve as inter-sexual signals. It has been hypothesized that male perfumes honestly indicate aspects of male fitness. If perfume traits such as quantity or complexity increase over individual lifetime, perfumes could reflect age (survival) and cumulative foraging success of males. We conducted a two-season mark-recapture study with Euglossa imperialis in Costa Rica, monitoring the balance of perfume uptake and expenditure over individual male lifetime. We sealed one hind-leg pouch upon initial capture, 'freezing' the perfume status on one side, and compared it with the other side at recapture to assess changes in perfume traits over time. Additionally, we used a novel method to estimate individual age by combining two parameters of wing degradation. Contrary to predictions, young to intermediate-aged bees had the highest quantities of perfume and the highest diversity of detected compounds. At the same time, the change in perfume between recaptures was positive (increase in amount and complexity) in young bees, whereas it was neutral to negative in older bees. Although these findings do not disprove an indicator function of male perfume, they shift the emphasis to non-cumulative fitness components such as sensory acuteness or cognitive capacity as likely targets of selection. Females preferring strong perfume signals in mates would maximize speed of foraging in offspring rather than their lifetime cumulative yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Henske
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Thomas Eltz
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
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2
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Augustin J, Bourgeois G, Brodeur J, Boivin G. Low and high temperatures decrease the mating success of an egg parasitoid and the proportion of females in the population. J Therm Biol 2022; 110:103382. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2022.103382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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3
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Cheng JQ, Tao YM, Li J, Chen YZ, Hu HY. Characterization of male-biased fatty acid desaturase in the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis and its role in pheromone production. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2022; 338:421-429. [PMID: 34995007 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Linoleic acid is the material for biosynthesis of sex attracting and blocking (postmating) pheromones in Nasonia vitripennis, it is synthesized from oleic acid by a male-biased fatty acid desaturase (SCD5a). In this study, we developed a specific antibody and further characterized the expression patterns of SCD5a in males at different mating stages by western blot. SCD5a was mainly expressed in male heads rather than in abdomens. Along with the aging process (from Day 1 to Day 3), SCD5a increased significantly. Compared with virgin males, mated males showed higher levels of SCD5a. Likewise, abdomen dipping frequency, during which males release attracting pheromone, increased with age and mating. Moreover, real-time quantitative PCR revealed that genes responsible for the first three steps of attracting pheromone biosynthesis were more highly expressed in head than in abdomen, but the final gene for transformation of attracting pheromone was more highly expressed in abdomen than in head. These results suggest that linoleic acid for biosynthesis of attracting pheromones may also originate from the head rather than only synthesized at the rectal vesicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Qiu Cheng
- School of Ecology and Environment, Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Yu-Mei Tao
- School of Ecology and Environment, Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Jing Li
- School of Ecology and Environment, Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Yong-Zhuo Chen
- School of Ecology and Environment, Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Hao-Yuan Hu
- School of Ecology and Environment, Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
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4
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Holditch ZG, Ochoa KN, Greene S, Allred S, Baranowski J, Shuster SM. Sperm Limitation Produces Male Biased Offspring Sex Ratios in the Wasp, Nasonia vitripennis (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2022; 22:17. [PMID: 35763315 PMCID: PMC9239221 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieac032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Haplo-diploid sex determination in the parasitoid wasp, Nasonia vitripennis (Walker), allows females to adjust their brood sex ratios. Females influence whether ova are fertilized, producing diploid females, or remain unfertilized, producing haploid males. Females appear to adjust their brood sex ratios to minimize 'local mate competition,' i.e., competition among sons for mates. Because mating occurs between siblings, females may optimize mating opportunities for their offspring by producing only enough sons to inseminate daughters when ovipositing alone, and producing more sons when superparasitism is likely. Although widely accepted, this hypothesis makes no assumptions about gamete limitation in either sex. Because sperm are used to produce daughters, repeated oviposition could reduce sperm supplies, causing females to produce more sons. In contrast, if egg-limited females produce smaller broods, they might use fewer sperm, making sperm limitation less likely. To investigate whether repeated oviposition and female fertility influence gamete limitation within females, we created two treatments of six mated female wasps, which each received a series of six hosts at intervals of 24 or 48 h. All females produced at least one mixed-sex brood (63 total broods; 3,696 offspring). As expected, if females became sperm-limited, in both treatments, brood sex ratios became increasingly male-biased with increasing host number. Interhost interval did not affect brood size, total offspring number, or sex ratio, indicating females did not become egg limited. Our results support earlier studies showing sperm depletion affects sex allocation in N. vitripennis¸ and could limit adaptive sex ratio manipulation in these parasitoid wasps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z G Holditch
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - K N Ochoa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - S Greene
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - S Allred
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - J Baranowski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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5
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Wang Y, Sun W, Fleischmann S, Millar JG, Ruther J, Verhulst EC. Silencing Doublesex expression triggers three-level pheromonal feminization in Nasonia vitripennis males. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212002. [PMID: 35078369 PMCID: PMC8790373 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Doublesex (Dsx) has a conserved function in controlling sexual morphological differences in insects, but our knowledge of its role in regulating sexual behaviour is primarily limited to Drosophila. Here, we show with the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis that males whose Dsx gene had been silenced (NvDsx-i) underwent a three-level pheromonal feminization: (i) NvDsx-i males were no longer able to attract females from a distance, owing to drastically reduced titres of the long-range sex pheromone; (ii) NvDsx-i males were courted by wild-type males as though they were females, which correlated with a lower abundance of alkenes in their cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles. Supplementation with realistic amounts of synthetic (Z)-9-hentriacontene (Z9C31), the most significantly reduced alkene in NvDsx-i males, to NvDsx-i males interrupted courtship by wild-type conspecific males. Supplementation of female CHC profiles with Z9C31 reduced courtship and mating attempts by wild-type males. These results prove that Z9C31 is crucial for sex discrimination in N. vitripennis; and (iii) Nvdsx-i males were hampered in eliciting female receptivity and thus experienced severely reduced mating success, suggesting that they are unable to produce the to-date unidentified oral aphrodisiac pheromone reported in N. vitripennis males. We conclude that Dsx is a multi-level key regulator of pheromone-mediated sexual communication in N. vitripennis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidong Wang
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, Building 107, 6708 PB Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Weizhao Sun
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, Building 107, 6708 PB Wageningen, Netherlands
| | | | - Jocelyn G. Millar
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Joachim Ruther
- Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Eveline C. Verhulst
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, Building 107, 6708 PB Wageningen, Netherlands
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6
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Zeeman AN, Smallegange IM, Steel EB, Groot AT, Stewart KA. Toward an understanding of the chemical ecology of alternative reproductive tactics in the bulb mite (Rhizoglyphus robini). BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:5. [PMID: 34998364 PMCID: PMC8742560 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01956-w] [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: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Under strong sexual selection, certain species evolve distinct intrasexual, alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs). In many cases, ARTs can be viewed as environmentally-cued threshold traits, such that ARTs coexist if their relative fitness alternates over the environmental cue gradient. Surprisingly, the chemical ecology of ARTs has been underexplored in this context. To our knowledge, no prior study has directly quantified pheromone production for ARTs in a male-polymorphic species. Here, we used the bulb mite-in which males are either armed fighters that kill conspecifics, or unarmed scramblers (which have occasionally been observed to induce mating behavior in other males)-as a model system to gain insight into the role of pheromones in the evolutionary maintenance of ARTs. Given that scramblers forgo investment into weaponry, we tested whether scramblers produce higher quantities of the putative female sex-pheromone α-acaridial than fighters, which would improve the fitness of the scrambler phenotype through female mimicry by allowing avoidance of aggression from competitors. To this end, we sampled mites from a rich and a poor nutritional environment and quantified their production of α-acaridial through gas chromatography analysis. RESULTS We found a positive relationship between pheromone production and body size, but males exhibited a steeper slope in pheromone production with increasing size than females. Females exhibited a higher average pheromone production than males. We found no significant difference in slope of pheromone production over body size between fighters and scramblers. However, scramblers reached larger body sizes and higher pheromone production than fighters, providing some evidence for a potential female mimic strategy adopted by large scramblers. Pheromone production was significantly higher in mites from the rich nutritional environment than the poor environment. CONCLUSION Further elucidation of pheromone functionality in bulb mites, and additional inter- and intrasexual comparisons of pheromone profiles are needed to determine if the observed intersexual and intrasexual differences in pheromone production are adaptive, if they are a by-product of allometric scaling, or diet-mediated pheromone production under weak selection. We argue chemical ecology offers a novel perspective for research on ARTs and other complex life-history traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam N Zeeman
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Isabel M Smallegange
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Emily Burdfield Steel
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Astrid T Groot
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kathryn A Stewart
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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7
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Jatsch AS, Ruther J. Acetone application for administration of bioactive substances has no negative effects on longevity, fitness, and sexual communication in a parasitic wasp. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245698. [PMID: 33471848 PMCID: PMC7816986 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Administration of defined amounts of bioactive substances is a perseverative problem in physiological studies on insects. Apart from feeding and injection, topical application of solutions of the chemicals is most commonly used for this purpose. The solvents used should be non-toxic and have least possible effects on the studied parameters. Acetone is widely used for administration of chemical substances to insects, but possible side-effects of acetone application on fitness and behavioral parameters have been rarely investigated. Here we study the effects of acetone application (207 nl) on fitness and sexual communication in the parasitic wasp Nasonia giraulti Darling. Application of acetone had neither negative effects on longevity nor on offspring number and offspring sex ratio of treated wasps. Treatment of females hampered courtship and mating of N. giraulti couples neither directly after application nor one day after. Male sex pheromone titers were not influenced by acetone treatment. Three application examples demonstrate that topical acetone application is capable of bringing active amounts of insect hormones, neuromodulators, and biosynthetic precursors even in tiny insects. We advocate the use of acetone as a convenient, conservative, and broadly applicable vehicle for studying the effects of bioactive substances in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joachim Ruther
- Institute for Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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8
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Böttinger LC, Stökl J. Dispersal From Natal Patch Correlates With the Volatility of Female Sex Pheromones in Parasitoid Wasps. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.557527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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9
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Males of a sexually cannibalistic spider chemically assess relative female quality. BMC Evol Biol 2020; 20:90. [PMID: 32703164 PMCID: PMC7376935 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-020-01657-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mate choice is a taxonomically wide-spread phenomenon, mostly exerted by females although male mate choice occurs as well. While costs and benefits of choosiness have been well studied, the underlying mechanisms are largely unclear. Different models exist, namely best-of-n or threshold rules, based on sequential or simultaneous sampling, which differ in the required cognitive demands. We applied an experimental approach to shed light on the underlying mechanisms of male mate choice in the sexually cannibalistic spider Argiope bruennichi. Males are limited to two copulations and preferentially monopolise large females, while they may leave smaller females after a single copulation and resume mate search. Here, we utilised significant size-differences between females from Northern and Southern populations and presented males with three different-sized females that were matched for origin: all three females originated either from the same Northern European population as the males or from Southern populations where the smallest female was about the same size as the largest Northern female. This allowed testing the hypothesis that males base their mating tactic on a fixed local size threshold. We predicted Northern males to be choosy among Northern females, but to accept all Southern females since they would all be above that threshold. Results Males copulated with the first female they encountered, which was independent of her body size. Regardless of the females’ origins, males chose a monogynous tactic with the largest female in the trio, while they left the smallest female after one copulation. The same pattern applied to Southern females even though the smallest females in the trio were of a similar size as monopolised Northern females. Since males have poor eyesight and did not actively sample all females, they likely have gained information about relative size differences between females based on volatile chemical cues only. Conclusions Our findings suggest that male A. bruennichi can assess relative differences in mate quality and adjust their mating tactic to the prevailing conditions (Northern vs. Southern). We reject the presence of a locally-adapted fixed threshold and argue that our results are best explained by an adjustable threshold that was raised under Southern conditions.
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10
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Gong D, Zhang S, Jiao X, Hu Z, Sha X, Zhang S, Peng Y. Mating experience affects male mating success, but not female fecundity in the wolf spider Pardosa pseudoannulata (Araneae: Lycosidae). Behav Processes 2019; 167:103921. [PMID: 31376418 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.103921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In a mating system in which females are monandrous and males are polygynous, females may incur a risk by mating with males with possible sperm depletion following consecutive matings. Here, we examined the effects of male mating history on male mating success and female reproductive fitness in the wolf spider Pardosa pseudoannulata by performing mating trials and sperm counting experiments. Results showed that male mating history had a significant negative impact on subsequent copulation success but had little effect on courtship duration and courtship intensity. In addition, neither male courtship intensity nor morphological measurements of males and females had significant effects on male mating success. Furthermore, male mating history had no obvious impact on the fecundity of inseminated females, with no significant differences observed in the oviposition rate of females, the numbers and the carapace width of the second-instar spiderlings between treatments. Results showed that the number of sperm decreased significantly after mating but could be replenished, with no significant differences observed between groups in which males had rested for 7 d. These findings suggest that polygynous male spiders may recharge their sperm during the mating season, but how females differentiate the mating status of males remains unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deyong Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Shichang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Xiaoguo Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Zhiqing Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Xichen Sha
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Shu Zhang
- Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Science, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430064, China.
| | - Yu Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
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11
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Mair MM, Ruther J. Chemical Ecology of the Parasitoid Wasp Genus Nasonia (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae). Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
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12
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Semmelmann F, Kabeya N, Malcicka M, Bruckmann A, Broschwitz B, Straub K, Merkl R, Monroig O, Sterner R, Ruther J, Ellers J. Functional characterisation of two Δ12-desaturases demonstrates targeted production of linoleic acid as pheromone precursor in Nasonia. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.201038. [PMID: 31019064 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.201038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Insect pheromones are often derived from fatty acid metabolism. Fatty acid desaturases, enzymes introducing double bonds into fatty acids, are crucial for the biosynthesis of these chemical signals. Δ12-desaturases catalyse the biosynthesis of linoleic acid by introducing a second double bond into oleic acid, but have been identified in only a few animal species. Here, we report the functional characterisation of two Δ12-desaturases, Nvit_D12a and Nvit_D12b, from the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis. We demonstrate that Nvit_D12a is expressed in the rectal vesicle of males where they produce a linoleic acid-derived sex pheromone to attract virgin females. 13C-labelling experiments with Urolepis rufipes, a closely related species belonging to the 'Nasonia group', revealed that females, but not males, are able to synthesise linoleic acid. U. rufipes males produce an isoprenoid sex pheromone in the same gland and do not depend on linoleic acid for pheromone production. This suggests that Δ12-desaturases are common in the 'Nasonia group', but acquired a specialised function in chemical communication of those species that use linoleic acid as a pheromone precursor. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that insect Δ12-desaturases have evolved repeatedly from Δ9-desaturases in different insect taxa. Hence, insects have developed a way to produce linoleic acid independent of the omega desaturase subfamily which harbours all of the eukaryotic Δ12-desaturases known so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Semmelmann
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Naoki Kabeya
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, 113-8657 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Miriama Malcicka
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Astrid Bruckmann
- Institute of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Bastian Broschwitz
- Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Kristina Straub
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Rainer Merkl
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Oscar Monroig
- Instituto de Acuicultura Torre de la Sal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IATS-CSIC), Ribera de Cabanes 12595, Spain
| | - Reinhard Sterner
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Joachim Ruther
- Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jacintha Ellers
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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13
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Abe J. Sperm-limited males continue to mate, but females cannot detect the male state in a parasitoid wasp. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2653-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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14
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Ruther J, Wittman T, Grimm C, Feichtner FS, Fleischmann S, Kiermaier J, King BH, Kremer W, Kalbitzer HR, Schulz S. Male Sex Pheromone of the Parasitoid Wasp Urolepis rufipes Demonstrates Biosynthetic Switch Between Fatty Acid and Isoprenoid Metabolism Within the Nasonia Group. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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15
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Darragh K, Vanjari S, Mann F, Gonzalez-Rojas MF, Morrison CR, Salazar C, Pardo-Diaz C, Merrill RM, McMillan WO, Schulz S, Jiggins CD. Male sex pheromone components in Heliconius butterflies released by the androconia affect female choice. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3953. [PMID: 29134139 PMCID: PMC5680698 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex-specific pheromones are known to play an important role in butterfly courtship, and may influence both individual reproductive success and reproductive isolation between species. Extensive ecological, behavioural and genetic studies of Heliconius butterflies have made a substantial contribution to our understanding of speciation. Male pheromones, although long suspected to play an important role, have received relatively little attention in this genus. Here, we combine morphological, chemical and behavioural analyses of male pheromones in the Neotropical butterfly Heliconius melpomene. First, we identify putative androconia that are specialized brush-like scales that lie within the shiny grey region of the male hindwing. We then describe putative male sex pheromone compounds, which are largely confined to the androconial region of the hindwing of mature males, but are absent in immature males and females. Finally, behavioural choice experiments reveal that females of H. melpomene, H. erato and H. timareta strongly discriminate against conspecific males which have their androconial region experimentally blocked. As well as demonstrating the importance of chemical signalling for female mate choice in Heliconius butterflies, the results describe structures involved in release of the pheromone and a list of potential male sex pheromone compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy Darragh
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama
| | - Sohini Vanjari
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama
| | - Florian Mann
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Maria F. Gonzalez-Rojas
- Biology Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Colin R. Morrison
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
| | - Camilo Salazar
- Biology Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Carolina Pardo-Diaz
- Biology Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Richard M. Merrill
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Schulz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Chris D. Jiggins
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama
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16
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Geuverink E, Rensink AH, Rondeel I, Beukeboom LW, van de Zande L, Verhulst EC. Maternal provision of transformer-2 is required for female development and embryo viability in the wasp Nasonia vitripennis. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 90:23-33. [PMID: 28927841 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In insect sex determination a primary signal starts the genetic sex determination cascade that, in most insect orders, is subsequently transduced down the cascade by a transformer (tra) ortholog. Only a female-specifically spliced tra mRNA yields a functional TRA-protein that forms a complex with TRA2, encoded by a transformer-2 (tra2) ortholog, to act as a sex specific splicing regulator of the downstream transcription factors doublesex (dsx) and fruitless (fru). Here, we identify the tra2 ortholog of the haplodiploid parasitoid wasp N. vitripennis (Nv-tra2) and confirm its function in N. vitripennis sex determination. Knock down of Nv-tra2 by parental RNA interference (pRNAi) results in complete sex reversal of diploid offspring from female to male, indicating the requirement of Nv-tra2 for female sex determination. As Nv-tra2 pRNAi leads to frequent lethality in early developmental stages, maternal provision of Nv-tra2 transcripts is apparently also required for another, non-sex determining function during embryogenesis. In addition, lethality following Nv-tra2 pRNAi appears more pronounced in diploid than in haploid offspring. This diploid lethal effect was also observed following Nv-tra pRNAi, which served as a positive control in our experiments. As diploid embryos from fertilized eggs have a paternal chromosome set in addition to the maternal one, this suggests that either the presence of this paternal chromosome set or the dosage effect resulting from the diploid state is incompatible with the induced male development in N. vitripennis caused by either Nv-tra2 or Nv-tra pRNAi. The role of Nv-tra2 in activating the female sex determination pathway yields more insight into the sex determination mechanism of Nasonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elzemiek Geuverink
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anna H Rensink
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Inge Rondeel
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Leo W Beukeboom
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Louis van de Zande
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Eveline C Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands; Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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17
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Wang Y, Chen Q, Guo J, Li J, Wang J, Wen M, Zhao H, Ren B. Molecular basis of peripheral olfactory sensing during oviposition in the behavior of the parasitic wasp Anastatus japonicus. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 89:58-70. [PMID: 28912112 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 09/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Anastatus japonicus is a parasitic wasp and natural enemy of the litchi pest Tessaratoma papillosa, and for decades in China, A. japonicus has been mass-reared inside the eggs of Antheraea pernyi to control T. papillosa. A series of experiments was performed to explore the olfactory mechanism underlying the oviposition behavior of A. japonicus. First, a transcriptomic analysis was performed on the antennae of A. japonicus, and the resulting assemblies led to the generation of 70,473 unigenes. Subsequently, 21,368 unigenes were matched to known proteins, 48 odorant receptors (ORs) (including Orco) and 13 antennal ionotropic receptors (IRs) (including the co-receptors IR8a and IR25a) were identified and predicted to form complete open reading frames (ORFs). The FPKM (fragments per Kb per million reads) values and RT-PCR results showed that AjapOrco, AjapOR10, AjapOR27, AjapOR33 and AjapOR35 were either highly abundant or expressed specifically in the olfactory organs. Furthermore, AjapOrco silencing resulted in a significant decrease in both the parasitism rate and the host-seeking time of A. japonicus, whereas dsRNA injection showed that IR8a and IR25a did not produce significant behavioral changes, suggesting that the oviposition behavior of A. japonicus is more reliant on OR-based pathways than IR-based pathways. Our previous GC-MS data derived twenty-nine compounds which were abundent from these host plants and host insects. We performed electrophysiological and oviposition assays on A. japonicus, and eight odorants were found to elicit a significant electroantennogram (EAG) response. Among these odorants, β-Caryophyllene, Undecane, (E)-α-Farnesene (+)-Aromadendrene and Cis-3-Hexen-ol had strong attractant effects on oviposition, whereas 2-Ethyl-1-Hexan-ol, Ethyl Acetate and α-Caryophyllene had a strong repellant effects. Thus, these chemicals might influence oviposition guidance/repulsion behavior in A. japonicus. To further explore the target ORs that are tuned to the functional odorants, the nine candidate ORs described above were silenced by RNA interference, and the results showed that a large decrease in the EAG response of all the tested functional odorants in the AjapOrco-silencing group. In addition, the AjapOR35-silencing group showed a significant decrease in the EAG response to β-Caryophyllene and (E)-α-Farnesene, indicating that AjapOR35 is tuned to these two oviposition attractants β-Caryophyllene and (E)-α-Farnesene. Further binary-choice oviposition assays showed that the oviposition attractant effect of β-Caryophyllene and (E)-α-Farnesene vanished after AjapOR35 was silenced, indicating that the emission of these attractants from host plants can guide A. japonicus to locate eggs for ovipositioning and indicated that AjapOR35 is correlated with the olfactory detection oviposition behavior of this species. This study provides a better understanding of the molecular basis and functional chemicals underlying the oviposition behavior of A. japonicus, and the results may help improve biocontrol approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinliang Wang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Qi Chen
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Junqi Guo
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jing Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiatong Wang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Ming Wen
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Hanbo Zhao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Bingzhong Ren
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.
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18
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Jensen K, Shearman M, Rapkin J, Carey MR, House CM, Hunt J. Change in sex pheromone expression by nutritional shift in male cockroaches. Behav Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
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19
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(Ginny) Greenway E, Balfour VL, Shuker DM. Can females choose to avoid mating failure in the seed bug Lygaeus simulans? Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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20
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Weiss K, Herzner G, Strohm E. Sexual selection and the evolution of male pheromone glands in philanthine wasps (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae). BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:128. [PMID: 28587589 PMCID: PMC5461632 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-0963-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sexual selection is thought to promote evolutionary changes and diversification. However, the impact of sexual selection in relation to other selective forces is difficult to evaluate. Male digger wasps of the tribe Philanthini (Hymenoptera, Philanthinae) scent mark territories to attract receptive females. Consequently, the organs for production and storage of the marking secretion, the mandibular gland (MG) and the postpharyngeal gland (PPG), are subject to sexual selection. In female Philanthini, these glands are most likely solely subject to natural selection and show very little morphological diversity. According to the hypothesis that sexual selection drives interspecific diversity, we predicted that the MG and PPG show higher interspecific variation in males than in females. Using histological methods, 3D-reconstructions, and multivariate statistical analysis of morphological characters, we conducted a comparative analysis of the MG and the PPG in males of 30 species of Philanthini and three species of the Cercerini and Aphilanthopsini, two related tribes within the Philanthinae. Results We found substantial interspecific diversity in gland morphology with regard to gland incidence, size, shape and the type of associated secretory cells. Overall there was a phylogenetic trend: Ensuing from the large MGs and small PPGs of male Cercerini and Aphilanthopsini, the size and complexity of the MG was reduced in male Philanthini, while their PPG became considerably enlarged, substantially more complex, and associated with an apparently novel type of secretory cells. In some clades of the Philanthini the MG was even lost and entirely replaced by the PPG. However, several species showed reversals of and exceptions from this trend. Head gland morphology was significantly more diverse among male than among female Philanthinae. Conclusion Our results show considerable variation in male head glands including the loss of an entire gland system and the evolution of a novel kind of secretory cells, confirming the prediction that interspecific diversity in head gland morphology is higher in male than in female Philanthini. We discuss possible causes for the remarkable evolutionary changes in males and we conclude that this high diversity has been caused by sexual selection. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-017-0963-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Weiss
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Gudrun Herzner
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Strohm
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
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21
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Zizzari ZV, Engl T, Lorenz S, van Straalen NM, Ellers J, Groot AT. Love at first sniff: a spermatophore-associated pheromone mediates partner attraction in a collembolan species. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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22
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Wittman TN, Miller KA, King BH. Finding Prospective Mates by the Parasitoid Wasp Urolepis rufipes (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2016; 45:1489-1495. [PMID: 28028096 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvw136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/10/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Cues from emergence sites may be predictive of mating opportunities if potential mates are slow to disperse after emergence, and particularly if emergence sites are clumped, as in the solitary parasitoid wasp Urolepis rufipes Ashmead. Males emerge before females, and the present study suggests that males may use emergence sites of conspecific males to locate mates. In choice experiments, virgin males spent more time on a male-emerged host (a host from which a male had recently emerged) than on a female-emerged host. Relative to when no host was present, virgin males also marked more in the presence of a male-emerged host, but did not mark more in the presence of a female-emerged host. Females, but not other males, are known to be attracted to male marks. Unlike for males, there was no evidence that females distinguished between male-emerged and female-emerged hosts. Virgin females preferred areas where multiple males had marked over areas where a single male had marked. Such areas had more total marks, yet marks per male did not differ between aggregated and solitary males. Thus, through his own attraction to male-emerged hosts and by marking near other males a male may find and attract females, and with no apparent increase in the cost of attraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- T N Wittman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115 (; ; )
- Current address: Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904
| | - K A Miller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115 (; ; )
- Current address: Entomology Department, Monsanto, 8350 Minnegans Rd., Waterman, IL 60556
| | - B H King
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115 (; ; )
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23
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Allen C, Cobey KD, Havlíček J, Roberts SC. The impact of artificial fragrances on the assessment of mate quality cues in body odor. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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24
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Bacquet PMB, de Jong MA, Brattström O, Wang H, Molleman F, Heuskin S, Lognay G, Löfstedt C, Brakefield PM, Vanderpoorten A, Nieberding CM. Differentiation in putative male sex pheromone components across and within populations of the African butterfly Bicyclus anynana as a potential driver of reproductive isolation. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:6064-84. [PMID: 27648226 PMCID: PMC5016632 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Revised: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual traits are often the most divergent characters among closely related species, suggesting an important role of sexual traits in speciation. However, to prove this, we need to show that sexual trait differences accumulate before or during the speciation process, rather than being a consequence of it. Here, we contrast patterns of divergence among putative male sex pheromone (pMSP) composition and the genetic structure inferred from variation in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 and nuclear CAD loci in the African butterfly Bicyclus anynana (Butler, 1879) to determine whether the evolution of "pheromonal dialects" occurs before or after the differentiation process. We observed differences in abundance of some shared pMSP components as well as differences in the composition of the pMSP among B. anynana populations. In addition, B. anynana individuals from Kenya displayed differences in the pMSP composition within a single population that appeared not associated with genetic differences. These differences in pMSP composition both between and within B. anynana populations were as large as those found between different Bicyclus species. Our results suggest that "pheromonal dialects" evolved within and among populations of B. anynana and may therefore act as precursors of an ongoing speciation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M. B. Bacquet
- Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics GroupBiodiversity Research CentreEarth and Life InstituteUniversité catholique de LouvainCroix du Sud 4‐51348Louvain‐la‐NeuveBelgium
| | - Maaike A. de Jong
- Biological SciencesUniversity of BristolWoodland RoadBristolBS8 1UGUK
| | - Oskar Brattström
- Department of ZoologyUniversity Museum of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeDowning StreetCambridgeCB2 3EJUK
| | - Hong‐Lei Wang
- Department of BiologyPheromone GroupLund UniversitySE‐223 62LundSweden
| | - Freerk Molleman
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research ThiruvananthapuramVanasiri Evolutionary Ecology LabCollege of Engineering Trivandrum CampusTrivandrum695016KeralaIndia
| | - Stéphanie Heuskin
- Laboratory of Analytical ChemistryDepartment of AgroBioChemGembloux Agro‐Bio TechUniversity of LiegePassage des Déportés 2B‐5030GemblouxBelgium
| | - George Lognay
- Laboratory of Analytical ChemistryDepartment of AgroBioChemGembloux Agro‐Bio TechUniversity of LiegePassage des Déportés 2B‐5030GemblouxBelgium
| | - Christer Löfstedt
- Department of BiologyPheromone GroupLund UniversitySE‐223 62LundSweden
| | - Paul M. Brakefield
- Department of ZoologyUniversity Museum of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeDowning StreetCambridgeCB2 3EJUK
| | - Alain Vanderpoorten
- Biologie de l’évolution et de la conservationUniversity of LiègeB22 Sart TilmanB‐4000LiègeBelgium
| | - Caroline M. Nieberding
- Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics GroupBiodiversity Research CentreEarth and Life InstituteUniversité catholique de LouvainCroix du Sud 4‐51348Louvain‐la‐NeuveBelgium
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25
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Chirault M, Van de Zande L, Hidalgo K, Chevrier C, Bressac C, Lécureuil C. The spatio-temporal partitioning of sperm by males of the prospermatogenic parasitoid Nasonia vitripennis is in line with its gregarious lifestyle. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 91-92:10-17. [PMID: 27269614 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2016.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Male fitness depends on the number of lifetime progeny of their mates and could be constrained by the chance of finding a mate, lifespan and temporal patterns of sperm production and allocation. Here, we used the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis with a two-week lifespan and a gregarious lifestyle, to analyze how the reproductive system is organized to allocate spermatozoa over consecutive matings. Results show that spermatogenesis is synchronized and completed one day before emergence so that males emerge with a full sperm complement. We also found a regulation of spermatozoa transfer between testis and seminal vesicles that allows males to partition small ejaculates over multiple matings. Overall, this study shows that for N. vitripennis, male fertilization potential is determined (1) at the pupal stage, when spermatogenesis takes place to generate a complete life-long stock, (2) on emergence, when transport of spermatozoa from testes to seminal vesicles is initiated and (3) in adulthood, during which spermatozoa are partitioned over successive copulations. Such life history-traits are consistent with the gregarious lifestyle of N. vitripennis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlène Chirault
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte UMR 7261 CNRS - Université François-Rabelais, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, Tours, France
| | - Louis Van de Zande
- GELIFES (Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences), University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kevin Hidalgo
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte UMR 7261 CNRS - Université François-Rabelais, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, Tours, France
| | - Claude Chevrier
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte UMR 7261 CNRS - Université François-Rabelais, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, Tours, France
| | - Christophe Bressac
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte UMR 7261 CNRS - Université François-Rabelais, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, Tours, France
| | - Charlotte Lécureuil
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte UMR 7261 CNRS - Université François-Rabelais, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, Tours, France.
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26
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Chemnitz J, Jentschke PC, Ayasse M, Steiger S. Beyond species recognition: somatic state affects long-distance sex pheromone communication. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:20150832. [PMID: 26180067 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-range sex pheromones have been subjected to substantial research with a particular focus on their biosynthesis, peripheral perception, central processing and the resulting orientation behaviour of perceivers. Fundamental to the research on sex attractants was the assumption that they primarily coordinate species recognition. However, especially when they are produced by the less limiting sex (usually males), the evolution of heightened condition dependence might be expected and long-range sex pheromones might, therefore, also inform about a signaller's quality. Here we provide, to our knowledge, the first comprehensive study of the role of a male's long-range pheromone in mate choice that combines chemical analyses, video observations and field experiments with a multifactorial manipulation of males' condition. We show that the emission of the long-distance sex pheromone of the burying beetle, Nicrophorus vespilloides is highly condition-dependent and reliably reflects nutritional state, age, body size and parasite load--key components of an individual's somatic state. Both, the quantity and ratio of the pheromone components were affected but the time invested in pheromone emission was largely unaffected by a male's condition. Moreover, the variation in pheromone emission caused by the variation in condition had a strong effect on the attractiveness of males in the field, with males in better nutritional condition, of older age, larger body size and bearing less parasites being more attractive. That a single pheromone is influenced by so many aspects of the somatic state and causes such variation in a male's attractiveness under field conditions was hitherto unknown and highlights the need to integrate indicator models of sexual selection into pheromone research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Chemnitz
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Petra C Jentschke
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Manfred Ayasse
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Sandra Steiger
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm 89081, Germany
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27
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Brandstetter B, Ruther J. An insect with a delta-12 desaturase, the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis, benefits from nutritional supply with linoleic acid. Naturwissenschaften 2016; 103:40. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-016-1365-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2016] [Revised: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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28
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Bacquet PMB, Brattström O, Wang HL, Allen CE, Löfstedt C, Brakefield PM, Nieberding CM. Selection on male sex pheromone composition contributes to butterfly reproductive isolation. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 282:20142734. [PMID: 25740889 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.2734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Selection can facilitate diversification by inducing character displacement in mate choice traits that reduce the probability of maladaptive mating between lineages. Although reproductive character displacement (RCD) has been demonstrated in two-taxa case studies, the frequency of this process in nature is still debated. Moreover, studies have focused primarily on visual and acoustic traits, despite the fact that chemical communication is probably the most common means of species recognition. Here, we showed in a large, mostly sympatric, butterfly genus, a strong pattern of recurrent RCD for predicted male sex pheromone composition, but not for visual mate choice traits. Our results suggest that RCD is not anecdotal, and that selection for divergence in male sex pheromone composition contributed to reproductive isolation within the Bicyclus genus. We propose that selection may target olfactory mate choice traits as a more common sensory modality to ensure reproductive isolation among diverging lineages than previously envisaged.
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Affiliation(s)
- P M B Bacquet
- Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics Group, Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 4-5, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - O Brattström
- Department of Zoology, University Museum of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - H-L Wang
- Department of Biology, Pheromone Group, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - C E Allen
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - C Löfstedt
- Department of Biology, Pheromone Group, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - P M Brakefield
- Department of Zoology, University Museum of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - C M Nieberding
- Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics Group, Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 4-5, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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Abstract
A wide variety of organisms communicate via the chemical channel using small molecules. A structural feature quite often found is the lactone motif. In the present paper, the current knowledge on such lactones will be described, concentrating on the structure, chemistry, function, biosynthesis and synthesis of these compounds. Lactone semiochemicals from insects, vertebrates and bacteria, which this article will focus on, are particularly well investigated. In addition, some ideas on the advantageous use of lactones as volatile signals, which promoted their evolutionary development, will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Schulz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
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30
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Genetic and epigenetic architecture of sex-biased expression in the jewel wasps Nasonia vitripennis and giraulti. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:E3545-54. [PMID: 26100871 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1510338112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
There is extraordinary diversity in sexual dimorphism (SD) among animals, but little is known about its epigenetic basis. To study the epigenetic architecture of SD in a haplodiploid system, we performed RNA-seq and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing of adult females and males from two closely related parasitoid wasps, Nasonia vitripennis and Nasonia giraulti. More than 75% of expressed genes displayed significantly sex-biased expression. As a consequence, expression profiles are more similar between species within each sex than between sexes within each species. Furthermore, extremely male- and female-biased genes are enriched for totally different functional categories: male-biased genes for key enzymes in sex-pheromone synthesis and female-biased genes for genes involved in epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Remarkably, just 70 highly expressed, extremely male-biased genes account for 10% of all transcripts in adult males. Unlike expression profiles, DNA methylomes are highly similar between sexes within species, with no consistent sex differences in methylation found. Therefore, methylation changes cannot explain the extensive level of sex-biased gene expression observed. Female-biased genes have smaller sequence divergence between species, higher conservation to other hymenopterans, and a broader expression range across development. Overall, female-biased genes have been recruited from genes with more conserved and broadly expressing "house-keeping" functions, whereas male-biased genes are more recently evolved and are predominately testis specific. In summary, Nasonia accomplish a striking degree of sex-biased expression without sex chromosomes or epigenetic differences in methylation. We propose that methylation provides a general signal for constitutive gene expression, whereas other sex-specific signals cause sex-biased gene expression.
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Cooper JL, King BH. Substrate-Borne Marking in the Parasitoid Wasp Urolepis rufipes (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 44:680-688. [PMID: 26313974 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvv017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 01/30/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Many animals use pheromone marking as a way to identify their territory or other resources. Among insects, substrate-borne marking is frequently reported for females, which in many species make marks containing oviposition-deterring pheromone, which other females avoid. However, there are fewer reports of substrate-borne marking for males. Here, marking in males of the parasitoid wasp Urolepis rufipes (Ashmead) is described. The conditions under which males mark and whether males and females respond to the males' marks were examined using behavioral observations. Males marked by dragging the tips of their abdomens across a substrate. They marked much more after mating and after consuming honey. They also marked more when with a female, irrespective of copulation, although not when with a male. Females spent more time on or near marked substrates, and males also responded to their own marks. Although males aggressively and successfully defended areas that they had marked against other males, males did not respond to another male's marks in the conspecific's absence. In contrast to males, females did not mark, either on the surface of hosts or on other surfaces, and males showed no detectable response to surfaces which females had recently occupied.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Cooper
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115-2861.
| | - B H King
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115-2861.
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Boulton RA, Collins LA, Shuker DM. Beyond sex allocation: the role of mating systems in sexual selection in parasitoid wasps. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 90:599-627. [PMID: 24981603 PMCID: PMC4409842 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2013] [Revised: 05/19/2014] [Accepted: 05/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Despite the diverse array of mating systems and life histories which characterise the parasitic Hymenoptera, sexual selection and sexual conflict in this taxon have been somewhat overlooked. For instance, parasitoid mating systems have typically been studied in terms of how mating structure affects sex allocation. In the past decade, however, some studies have sought to address sexual selection in the parasitoid wasps more explicitly and found that, despite the lack of obvious secondary sexual traits, sexual selection has the potential to shape a range of aspects of parasitoid reproductive behaviour and ecology. Moreover, various characteristics fundamental to the parasitoid way of life may provide innovative new ways to investigate different processes of sexual selection. The overall aim of this review therefore is to re-examine parasitoid biology with sexual selection in mind, for both parasitoid biologists and also researchers interested in sexual selection and the evolution of mating systems more generally. We will consider aspects of particular relevance that have already been well studied including local mating structure, sex allocation and sperm depletion. We go on to review what we already know about sexual selection in the parasitoid wasps and highlight areas which may prove fruitful for further investigation. In particular, sperm depletion and the costs of inbreeding under chromosomal sex determination provide novel opportunities for testing the role of direct and indirect benefits for the evolution of mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A Boulton
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St AndrewsDyers Brae, Greenside place, Fife KY16 9TH, U.K.
| | - Laura A Collins
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St AndrewsDyers Brae, Greenside place, Fife KY16 9TH, U.K.
| | - David M Shuker
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St AndrewsDyers Brae, Greenside place, Fife KY16 9TH, U.K.
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Chirault M, Lucas C, Goubault M, Chevrier C, Bressac C, Lécureuil C. A combined approach to heat stress effect on male fertility in Nasonia vitripennis: from the physiological consequences on spermatogenesis to the reproductive adjustment of females mated with stressed males. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0120656. [PMID: 25807005 PMCID: PMC4373853 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2014] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, several studies have shown a decline in reproductive success in males in both humans and wildlife. Research on male fertility has largely focused on vertebrates, although invertebrates constitute the vast majority of terrestrial biodiversity. The reduction of their reproductive capacities due to environmental stresses can have strong negative ecological impacts, and also dramatic consequences on world food production if it affects the reproductive success of biological control agents, such as parasitic wasps used to control crop pests. Here Nasonia vitripennis, a parasitic wasp of various fly species, was studied to test the effects of 24h-heat stress applied during the first pupal stage on male fertility. Results showed that only primary spermatocytes were present at the first pupal stage in all cysts of the testes. Heat stress caused a delay in spermatogenesis during development and a significant decrease in sperm stock at emergence. Females mated with these heat-stressed males showed a reduce sperm count stored in their spermatheca. Females did not appear to distinguish heat-stressed from control males and did not remate more frequently to compensate for the lack of sperm transferred. As a result, females mated with heat-stressed males produced a suboptimal lifetime offspring sex ratio compared to those mated with control males. This could further impact the population dynamics of this species. N. vitripennis appears to be an interesting biological model to study the mechanisms of subfertility and its consequence on female reproductive strategies and provides new research perspectives in both invertebrates and vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlène Chirault
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, Université François-Rabelais / CNRS, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, Tours, France
| | - Christophe Lucas
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, Université François-Rabelais / CNRS, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, Tours, France
| | - Marlène Goubault
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, Université François-Rabelais / CNRS, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, Tours, France
| | - Claude Chevrier
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, Université François-Rabelais / CNRS, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, Tours, France
| | - Christophe Bressac
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, Université François-Rabelais / CNRS, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, Tours, France
| | - Charlotte Lécureuil
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, Université François-Rabelais / CNRS, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, Tours, France
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Blaul B, Steinbauer R, Merkl P, Merkl R, Tschochner H, Ruther J. Oleic acid is a precursor of linoleic acid and the male sex pheromone in Nasonia vitripennis. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 51:33-40. [PMID: 24874439 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2014.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2014] [Revised: 05/16/2014] [Accepted: 05/17/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Linoleic acid (C18:2(Δ9,12), LA) is crucial for many cell functions in organisms. It has long been a paradigm that animals are unable to synthesize LA from oleic acid (C18:1(Δ9), OA) because they were thought to miss Δ(12)-desaturases for inserting a double bound at the Δ(12)-position. Today it is clear that this is not true for all animals because some insects and other invertebrates have been demonstrated to synthesize LA. However, the ability to synthesize LA is known in only five insect orders and no examples have been reported so far in the Hymenoptera. LA plays a particular role in the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis, because it is the precursor of the male sex pheromone consisting of (4R,5R)- and (4R,5S)-5-hydroxy-4-decanolides. Here we demonstrate by stable isotope labeling that N. vitripennis is able to incorporate externally applied fully (13)C-labeled OA into the male sex pheromone suggesting that they convert initially OA into LA. To verify this assumption, we produced fly hosts (Lucilia caesar) which were experimentally enriched in (13)C-labeled OA and reared male parasitoids on these hosts. Chemical analysis of transesterified lipid raw extracts from hosts and parasitoids revealed that N. vitripennis but not L. caesar contained (13)C-labeled LA methyl ester. Furthermore, male wasps from the manipulated hosts produced significant amounts of (13)C-labeled sex pheromone. These results suggest that N. vitripennis possesses a Δ(12)-desaturase. The additional fitness relevant function as pheromone precursor might have favored the evolution of LA biosynthesis in N. vitripennis to make the wasps independent of the formerly essential nutrient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Blaul
- University of Regensburg, Institute of Zoology, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Robert Steinbauer
- University of Regensburg, Institute of Biochemistry, Genetic & Microbiology, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Philipp Merkl
- University of Regensburg, Institute of Biochemistry, Genetic & Microbiology, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Rainer Merkl
- University of Regensburg, Institute of Biophysics & Physical Biochemistry, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Herbert Tschochner
- University of Regensburg, Institute of Biochemistry, Genetic & Microbiology, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Joachim Ruther
- University of Regensburg, Institute of Zoology, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
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Steiger S, Stökl J. The Role of Sexual Selection in the Evolution of Chemical Signals in Insects. INSECTS 2014; 5:423-38. [PMID: 26462692 PMCID: PMC4592599 DOI: 10.3390/insects5020423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2014] [Revised: 05/16/2014] [Accepted: 05/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Chemical communication is the most ancient and widespread form of communication. Yet we are only beginning to grasp the complexity of chemical signals and the role they play in sexual selection. Focusing on insects, we review here the recent progress in the field of olfactory-based sexual selection. We will show that there is mounting empirical evidence that sexual selection affects the evolution of chemical traits, but form and strength of selection differ between species. Studies indicate that some chemical signals are expressed in relation to an individual's condition and depend, for example, on age, immunocompetence, fertility, body size or degree of inbreeding. Males or females might benefit by choosing based on those traits, gaining resources or "good genes". Other chemical traits appear to reliably reflect an individual's underlying genotype and are suitable to choose a mating partner that matches best the own genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Steiger
- Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| | - Johannes Stökl
- Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
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36
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Ruther J, McCaw J, Böcher L, Pothmann D, Putz I. Pheromone diversification and age-dependent behavioural plasticity decrease interspecific mating costs in Nasonia. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89214. [PMID: 24551238 PMCID: PMC3925242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2013] [Accepted: 01/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Interspecific mating can cause severe fitness costs due to the fact that hybrids are often non-viable or less fit. Thus, theory predicts the selection of traits that lessen reproductive interactions between closely related sympatric species. Males of the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis differ from all other Nasonia species by an additional sex pheromone component, but the ecological selective forces underlying this pheromone diversification are unknown. Here we present data from lab experiments suggesting that costly interspecific sexual interactions with the sympatric species N. giraulti might have been responsible for the pheromone evolution and some courtship-related behavioural adaptations in N. vitripennis. Most N. giraulti females are inseminated already within the host, but N. giraulti males still invest in costly sex pheromones after emergence. Furthermore, they do not discriminate between N. vitripennis females and conspecifics during courtship. Therefore, N. vitripennis females, most of which emerge as virgins, face the risk of mating with N. giraulti resulting in costly all-male broods due to Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility. As a counter adaptation, young N. vitripennis females discriminate against N. giraulti males using the more complex conspecific sex pheromone and reject most of them during courtship. With increasing age, however, N. vitripennis females become less choosy, but often compensate mating errors by re-mating with a conspecific. By doing so, they can principally avoid suboptimal offspring sex ratios, but a microcosm experiment suggests that under more natural conditions N. vitripennis females cannot completely avoid fitness costs due to heterospecific mating. Our study provides support for the hypothesis that communication interference of closely related sympatric species using similar sexual signals can generate selective pressures that lead to their divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Ruther
- Institute for Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Jennifer McCaw
- Institute for Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Böcher
- Institute for Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Pothmann
- Institute for Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Irina Putz
- Institute for Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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37
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Hicks RE, Larned A, Borgia G. Bower paint removal leads to reduced female visits, suggesting bower paint functions as a chemical signal. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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38
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Huoviala P, Rantala MJ. A putative human pheromone, androstadienone, increases cooperation between men. PLoS One 2013; 8:e62499. [PMID: 23717389 PMCID: PMC3661594 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2012] [Accepted: 03/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Androstadienone, a component of male sweat, has been suggested to function as a human pheromone, an airborne chemical signal causing specific responses in conspecifics. In earlier studies androstadienone has been reported to increase attraction, affect subjects' mood, cortisol levels and activate brain areas linked to social cognition, among other effects. However, the existing psychological evidence is still relatively scarce, especially regarding androstadienone's effects on male behaviour. The purpose of this study was to look for possible behavioural effects in male subjects by combining two previously distinct branches of research: human pheromone research and behavioural game theory of experimental economics. Forty male subjects participated in a mixed-model, double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment. The participants were exposed to either androstadienone or a control stimulus, and participated in ultimatum and dictator games, decision making tasks commonly used to measure cooperation and generosity quantitatively. Furthermore, we measured participants' salivary cortisol and testosterone levels during the experiment. Salivary testosterone levels were found to positively correlate with cooperative behaviour. After controlling for the effects of participants' baseline testosterone levels, androstadienone was found to increase cooperative behaviour in the decision making tasks. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that androstadienone directly affects behaviour in human males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paavo Huoviala
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Philosophy, Psychology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Markus J. Rantala
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Philosophy, Psychology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Biology, Section of Ecology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- * E-mail:
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39
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van Bergen E, Brakefield PM, Heuskin S, Zwaan BJ, Nieberding CM. The scent of inbreeding: a male sex pheromone betrays inbred males. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20130102. [PMID: 23466986 PMCID: PMC3619463 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.0102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2013] [Accepted: 02/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inbreeding depression results from mating among genetically related individuals and impairs reproductive success. The decrease in male mating success is usually attributed to an impact on multiple fitness-related traits that reduce the general condition of inbred males. Here, we find that the production of the male sex pheromone is reduced significantly by inbreeding in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. Other traits indicative of the general condition, including flight performance, are also negatively affected in male butterflies by inbreeding. Yet, we unambiguously show that only the production of male pheromones affects mating success. Thus, this pheromone signal informs females about the inbreeding status of their mating partners. We also identify the specific chemical component (hexadecanal) probably responsible for the decrease in male mating success. Our results advocate giving increased attention to olfactory communication as a major causal factor of mate-choice decisions and sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik van Bergen
- Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, RA 2300 Leiden, The Netherlands.
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40
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Fitzsimmons LP, Bertram SM. No relationship between long-distance acoustic mate attraction signals and male fertility or female preference in spring field crickets. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1511-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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41
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Body size influences male pheromone signals but not the outcome of mating contests in Nasonia vitripennis. Anim Behav 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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South A, Lewis SM. Determinants of reproductive success across sequential episodes of sexual selection in a firefly. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 279:3201-8. [PMID: 22535779 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.0370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Because females often mate with multiple males, it is critical to expand our view of sexual selection to encompass pre-, peri- and post-copulatory episodes to understand how selection drives trait evolution. In Photinus fireflies, females preferentially respond to males based on their bioluminescent courtship signals, but previous work has shown that male paternity success is negatively correlated with flash attractiveness. Here, we experimentally manipulated both the attractiveness of the courtship signal visible to female Photinus greeni fireflies before mating and male nuptial gift size to determine how these traits might each influence mate acceptance and paternity share. We also measured pericopulatory behaviours to examine their influence on male reproductive success. Firefly males with larger spermatophores experienced dual benefits in terms of both higher mate acceptance and increased paternity share. We found no effect of courtship signal attractiveness or pericopulatory behaviour on male reproductive success. Taken together with previous results, this suggests a possible trade-off for males between producing an attractive courtship signal and investing in nuptial gifts. By integrating multiple episodes of sexual selection, this study extends our understanding of sexual selection in Photinus fireflies and provides insight into the evolution of male traits in other polyandrous species.
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Affiliation(s)
- A South
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
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43
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Hoefler CD, Durso LC, McIntyre KD. Chemical-Mediated Predator Avoidance in the European House Cricket (Acheta domesticus) is Modulated by Predator Diet. Ethology 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2012.02028.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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44
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Symonds MR, Johnson TL, Elgar MA. Pheromone production, male abundance, body size, and the evolution of elaborate antennae in moths. Ecol Evol 2012; 2:227-46. [PMID: 22408739 PMCID: PMC3297191 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2011] [Revised: 10/23/2011] [Accepted: 10/26/2011] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The males of some species of moths possess elaborate feathery antennae. It is widely assumed that these striking morphological features have evolved through selection for males with greater sensitivity to the female sex pheromone, which is typically released in minute quantities. Accordingly, females of species in which males have elaborate (i.e., pectinate, bipectinate, or quadripectinate) antennae should produce the smallest quantities of pheromone. Alternatively, antennal morphology may be associated with the chemical properties of the pheromone components, with elaborate antennae being associated with pheromones that diffuse more quickly (i.e., have lower molecular weights). Finally, antennal morphology may reflect population structure, with low population abundance selecting for higher sensitivity and hence more elaborate antennae. We conducted a phylogenetic comparative analysis to test these explanations using pheromone chemical data and trapping data for 152 moth species. Elaborate antennae are associated with larger body size (longer forewing length), which suggests a biological cost that smaller moth species cannot bear. Body size is also positively correlated with pheromone titre and negatively correlated with population abundance (estimated by male abundance). Removing the effects of body size revealed no association between the shape of antennae and either pheromone titre, male abundance, or mean molecular weight of the pheromone components. However, among species with elaborate antennae, longer antennae were typically associated with lower male abundances and pheromone compounds with lower molecular weight, suggesting that male distribution and a more rapidly diffusing female sex pheromone may influence the size but not the general shape of male antennae.
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45
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Doyle JM. Sperm depletion and a test of the phenotype-linked fertility hypothesis in Gray Treefrogs (Hyla versicolor). CAN J ZOOL 2011. [DOI: 10.1139/z11-060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The phenotype-linked fertility hypothesis (PLFH) predicts that ejaculate characteristics correlate with male phenotype, and that females may select for exaggerated phenotypes to guarantee high fertilization success. Female Gray Treefrogs ( Hyla versicolor LeConte, 1825) prefer males with long-duration calls and (or) calls produced at a fast rate. I tested the prediction that call duration or call rate were indicators of sperm number or viability. To assess whether female H. versicolor might benefit by identifying males with low sperm numbers, I examined the effect of mating history on sperm number and looked for evidence of sperm depletion. My study found no support for the PLFH in relation to call quality, as neither sperm number nor viability was related to call duration. I found that sperm stores are severely reduced after a single mating, and that sperm stores of males calling late in the season are often more similar to those of depleted males than unmated males. Thus, calling males may attempt to attract females without the sperm numbers necessary to fertilize the entire clutch. However, selection for females to identify males with high fertilization success may be low when all other factors that affect reproductive success (e.g., genetic benefits) are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline M. Doyle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, 915 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA
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46
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MOYNIHAN AM, SHUKER DM. Sexual selection on male development time in the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis. J Evol Biol 2011; 24:2002-13. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2011.02343.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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47
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Blaul B, Ruther J. How parasitoid females produce sexy sons: a causal link between oviposition preference, dietary lipids and mate choice in Nasonia. Proc Biol Sci 2011; 278:3286-93. [PMID: 21429922 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection theory predicts that phenotypic traits used to choose a mate should reflect honestly the quality of the sender and thus, are often costly. Physiological costs arise if a signal depends on limited nutritional resources. Hence, the nutritional condition of an organism should determine both its quality as a potential mate and its ability to advertise this quality to the choosing sex. In insects, the quality of the offspring's nutrition is often determined by the ovipositing female. A causal connection, however, between the oviposition decisions of the mother and the mating chances of her offspring has never been shown. Here, we demonstrate that females of the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis prefer those hosts for oviposition that have been experimentally enriched in linoleic acid (LA). We show by (13)C-labelling that LA from the host diet is a precursor of the male sex pheromone. Consequently, males from LA-rich hosts produce and release higher amounts of the pheromone and attract more virgin females than males from LA-poor hosts. Finally, males from LA-rich hosts possess three times as many spermatozoa as those from LA-poor hosts. Hence, females making the right oviposition decisions may increase both the fertility and the sexual attractiveness of their sons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Blaul
- Chemical Ecology Group, Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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Ruther J, Thal K, Steiner S. Pheromone communication in Nasonia vitripennis: abdominal sex attractant mediates site fidelity of releasing males. J Chem Ecol 2010; 37:161-5. [PMID: 21181242 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-010-9898-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2010] [Revised: 11/26/2010] [Accepted: 12/06/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Males of the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) use a substrate-borne sex pheromone to attract virgin females. The pheromone is synthesized in the rectal vesicle and deposited via the anus by dabbing movements of the abdominal tip. The chemicals attracting the females are composed of a mixture (4R,5R- and (4R,5 S)-5-hydroxy-4-decanolides (HDL) being synergized by the trace component 4-methylquinazoline (4-MeQ) which is not attractive for females when offered alone. Here we show that male pheromone deposits are not only attractive to virgin females but also for the releasing males themselves. In an olfactometer bioassay, males were strongly attracted by their own pheromone markings but were unable to discriminate between their own markings and those deposited by other males. Polar fractions of pheromone gland extracts containing the HDLs and 4-MeQ were also highly attractive for males. Bioassays using synthetic pheromones in natural doses revealed that combinations of HDL/4-MeQ and 4-MeQ alone attracted males whereas the HDLs alone were behaviorally inactive. Furthermore, males did not discriminate between HDL/4-MeQ and 4-MeQ alone. We conclude that the trace component 4-MeQ mediates site fidelity of N. vitripennis males at sites previously marked with the abdominal sex pheromone. The use of 4-MeQ to stay at and to return to scent-marked patches rather than marking new ones might be a strategy to economize semiochemical use in N. vitripennis males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Ruther
- Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
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Steiger S, Schmitt T, Schaefer HM. The origin and dynamic evolution of chemical information transfer. Proc Biol Sci 2010; 278:970-9. [PMID: 21177681 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.2285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although chemical communication is the most widespread form of communication, its evolution and diversity are not well understood. By integrating studies of a wide range of terrestrial plants and animals, we show that many chemicals are emitted, which can unintentionally provide information (cues) and, therefore, act as direct precursors for the evolution of intentional communication (signals). Depending on the content, design and the original function of the cue, there are predictable ways that selection can enhance the communicative function of chemicals. We review recent progress on how efficacy-based selection by receivers leads to distinct evolutionary trajectories of chemical communication. Because the original function of a cue may channel but also constrain the evolution of functional communication, we show that a broad perspective on multiple selective pressures acting upon chemicals provides important insights into the origin and dynamic evolution of chemical information transfer. Finally, we argue that integrating chemical ecology into communication theory may significantly enhance our understanding of the evolution, the design and the content of signals in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Steiger
- School of Biological Sciences, Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics Section, Illinois State University, Normal Il 61790-4120, USA.
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Ruther J, Thal K, Blaul B, Steiner S. Behavioural switch in the sex pheromone response of Nasonia vitripennis females is linked to receptivity signalling. Anim Behav 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2010.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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