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Heerwig OT, Jain-Schlaepfer SMR, Sherratt TN, Kikuchi DW. Effects of predator associative learning and innate aversion on mimicry complexes. Evol Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-023-10238-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
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2
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Pekár S, Martišová M, Špalek Tóthová A, Haddad CR. Mimetic accuracy and co-evolution of mimetic traits in ant-mimicking species. iScience 2022; 25:105126. [PMID: 36185386 PMCID: PMC9515603 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Myrmecomorphy is the most frequent type of Batesian mimicry. Myrmecomorphic species differ in the accuracy with which they resemble ants; however, the hypothesis of the co-evolution of mimetic traits has been rarely tested. Here, we measured dozens of traits of color, shape, size, and behavior, and quantified objectively the resemblance between dozens of arthropod mimics and ants. In all traits, the mimics were more similar to ants than to closely related non-myrmecomorphic species. We found that mimics resemble ants mainly in color and behavior, and less in size and body shape. We found that the mimetic accuracy in four trait categories demonstrate divergent co-evolutionary patterns. Mimetic accuracy in color was positively correlated with shape and size in insects but negatively in spiders, presumably reflecting developmental constraints. Accuracy in shape tend to be negatively related to movement in both insects and spiders supporting the motion-limited discrimination hypothesis. We measured resemblance of ant mimics to ants in a number of arthropod species Mimics resembled ants mainly in color and behavior, less in size and body shape Ant mimics had similar behavior as ants but were smaller in body size Resemblance in shape was negatively related to resemblance in color in spiders
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Pekár S, Ortiz D, Sentenská L, Šedo O. Ecological specialization and reproductive isolation among closely related sympatric ant-eating spiders. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:1855-1868. [PMID: 35765936 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Biological divergence results from several mechanisms. Defensive mechanisms, such as Batesian mimicry, can cause reproductive isolation via temporal segregation in foraging activity, particularly, in species that closely associate with their model. This seems to be the case of ant-eating spiders, which can be inaccurate Batesian mimics of their prey. Here, we focused on Zodarion nitidum, which has two forms occurring in sympatry, black and yellow. Given the expected noticeable impact of their colour differences on the spiders' interactions with their potential predators and prey, we investigated whether these morphotypes have diverged in other aspects of their biology. We measured the two morphotypes' phenotypic resemblance to a mimetic model, tested whether they were protected from predators, investigated their circadian activity, surveyed the prey they hunted, modelled their distributions, performed crossing experiments and estimated their degree of genetic differentiation. We found that the black morphotype is ant-like, resembling Messor ants, and it was not distinguishable from their ant models by four potential predators. In contrast, the yellow morphotype seems to use predator avoidance as a defensive strategy. Additionally, the two morphotypes differ in their circadian activity, the yellow morphotype being nocturnal and the black one being diurnal. The two morphotypes hunt and associate with different ant prey and possess marked differences in venom composition. Finally, crossing trials showed complete pre-mating isolation between the two morphotypes, but there was no evidence of genetic (mitochondrial data) or environmental niche differentiation. We conclude that the two morphotypes show evidence of a deep differentiation in morphological, behavioural, physiological and ecological traits that evolved together as part of the spider's diverging lifestyles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stano Pekár
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - David Ortiz
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Sentenská
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Šedo
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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OUP accepted manuscript. Syst Biol 2022; 71:1487-1503. [DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syac023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Kumar R, Sharma M, Sharma AK. New record of Myrmarachne melanocephala MacLeay, 1839 (Araneae: Salticidae) from Jharkhand, India and biogeographical implications of the co-occurrence of its ant model Tetraponera rufonigra Jerdon, 1851. JOURNAL OF THREATENED TAXA 2021. [DOI: 10.11609/jott.7500.13.12.19753-19761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the occurrence of the ant-mimicking jumping spider Myrmarachne melanocephala MacLeay, 1839 for the first time from Hazaribagh Wildlife Sanctuary, Jharkhand, India. Digital illustrations and descriptions of the spider, the female’s exuviae, and video records of a live male are also presented. The distribution pattern of M. melanocephala has not been studied in detail across India whereas its ant model, Tetraponera rufonigra Jerdon, 1851 is known to have a wide distribution. Co-occurrence of the mimic and the model implies a wider range of biogeographical distribution of these species in India.
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Relationship between model noxiousness and mimetic accuracy in myrmecomorphic spiders. Evol Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-021-10126-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Kelly MB, McLean DJ, Wild ZK, Herberstein ME. Measuring mimicry: methods for quantifying visual similarity. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Is mimicry a diversification-driver in ants? Biogeography, ecology, ethology, genetics and morphology define a second West-Palaearctic Colobopsis species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zool J Linn Soc 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The West-Palaearctic Colobopsis ant populations have long been considered a single species (Colobopsis truncata). We studied the diversity of this species by employing a multidisciplinary approach and combining data from our surveys, museum and private collections, and citizen science platforms. As a result, we have revealed the existence of a second species, which we describe as Colobopsis imitans sp. nov., distributed allopatrically from Co. truncata and living in the Maghreb, Sicily and southern Iberia. While the pigmentation of Co. truncata is reminiscent of Dolichoderus quadripunctatus, that of Co. imitans is similar to Crematogaster scutellaris, with which Co. imitans lives in close spatial association, and whose foraging trails it habitually follows, similar to Camponotus lateralis and other ant-mimicking ants. The isolation between Co. imitans and Co. truncata seems to have occurred relatively recently because of significant, yet not extreme, morphometric differentiation, and to mtDNA polyphyly. Both Co. imitans and Co. truncata appear to employ mimicry of an unpalatable or aggressive ant species as an important defensive strategy; this ‘choice’ of a different model species is motivated by biogeographic reasons and appears to act as a critical evolutionary driver of their diversification.
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Pekár S. Increased speed of movement reduced identification of Batesian ant-mimicking spiders by surrogate predators. Anim Cogn 2021; 24:1247-1257. [PMID: 33942181 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01517-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In Batesian mimicry, the mimic gains protection from predators by imitating a noxious model. Some myrmecomorphic species use ants as models as ants have strong defensive capabilities. Ants are highly mobile models, and besides colour, shape, and size, mimics also imitate their movement. Yet, former studies focused mainly on static traits. Here, I tested the hypothesis that artificially increased speed of movement reduces the probability of the mimic being identified. First, images of 14 myrmecomorphic spider species and their models were used for humans to rank their mimetic accuracy. Humans were used as surrogate predators to obtain scores for each mimetic pair. In the second experiment, the effect of movement playback speed on the probability of identification was investigated, again using humans. Videos of mimics were played at different speeds, and the identification probability was recorded. While ants were correctly identified at any playback speed, the identification of myrmecomorphic spiders declined with increasing playback speed. In other words, the latency to correct identification increased with playback speed. Overall, mimics with higher accuracy scores were more difficult to identify while moving. The natural speed of movement of accurate mimics was similar to that of inaccurate ones. Movement is thus an important trait for myrmecomorphic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stano Pekár
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic.
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Hashimoto Y, Endo T, Yamasaki T, Hyodo F, Itioka T. Constraints on the jumping and prey-capture abilities of ant-mimicking spiders (Salticidae, Salticinae, Myrmarachne). Sci Rep 2020; 10:18279. [PMID: 33106531 PMCID: PMC7589502 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75010-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate morphological ant mimicry by Myrmarachne jumping spiders confers strong protective benefits against predators. However, it has been hypothesized that the slender and constricted ant-like appearance imposes costs on the hunting ability because their jumping power to capture prey is obtained from hydraulic pressure in their bodies. This hypothesis remains to be sufficiently investigated. We compared the jumping and prey-capture abilities of seven Myrmarachne species and non-myrmecomorphic salticids collected from tropical forests in Malaysian Borneo and northeastern Thailand. We found that the mimics had significantly reduced abilities compared with the non-mimics. The analysis using geometric morphometric techniques revealed that the reduced abilities were strongly associated with the morphological traits for ant mimicry and relatively lower abilities were found in Myrmarachne species with a more narrowed form. These results support the hypothesis that the jumping ability to capture prey is constrained by the morphological mimicry and provide a new insight into understanding the evolutionary costs of accurate mimicry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiaki Hashimoto
- University of Hyogo/Museum of Nature and Human Activities, 6 Yayoigaoka, Sanda, Hyogo, 669-1546, Japan.
| | - Tomoji Endo
- School of Human Sciences, Kobe College, Okadayama 4-1, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 662-8505, Japan
| | - Takeshi Yamasaki
- University of Hyogo/Museum of Nature and Human Activities, 6 Yayoigaoka, Sanda, Hyogo, 669-1546, Japan
| | - Fujio Hyodo
- Research Core for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Okayama University, 3-1-1, Tsushimanaka, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Takao Itioka
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Yoshida-nihonmatsu, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
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McLean DJ, Cassis G, Kikuchi DW, Giribet G, Herberstein ME. Insincere Flattery? Understanding the Evolution of Imperfect Deceptive Mimicry. QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1086/706769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Raška
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná, Czech Republic
| | - Stano Pekár
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská, Czech Republic
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Corcobado G, Herberstein ME, Pekár S. The role of ultraviolet colour in the assessment of mimetic accuracy between Batesian mimics and their models: a case study using ant-mimicking spiders. Naturwissenschaften 2016; 103:90. [PMID: 27722878 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-016-1410-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2015] [Revised: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The use of ultraviolet (UV) cues for intra- and inter-specific communication is common in many animal species. Still, the role of UV signals under some predator-prey contexts, such as Batesian mimicry, is not clear. Batesian mimicry is a defensive strategy by which a palatable species (the mimic) resembles an unpalatable or noxious species (the model) to avoid predation. This strategy has evolved independently in many different taxa that are predated by species capable of UV perception. Moreover, there is considerable variation in how accurately Batesian mimics resemble their models across species. Our aim was to investigate how UV colour contributed to mimetic accuracy using several ant-mimicking spider species as a case study. We measured the reflectance spectrum (300-700 nm) for several species of mimics and models, and we tested whether they differ in visible and UV colour. We modelled whether two different predators could discriminate between mimics and models using colour information. We found that generally, ant-mimicking spiders differed significantly from their ant models in UV colour and that information from the visible range of light cannot be extrapolated into the UV. Our modelling suggested that wasps should be able to discriminate between mimics and models combining information from visible and the UV light, whereas birds may not discriminate between them. Thus, we show that UV colour can influence mimic accuracy and we discuss its potential role in Batesian mimicry. We conclude that colour, especially in the UV range, should be taken into account when measuring mimetic accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Corcobado
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 61137, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Marie E Herberstein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Stano Pekár
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 61137, Brno, Czech Republic
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Davis Rabosky AR, Cox CL, Rabosky DL, Title PO, Holmes IA, Feldman A, McGuire JA. Coral snakes predict the evolution of mimicry across New World snakes. Nat Commun 2016; 7:11484. [PMID: 27146100 PMCID: PMC4858746 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 04/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Batesian mimicry, in which harmless species (mimics) deter predators by deceitfully imitating the warning signals of noxious species (models), generates striking cases of phenotypic convergence that are classic examples of evolution by natural selection. However, mimicry of venomous coral snakes has remained controversial because of unresolved conflict between the predictions of mimicry theory and empirical patterns in the distribution and abundance of snakes. Here we integrate distributional, phenotypic and phylogenetic data across all New World snake species to demonstrate that shifts to mimetic coloration in nonvenomous snakes are highly correlated with coral snakes in both space and time, providing overwhelming support for Batesian mimicry. We also find that bidirectional transitions between mimetic and cryptic coloration are unexpectedly frequent over both long- and short-time scales, challenging traditional views of mimicry as a stable evolutionary 'end point' and suggesting that insect and snake mimicry may have different evolutionary dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison R. Davis Rabosky
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, 1109 Geddes Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 3101 Valley Life Sciences, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Christian L. Cox
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, PO Box 8042, Statesboro, Georgia 30460, USA
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas, Arlington, Texas 76019, USA
| | - Daniel L. Rabosky
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, 1109 Geddes Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Pascal O. Title
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, 1109 Geddes Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Iris A. Holmes
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, 1109 Geddes Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Anat Feldman
- Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Jimmy A. McGuire
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 3101 Valley Life Sciences, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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