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Reppa A, Agori AF, Santikou P, Parmakelis A, Pafilis P, Valakos ED, Sagonas K. Small Island Effects on the Thermal Biology of the Endemic Mediterranean Lizard Podarcis gaigeae. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2965. [PMID: 37760365 PMCID: PMC10525772 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ectotherms are vastly affected by climatic conditions as they rely on external sources of heat to regulate their body temperature, and changes in their habitat thermal quality could seriously affect their overall biology. To overcome the problems of a thermally unfavorable habitat, lizards need to either adjust their thermoregulatory behavior or respond to directional selection and shift their preferred body temperatures. To assess the impact of habitat thermal quality on the thermoregulatory profile, we studied multiple islet and 'mainland' populations of the Skyros wall lizard Podarcis gaigeae, an endemic lacertid to Skyros Archipelago, Greece. We evaluated the effectiveness of thermoregulation (E) using the three main thermal parameters: body (Tb), operative (Te), and preferred (Tpref) temperatures. We first hypothesized that the spatial homogeneity, the scarcity of thermal shelters, and the exposure to higher winds on islets would result in more demanding climate conditions. Second, we anticipated that islet lizards would achieve higher E in response to the lower thermal quality therein. As hypothesized, thermal parameters differed between populations but not in the expected manner. Skyros 'mainland' habitats reached higher temperatures, had more intense fluctuations, and were of lower thermal quality. As a result, lizards showed higher accuracy, precision, and effectiveness of thermoregulation. Noteworthy, we found that lizards from different populations have shifted their thermal profile and preferred body temperatures to cope with the particular conditions prevailing in their habitats. The latter supports the labile view on the evolution of thermoregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aikaterini Reppa
- Section of Ecology and Taxonomy, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Ariadne Faidra Agori
- Section of Animal and Human Physiology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Panayiota Santikou
- Section of Animal and Human Physiology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Aristeidis Parmakelis
- Section of Ecology and Taxonomy, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Panayiotis Pafilis
- Section of Zoology and Marine Biology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece; (P.P.); (E.D.V.)
- Zoological Museum, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Efstratios D. Valakos
- Section of Zoology and Marine Biology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece; (P.P.); (E.D.V.)
- Zoological Museum, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Kostas Sagonas
- Section of Zoology, Department of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
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Mangiacotti M, Fumagalli M, Casali C, Biggiogera M, Forneris F, Sacchi R. Carbonic anhydrase IV in lizard chemical signals. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14164. [PMID: 37644071 PMCID: PMC10465503 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41012-9] [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: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolution of chemical signals is subject to environmental constraints. A multicomponent signal may combine semiochemical molecules with supporting compounds able to enhance communication efficacy. Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are ubiquitous enzymes catalysing the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide, a reaction involved in a variety of physiological processes as it controls the chemical environment of the different tissues or cellular compartments, thus contributing to the overall system homeostasis. CA-IV isoform has been recently identified by mass spectrometry in the femoral gland secretions (FG) of the marine iguana, where it has been hypothesized to contribute to the chemical stability of the signal, by regulating blend pH. Lizards, indeed, use FG to communicate by delivering the waxy secretion on bare substrate, where it is exposed to environmental stressors. Therefore, we expect that some molecules in the mixture may play supporting functions, enhancing the stability of the chemical environment, or even conferring homeostatic properties to the blend. CA-IV may well represent an important candidate to this hypothesized supporting/homeostatic function, and, therefore, we can expect it to be common in FG secretions of other lizard species. To evaluate this prediction and definitely validate CA identity, we analysed FG secretions of eight species of wall lizards (genus Podarcis), combining mass spectrometry, immunoblotting, immunocytochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy. We demonstrate CA-IV to actually occur in the FG of seven out of the eight considered species, providing an immunochemistry validation of mass-spectrometry identifications, and localizing the enzyme within the secretion mass. The predicted structure of the identified CA is compatible with the known enzymatic activity of CA-IV, supporting the hypothesis that CA play a signal homeostasis function and opening to new perspective about the role of proteins in vertebrate chemical communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Mangiacotti
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Taramelli 24, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Marco Fumagalli
- The Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Structural Biology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9A, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Claudio Casali
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Marco Biggiogera
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Federico Forneris
- The Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Structural Biology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9A, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Roberto Sacchi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Taramelli 24, 27100, Pavia, Italy
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3
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Martínez A, López-Rull I, Fargallo JA. To Prevent Oxidative Stress, What about Protoporphyrin IX, Biliverdin, and Bilirubin? Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1662. [PMID: 37759965 PMCID: PMC10525153 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12091662] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The pigments responsible for eggshell color and patterning in birds are protoporphyrin IX (PP) and biliverdin (BV). Both are involved in the catalytic degradation of the hemo group. Bilirubin (BR), another pigment, is produced when BV is broken down. PP, BV, and BR are free radical scavengers. In this study, we theoretically investigated the antioxidant capacities of these three biological meaningful molecules using Density Functional Theory calculations. First, two antioxidant mechanisms were analyzed for PP, BV, and BR: electron transfer and Hydrogen Atom Transfer. Second, since PP and BV interact with the calcium carbonate matrix of the eggshell, we analyzed the interaction of these pigments with Ca2+ and investigated their chelate compounds. Third, we explored the pro-oxidant properties of PP and BV, which have been proposed for PP when photoactivated to the triplet state, but not for BV. Our results show that PP, BV, and BR are just as good antiradical as other important natural pigments (carotenoids). Neither the antiradical properties of PP and BV nor the UV-visible spectra change due to the presence of calcium, suggesting that the signaling function of these pigments is not affected by the link with Ca2+. Finally, we found that both PP and BV (alone and when linked to Ca2+) can transfer energy from its triplet state to molecular-oxygen-producing singlet oxygen, indicating their pro-oxidant capacity. This investigation answers important questions about the function of these pigments, which may help to understand their influence on the reproductive success of birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Martínez
- Departamento de Materiales de Baja Dimensionalidad, Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior S. N., Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
| | - Isabel López-Rull
- Departamento Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n., 28933 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Juan A. Fargallo
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, C/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain;
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Murali G, Meiri S, Roll U. Chemical signaling glands are unlinked to species diversification in lizards. Evolution 2023; 77:1829-1841. [PMID: 37279331 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Sexual selection has long been thought to increase species diversification. Sexually selected traits, such as sexual signals that contribute to reproductive isolation, were thought to promote diversification. However, studies exploring links between sexually selected traits and species diversification have thus far primarily focused on visual or acoustic signals. Many animals often employ chemical signals (i.e., pheromones) for sexual communications, but large-scale analyses on the role of chemical communications in driving species diversification have been missing. Here, for the first time, we investigate whether traits associated with chemical communications-the presence of follicular epidermal glands-promote diversification across 6,672 lizard species. In most analyses, we found no strong association between the presence of follicular epidermal glands and species diversification rates, either across all lizard species or at lower phylogenetic scales. Previous studies suggest that follicular gland secretions act as species recognition signals that prevent hybridization during speciation in lizards. However, we show that geographic range overlap was no different in sibling species pairs with and without follicular epidermal glands. Together, these results imply that either follicular epidermal glands do not primarily function in sexual communications or sexually selected traits in general (here chemical communication) have a limited effect on species diversification. In our additional analysis accounting for sex-specific differences in glands, we again found no detectable effect of follicular epidermal glands on species diversification rates. Thus, our study challenges the general role of sexually selected traits in broad-scale species diversification patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopal Murali
- Jacob Blaustein Center for Scientific Cooperation, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environments and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Shai Meiri
- School of Zoology and The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Beersheva, Sede-Boqer Campus, 8499000, Israel
| | - Uri Roll
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environments and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
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Mangiacotti M, Baeckens S, Scali S, Martín J, Van Damme R, Sacchi R. Evolutionary and biogeographical support for species-specific proteins in lizard chemical signals. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The species-specific components of animal signals can facilitate species recognition and reduce the risks of mismatching and interbreeding. Nonetheless, empirical evidence for species-specific components in chemical signals is scarce and mostly limited to insect pheromones. Based on the proteinaceous femoral gland secretions of 36 lizard species (Lacertidae), we examine the species-specific component potential of proteins in lizard chemical signals. By quantitative comparison of the one-dimensional electrophoretic patterns of the protein fraction from femoral gland secretions, we first reveal that the protein composition is species specific, accounting for a large part of the observed raw variation and allowing us to discriminate species on this basis. Secondly, we find increased protein pattern divergence in sympatric, closely related species. Thirdly, lizard protein profiles show a low phylogenetic signal, a recent and steep increase in relative disparity and a high rate of evolutionary change compared with non-specifically signal traits (i.e. body size and shape). Together, these findings provide support for the species specificity of proteins in the chemical signals of a vertebrate lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Mangiacotti
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Simon Baeckens
- Laboratory for Functional Morphology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | | | - José Martín
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raoul Van Damme
- Laboratory for Functional Morphology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Roberto Sacchi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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Coladonato AJ, Mangiacotti M, Scali S, Zuffi MAL, Pasquariello C, Matellini C, Buratti S, Battaiola M, Sacchi R. Morph-specific seasonal variation of aggressive behaviour in a polymorphic lizard species. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10268. [PMID: 33240621 PMCID: PMC7682419 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10268] [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: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The persistence of colour polymorphism (CP) within a given population is generally associated with the coexistence of alternative reproductive strategies, each one involving specific trade-offs among behavioural, morphological, physiological, and other life histories. Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis), is a medium-sized diurnal lizard, showing CP in three main colours (yellow, white, and red) on throat and belly, and a morph-specific pattern for both immunocompetence and seasonal variation of T levels. Yellow males show low stamina with high plasma T levels at the beginning of the season, while white males show high stamina with a higher plasma T levels at the end of the season. We hypothesised the presence of two strategies: a risky one, characterised by high aggressiveness played by yellow-morph, and a conservative one by white morph with low aggressiveness. Thus, we tested the aggressive response to conspecifics of yellow and white morphs using a mirror inserted into their cage, mimicking an intrusion of a stranger in their territories, throughout the breeding season (from April to July, 117 trials). We considered three types of aggressive response, with different levels of aggressiveness: (i) bite against the image reflected in the mirror, (ii) seconds spent by the individuals into the half mirrored cage, and (iii) number of times the lizard entered the half mirrored cage. We also considered the number of tongue flicking as explorative behaviour variable. All lizards were tested after a period of acclimatisation to the captivity conditions. Results demonstrate that yellow males showed a higher aggressive response in the early season and a decrease aggressive response towards the end, whereas white males showed an opposite pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marco Mangiacotti
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Cristian Matellini
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Simone Buratti
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Mara Battaiola
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Roberto Sacchi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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7
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Raya-García E, Suazo-Ortuño I, Campos-García J, Martín J, Alvarado-Díaz J, Mendoza-Ramírez E. Chemical signal divergence among populations influences behavioral discrimination in the whiptail lizard Aspidoscelis lineattissimus (squamata: teiidae). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02931-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Mangiacotti M, Fumagalli M, Cagnone M, Viglio S, Bardoni AM, Scali S, Sacchi R. Morph-specific protein patterns in the femoral gland secretions of a colour polymorphic lizard. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8412. [PMID: 31182789 PMCID: PMC6557888 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44889-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Colour polymorphism occurs when two or more genetically-based colour morphs permanently coexist within an interbreeding population. Colouration is usually associated to other life-history traits (ecological, physiological, behavioural, reproductive …) of the bearer, thus being the phenotypic marker of such set of genetic features. This visual badge may be used to inform conspecifics and to drive those decision making processes which may contribute maintaining colour polymorphism under sexual selection context. The importance of such information suggests that other communication modalities should be recruited to ensure its transfer in case visual cues were insufficient. Here, for the first time, we investigated the potential role of proteins from femoral gland secretions in signalling colour morph in a polymorphic lizard. As proteins are thought to convey identity-related information, they represent the ideal cues to build up the chemical modality used to badge colour morphs. We found strong evidence for the occurrence of morph-specific protein profiles in the three main colour-morphs of the common wall lizard, which showed both qualitative and quantitative differences in protein expression. As lizards are able to detect proteins by tongue-flicking and vomeronasal organ, this result support the hypothesis that colour polymorphic lizards may use a multimodal signal to inform about colour-morph.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Mangiacotti
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Taramelli 24, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Marco Fumagalli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "L.Spallanzani", Unit of Biochemistry, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Maddalena Cagnone
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Unit of Biochemistry, University of Pavia, Via T. Taramelli 3, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Simona Viglio
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Unit of Biochemistry, University of Pavia, Via T. Taramelli 3, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Bardoni
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Unit of Biochemistry, University of Pavia, Via T. Taramelli 3, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefano Scali
- Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano, Corso Venezia 55, 20121, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Sacchi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Taramelli 24, 27100, Pavia, Italy
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Ortega J, Martín J, Crochet PA, López P, Clobert J. Seasonal and interpopulational phenotypic variation in morphology and sexual signals of Podarcis liolepis lizards. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211686. [PMID: 30875384 PMCID: PMC6419997 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Widespread species often show extensive phenotypic variation due to the contrasting abiotic and biotic factors that shape selective pressures in different environments. In this context, the gradual and predictable patterns of variation in climatic and environmental conditions found in mountain areas offer a great opportunity to explore intraspecific phenotypic variation. For instance, temperature is negatively correlated with altitude and virtually all aspects of the behavior and physiology of ectotherms are sensitive to body temperature. In this work, we tested the hypothesis that morphology, dorsal and ventral coloration and the chemical profile of femoral secretions show interpopulational and seasonal variation in the lacertid lizard (Podarcis liolepis). We compared lizards from three populations inhabiting lowland and highland habitats in the French Pyrenees that were closely related genetically. We found that highland lizards were larger, stockier, had longer heads and more femoral pores and had a darker dorsal coloration than lowland ones. In addition, we detected interpopulational differences in both the abundance and the richness of chemical compounds in the glandular secretions, and we also found seasonal variation in the overall chemical composition. Dorsal and ventral coloration differed seasonally and between populations. Ventral and dorsal brightness were higher in lowland than in highland lizards in the reproductive season whereas the reversed trend was found in the non-reproductive season but only for dorsal brightness. In addition, all lizards had browner dorsal coloration in the non-reproductive season, and lowland lizards were greener in the reproductive season. By integrating information from both visual and chemical systems, our works offers a comprehensive view of how these lizards communicate in a multimodal context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Ortega
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, C.S.I.C., Madrid, Spain
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - José Martín
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, C.S.I.C., Madrid, Spain
| | - Pierre-André Crochet
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Montpellier, CNRS-UMR 5175, France
| | - Pilar López
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, C.S.I.C., Madrid, Spain
| | - Jean Clobert
- Station d’Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, Moulis, France
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García‐Roa R, Sáiz J, Gómara B, López P, Martín J. How to tackle chemical communication? Relative proportions versus semiquantitative determination of compounds in lizard chemical secretions. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:2032-2040. [PMID: 29468022 PMCID: PMC5817153 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge about chemical communication in some vertebrates is still relatively limited. Squamates are a glaring example of this, even when recent evidences indicate that scents are involved in social and sexual interactions. In lizards, where our understanding of chemical communication has considerably progressed in the last few years, many questions about chemical interactions remain unanswered. A potential reason for this is the inherent complexity and technical limitations that some methodologies embody when analyzing the compounds used to convey information. We provide here a straightforward procedure to analyze lizard chemical secretions based on gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry that uses an internal standard for the semiquantification of compounds. We compare the results of this method with those obtained by the traditional procedure of calculating relative proportions of compounds. For such purpose, we designed two experiments to investigate if these procedures allowed revealing changes in chemical secretions 1) when lizards received previously a vitamin dietary supplementation or 2) when the chemical secretions were exposed to high temperatures. Our results show that the procedure based on relative proportions is useful to describe the overall chemical profile, or changes in it, at population or species levels. On the other hand, the use of the procedure based on semiquantitative determination can be applied when the target of study is the variation in one or more particular compounds of the sample, as it has proved more accurate detecting quantitative variations in the secretions. This method would reveal new aspects produced by, for example, the effects of different physiological and climatic factors that the traditional method does not show.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto García‐Roa
- Departamento de Ecología EvolutivaMuseo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesSpanish Research Council (MNCN‐CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Jorge Sáiz
- Department of Instrumental Analysis and Environmental ChemistrySpanish Research Council (IQOG‐ CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Belén Gómara
- Department of Instrumental Analysis and Environmental ChemistrySpanish Research Council (IQOG‐ CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Pilar López
- Departamento de Ecología EvolutivaMuseo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesSpanish Research Council (MNCN‐CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - José Martín
- Departamento de Ecología EvolutivaMuseo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesSpanish Research Council (MNCN‐CSIC)MadridSpain
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García-Roa R, Megía-Palma R, Ortega J, Jara M, López P, Martín J. Interpopulational and seasonal variation in the chemical signals of the lizard Gallotia galloti. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3992. [PMID: 29230352 PMCID: PMC5721911 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Communicative traits are strikingly diverse and may vary among populations of the same species. Within a population, these traits may also display seasonal variation. Chemical signals play a key role in the communication of many taxa. However, we still know far too little about chemical communication in some vertebrate groups. In lizards, only a few studies have examined interpopulational variation in the composition of chemical cues and signals and only one study has explored the seasonal effects. Here we sampled three subspecies of the Tenerife lizards (Gallotia galloti) and analyze the lipophilic fraction of their femoral gland secretions to characterize the potential interpopulational variation in the chemical signals. In addition, we assessed whether composition of these secretions differed between the reproductive and the non-reproductive season. We analyzed variations in both the overall chemical profile and the abundance of the two main compounds (cholesterol and vitamin E). Our results show interpopulational and seasonal differences in G. gallotia chemical profiles. These findings are in accordance with the high interpopulational variability of compounds observed in lizard chemical signals and show that their composition is not only shaped by selective factors linked to reproductive season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto García-Roa
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rodrigo Megía-Palma
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Ortega
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Jara
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecology of Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United Kingdom
| | - Pilar López
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - José Martín
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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12
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Abstract
Across multiple taxa, population structure and dynamics depend on effective signalling between individuals. Among mammals, chemical communication is arguably the most important sense, underpinning mate choice, parental care, territoriality and even disease transmission. There is a growing body of evidence that odours signal genetic information that may confer considerable benefits including inbreeding avoidance and nepotism. To date, however, there has been no clear evidence that odours encode population-level information in wild mammals. Here we demonstrate for the first time the existence of 'odour dialects' in genetically distinct mammalian subpopulations across a large geographical scale. We found that otters, Lutra lutra, from across the United Kingdom possess sex and biogeography-specific odours. Subpopulations with the most distinctive odour profiles are also the most genetically diverse but not the most genetically differentiated. Furthermore, geographic distance between individuals does not explain regional odour differences, refuting other potential explanations such as group odour sharing behaviour. Differences in the language of odours between subpopulations have the potential to affect individual interactions, which could impact reproduction and gene-flow.
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Baeckens S, Martín J, García‐Roa R, Pafilis P, Huyghe K, Van Damme R. Environmental conditions shape the chemical signal design of lizards. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Baeckens
- Laboratory of Functional MorphologyDepartment of BiologyUniversity of Antwerp Wilrijk Belgium
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary BiologyHarvard University Cambridge MA USA
| | - José Martín
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesCSIC Madrid Spain
| | - Roberto García‐Roa
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesCSIC Madrid Spain
| | - Panayiotis Pafilis
- Department of Zoology and Marine BiologySchool of BiologyNational and Kapodistrian University of Athens Ilissia Greece
| | - Katleen Huyghe
- Laboratory of Functional MorphologyDepartment of BiologyUniversity of Antwerp Wilrijk Belgium
| | - Raoul Van Damme
- Laboratory of Functional MorphologyDepartment of BiologyUniversity of Antwerp Wilrijk Belgium
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MacGregor HEA, Lewandowsky RAM, d'Ettorre P, Leroy C, Davies NW, While GM, Uller T. Chemical communication, sexual selection, and introgression in wall lizards. Evolution 2017; 71:2327-2343. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.13317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E. A. MacGregor
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Tasmania; Hobart Tasmania 7001 Australia
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom
| | - Rachel A. M. Lewandowsky
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Tasmania; Hobart Tasmania 7001 Australia
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom
| | - Patrizia d'Ettorre
- Laboratory of Experimental and Comparative Ethology; University of Paris 13; Sorbonne Paris Cité 93430 Villetaneuse Paris France
| | - Chloé Leroy
- Laboratory of Experimental and Comparative Ethology; University of Paris 13; Sorbonne Paris Cité 93430 Villetaneuse Paris France
| | - Noel W. Davies
- Central Science Laboratory; University of Tasmania; Hobart, Tasmania 7001 Australia
| | - Geoffrey M. While
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Tasmania; Hobart Tasmania 7001 Australia
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom
| | - Tobias Uller
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom
- Department of Biology; Lund University; Sölvegatan 37 223 62 Lund Sweden
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15
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Sáiz J, García-Roa R, Martín J, Gómara B. Fast, sensitive, and selective gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the target analysis of chemical secretions from femoral glands in lizards. J Chromatogr A 2017; 1514:110-119. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2017.07.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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16
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García-Roa R, Jara M, Baeckens S, López P, Van Damme R, Martín J, Pincheira-Donoso D. Macroevolutionary diversification of glands for chemical communication in squamate reptiles. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9288. [PMID: 28839252 PMCID: PMC5570929 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09083-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemical communication plays a central role in social, sexual and ecological interactions among animals. However, the macroevolutionary diversification of traits responsible for chemical signaling remains fundamentally unknown. Most research investigating evolutionary diversification of glands responsible for the production of chemical signals has focused on arthropods, while its study among vertebrates remains neglected. Using a global-scale dataset covering > 80% (7,904 species) of the living diversity of lizards and snakes (squamates), we investigate rates, trajectories and phylogenetic patterns of diversification of their follicular glands for chemical communication. We observed these glands in 13.66% of species, that their expression has varying phylogenetic signal among lineages, and that the crown squamate ancestor lacked follicular glands, which therefore originated and diversified subsequently during their evolutionary history. Additionally, our findings challenge the longstanding view that within squamates the Iguania are visually oriented while Scleroglossa are chemically-oriented, given that Iguania doubles Scleroglossa in the frequency of glands. Our phylogenetic analyses identified stabilizing selection as the best model describing follicular gland diversification, and revealed high rates of disparity. We provide the first global-scale analysis investigating the diversification of one of the main forms of communication among reptiles, presenting a macroevolutionary angle to questions traditionally explored at microevolutionary scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto García-Roa
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences - Spanish Research Council (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain. .,Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecology of Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Joseph Banks Laboratories, Brayford Campus, Lincoln, LN6 7DL, United Kingdom.
| | - Manuel Jara
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecology of Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Joseph Banks Laboratories, Brayford Campus, Lincoln, LN6 7DL, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Baeckens
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Functional Morphology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Pilar López
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences - Spanish Research Council (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raoul Van Damme
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Functional Morphology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - José Martín
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences - Spanish Research Council (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Pincheira-Donoso
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecology of Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Joseph Banks Laboratories, Brayford Campus, Lincoln, LN6 7DL, United Kingdom
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17
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Ibáñez A, Menke M, Quezada G, Jiménez-Uzcátegui G, Schulz S, Steinfartz S. Diversity of compounds in femoral secretions of Galápagos iguanas (genera: Amblyrhynchus and Conolophus), and their potential role in sexual communication in lek-mating marine iguanas ( Amblyrhynchus cristatus). PeerJ 2017; 5:e3689. [PMID: 28828277 PMCID: PMC5563446 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chemical signals are widely used in the animal kingdom, enabling communication in various social contexts, including mate selection and the establishment of dominance. Femoral glands, which produce and release waxy secretions into the environment, are organs of central importance in lizard chemical communication. The Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is a squamate reptile with a lek-mating system. Although the lekking behaviour of marine iguanas has been well-studied, their potential for sexual communication via chemical cues has not yet been investigated. Here we describe the diversity of the lipophilic fraction of males’ femoral gland secretions among 11 island populations of marine iguanas, and compare it with the composition of its sister species, the Galápagos land iguana (Conolophus subcristatus). We also conducted behavioural observations in marine iguana territorial males in order to explore the possible function of these substances in the context of male dominance in leks. Methods Femoral secretions were analysed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and chromatography with a flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) in order to characterise the lipophilic composition. To understand the potential role of femoral secretions in marine iguana intraspecific communication, territorial males were sampled for their femoral glands and monitored to record their head bob rate—a territorial display behaviour in males—as well as the number of females present in their leks. Results We found that the gland secretions were composed of ten saturated and unsaturated carboxylic acids ranging in chain length between C16 and C24, as well as three sterols. Cholesterol was the main compound found. Intriguingly, land iguanas have a higher diversity of lipophilic compounds, with structural group of lipids (i.e. aldehydes) entirely absent in marine iguanas; overall the chemical signals of both species were strongly differentiated. Lipid profiles also differed among populations of marine iguanas from different islands, with some islands demonstrating a high diversity of lipophilic compounds (i.e. full spectra of compounds), and others lacking one or more compounds. Among the compounds most frequently found missing were 11- and 13-eicosenoic acids. Gland secretions of males with a better body condition and with a higher dominance status (i.e. those accompanied by females and with higher head bob display) were proportionately richer in C20-unsaturated fatty acids (11-eicosenoic acid). Discussion Land and marine iguanas strongly diverged in their chemical composition of the femoral glands likely due to ecological differences between both species. Despite that marine iguana populations varied in their femoral gland composition that was not related to their genetic structure. Our results indicated that 11-eicosenoic acid may play an important role in intraspecific chemical communication in marine iguanas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Ibáñez
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Markus Menke
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Galo Quezada
- Dirección Parque Nacional Galápagos, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | | | - Stefan Schulz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Sebastian Steinfartz
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
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García-Roa R, Sáiz J, Gómara B, López P, Martín J. Dietary constraints can preclude the expression of an honest chemical sexual signal. Sci Rep 2017; 7:6073. [PMID: 28729717 PMCID: PMC5519758 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06323-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the factors that underlie signal divergences remains challenging in studies of animal communication. Regarding the chemical signalling, different compounds can be found in some species but be absent in others. We hypothesized that if the costs that are associated with the expression of some compounds are too high, their presence in the signal may be restricted. However, these compounds may be expressed and be functional when those costs are relaxed. Vitamin E (α-tocopherol), a dietary compound with metabolic relevancy, acts as an honest chemical sexual signal in many lizards but no in others such as the Carpetan Rock lizard (Iberolacerta cyreni). We investigated whether dietary supplementation favours the expression of this vitamin in scents of I. cyreni. We show that dietary constraints can preclude the expression of vitamin E in chemical secretions of wild males because was expressed when it was experimentally provided in the diet. Vitamin E supplementation also heightened the immune response of males and increased the interest of their scent for females, highlighting the vitamin E as a chemical sexual signal in this species. We suggest that diet could decisively act as a driver of intra- and interspecific divergences in the chemical signalling of lizards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto García-Roa
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish Research Council (MNCN- CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jorge Sáiz
- Department of Instrumental Analysis and Environmental Chemistry, Spanish Research Council (IQOG- CSIC), Juan de la Cierva, 3, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Belén Gómara
- Department of Instrumental Analysis and Environmental Chemistry, Spanish Research Council (IQOG- CSIC), Juan de la Cierva, 3, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar López
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish Research Council (MNCN- CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Martín
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish Research Council (MNCN- CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
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19
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García-Roa R, Carreira S, López P, Martín J. Genders matters: Sexual differences in chemical signals of Liolaemus wiegmannii lizards (Iguania, Liolaemidae). BIOCHEM SYST ECOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bse.2016.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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20
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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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21
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Martín J, López P, Iraeta P, Díaz JA, Salvador A. Differences in males’ chemical signals between genetic lineages of the lizard Psammodromus algirus promote male intrasexual recognition and aggression but not female mate preferences. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2171-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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22
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Cramer ERA, Stensrud E, Marthinsen G, Hogner S, Johannessen LE, Laskemoen T, Eybert MC, Slagsvold T, Lifjeld JT, Johnsen A. Sperm performance in conspecific and heterospecific female fluid. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:1363-77. [PMID: 26855769 PMCID: PMC4733106 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2015] [Revised: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Divergent sexual selection within allopatric populations may result in divergent sexual phenotypes, which can act as reproductive barriers between populations upon secondary contact. This hypothesis has been most tested on traits involved in precopulatory sexual selection, with less work focusing on traits that act after copulation and before fertilization (i.e., postcopulatory prezygotic traits), particularly in internally fertilizing vertebrates. However, postcopulatory sexual selection within species can also drive trait divergence, resulting in reduced performance of heterospecific sperm within the female reproductive tract. Such incompatibilities, arising as a by‐product of divergent postcopulatory sexual selection in allopatry, can represent reproductive barriers, analogous to species‐assortative mating preferences. Here, we tested for postcopulatory prezygotic reproductive barriers between three pairs of taxa with diverged sperm phenotypes and moderate‐to‐high opportunity for postcopulatory sexual selection (barn swallows Hirundo rustica versus sand martins Riparia riparia, two subspecies of bluethroats, Luscinia svecica svecica versus L. s. namnetum, and great tits Parus major versus blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus). We tested sperm swimming performance in fluid from the outer reproductive tract of females, because the greatest reduction in sperm number in birds occurs as sperm swim across the vagina. Contrary to our expectations, sperm swam equally well in fluid from conspecific and heterospecific females, suggesting that postcopulatory prezygotic barriers do not act between these taxon pairs, at this stage between copulation and fertilization. We therefore suggest that divergence in sperm phenotypes in allopatry is insufficient to cause widespread postcopulatory prezygotic barriers in the form of impaired sperm swimming performance in passerine birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R A Cramer
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo PO Box 1172 Blindern 0318 Oslo Norway
| | - Even Stensrud
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo PO Box 1172 Blindern 0318 Oslo Norway
| | - Gunnhild Marthinsen
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo PO Box 1172 Blindern 0318 Oslo Norway
| | - Silje Hogner
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo PO Box 1172 Blindern 0318 Oslo Norway
| | | | - Terje Laskemoen
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo PO Box 1172 Blindern 0318 Oslo Norway
| | | | - Tore Slagsvold
- Department of Biosciences Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES) University of Oslo PO Box 1066 Blindern 0316 Oslo Norway
| | - Jan T Lifjeld
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo PO Box 1172 Blindern 0318 Oslo Norway
| | - Arild Johnsen
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo PO Box 1172 Blindern 0318 Oslo Norway
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23
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Pascoal S, Mendrok M, Mitchell C, Wilson AJ, Hunt J, Bailey NW. Sexual selection and population divergence I: The influence of socially flexible cuticular hydrocarbon expression in male field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus). Evolution 2016; 70:82-97. [PMID: 26678168 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2015] [Revised: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 11/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Debates about how coevolution of sexual traits and preferences might promote evolutionary diversification have permeated speciation research for over a century. Recent work demonstrates that the expression of such traits can be sensitive to variation in the social environment. Here, we examined social flexibility in a sexually selected male trait-cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles-in the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus and tested whether population genetic divergence predicts the extent or direction of social flexibility in allopatric populations. We manipulated male crickets' social environments during rearing and then characterized CHC profiles. CHC signatures varied considerably across populations and also in response to the social environment, but our prediction that increased social flexibility would be selected in more recently founded populations exposed to fluctuating demographic environments was unsupported. Furthermore, models examining the influence of drift and selection failed to support a role of sexual selection in driving population divergence in CHC profiles. Variation in social environments might alter the dynamics of sexual selection, but our results align with theoretical predictions that the role social flexibility plays in modulating evolutionary divergence depends critically on whether responses to variation in the social environment are homogeneous across populations, or whether gene by social environment interactions occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Pascoal
- Centre for Biological Diversity, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TH, United Kingdom
| | - Magdalena Mendrok
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagellonian University, Gronostajova 7, Kraków, 30-387, Poland
| | - Christopher Mitchell
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.,Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, United Kingdom
| | - Alastair J Wilson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, United Kingdom
| | - John Hunt
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, United Kingdom
| | - Nathan W Bailey
- Centre for Biological Diversity, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TH, United Kingdom.
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24
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Runemark A, Brydegaard M, Svensson EI. Does relaxed predation drive phenotypic divergence among insular populations? J Evol Biol 2014; 27:1676-90. [PMID: 24890841 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Revised: 04/21/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of striking phenotypes on islands is a well-known phenomenon, and there has been a long-standing debate on the patterns of body size evolution on islands. The ecological causes driving divergence in insular populations are, however, poorly understood. Reduced predator fauna is expected to lower escape propensity, increase body size and relax selection for crypsis in small-bodied, insular prey species. Here, we investigated whether escape behaviour, body size and dorsal coloration have diverged as predicted under predation release in spatially replicated islet and mainland populations of the lizard species Podarcis gaigeae. We show that islet lizards escape approaching observers at shorter distances and are larger than mainland lizards. Additionally, we found evidence for larger between-population variation in body size among the islet populations than mainland populations. Moreover, islet populations are significantly more divergent in dorsal coloration and match their respective habitats poorer than mainland lizards. These results strongly suggest that predation release on islets has driven population divergence in phenotypic and behavioural traits and that selective release has affected both trait means and variances. Relaxed predation pressure is therefore likely to be one of the major ecological factors driving body size divergence on these islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Runemark
- Evolutionary Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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25
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The scent of sun worship: basking experience alters scent mark composition in male lizards. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1700-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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26
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Runemark A, Hansson B, Ljungqvist M, Brydegaard M, Svensson EI. Has the inbreeding load for a condition-dependent sexual signalling trait been purged in insular lizard populations? Mol Ecol 2013; 22:1310-21. [PMID: 23294127 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2012] [Revised: 11/16/2012] [Accepted: 11/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Sexually selected traits are often condition-dependent and are expected to be affected by genome-wide distributed deleterious mutations and inbreeding. However, sexual selection is a powerful selective force that can counteract inbreeding through purging of deleterious mutations. Inbreeding and purging of the inbreeding load for sexually selected traits has rarely been studied across natural populations with different degrees of inbreeding. Here we investigate inbreeding effects (measured as marker-based heterozygosity) on condition-dependent sexually selected signalling trait and other morphological traits across islet- and mainland populations (n = 15) of an endemic lizard species (Podarcis gaigeae). Our data suggest inbreeding depression on a condition-dependent sexually selected signalling character among mainland subpopulations with low or intermediate levels of inbreeding, but no sign of inbreeding depression among small and isolated islet populations despite their higher overall inbreeding levels. In contrast, there was no such pattern among ten other morphological traits which are primarily naturally selected and presumably not involved in sexual signalling. These results are in line with purging of recessive deleterious alleles, or purging in combination with stochastic fixation of alleles by genetic drift, for a sexual signalling character in the islet environment, which is characterized by low population sizes and strong sexual selection. Higher clutch sizes in islet populations also raise interesting questions regarding the possibility of antagonistic pleiotropy. Purging and other non-exclusive explanations of our results are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Runemark
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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27
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Osikowski A. Asymmetric female preferences for courtship pheromones in two closely-related newt species, the smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) and the Carpathian newt (L. montandoni) (Salamandridae). Zoolog Sci 2012; 29:390-5. [PMID: 22639810 DOI: 10.2108/zsj.29.390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The smooth (Lissotriton vulgaris) and Carpathian (L. montandoni) newts are sister species. These are separated by a moderate genetic distance, but exhibit striking morphological differences, especially in male epigamic traits. In the areas where they co-occur, they readily mate with each other and produce viable hybrids. However, a high level of pre-zygotic isolation with an unknown behavioral basis has been reported. The complex courtship of newts consists of at least three types of modality: chemical, visual, and tactile. The relative significance of these in mate choice is unclear, but it is commonly accepted that pheromones are an important communication channel. The goal of this study was to determine whether the females of L. vulgaris and L. montandoni exhibit preferences for conspecific extracts from the pheromone-producing abdominal (dorsal) glands. Females of both species spent more time in proximity to the source of the abdominal gland extracts of their own species when a liver extract was presented as an alternative. In a second trial, females were simultaneously confronted with conspecific and heterospecific abdominal gland extracts. Asymmetric preferences were found. Lissotriton vulgaris females were not selective, whereas L. montandoni females preferred the conspecific abdominal gland extract. This finding is consistent with the results of earlier experiments on mate choice in these species. The results strongly indicate that pheromones play a crucial role in courtship and species recognition in this pair of closely related, hybridizing species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Osikowski
- Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.
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Font E, Barbosa D, Sampedro C, Carazo P. Social behavior, chemical communication, and adult neurogenesis: studies of scent mark function in Podarcis wall lizards. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2012; 177:9-17. [PMID: 22406138 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2011] [Revised: 02/16/2012] [Accepted: 02/18/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Lacertid lizards have been hailed as a model system for the study of reptilian chemical communication. However, results obtained with the genus Podarcis, a diverse group of wall lizards with complex systematics, challenge emerging paradigms and caution against hasty generalizations. Here we review the available evidence on the role of chemical stimuli in male-female and male-male interactions in Iberian Podarcis. Males of several species can discriminate between chemicals left on substrates by females of their own or a different species, suggesting that differences in female chemical cues may underlie species recognition in this group. Females, on the other hand, do not respond differentially to conspecific and congeneric male scent marks. Males of Podarcis liolepis use scent marks to recognize rivals individually, evaluate their competitive ability (i.e., body size), and assess the threat posed by each individual rival neighbor. In contrast, females do not exhibit a preference for territories scent marked by larger (i.e., more competitive) males, which suggests a limited role for male scent marks in pre-copulatory mate choice. This behavioral sex difference is consistent with detailed neuro-ethological evidence showing that chemosensory brain areas in P. liolepis are sexually dimorphic. The accessory olfactory bulbs are larger (both in absolute and relative terms) in males than in females, probably as a result of sex-specific rates of adult neurogenesis. In both sexes, cell proliferation undergoes seasonal cycles that may have evolved to satisfy increased chemosensory demands at particular times of the year. Overall, and against recent generalizations, these results suggest that male scent marks have been shaped mainly by strong intrasexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Font
- Ethology lab, Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Universidad de Valencia, Apdo. 22085, 46071 Valencia, Spain.
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RUNEMARK ANNA, SVENSSON ERIKI. Sexual selection as a promoter of population divergence in male phenotypic characters: a study on mainland and islet lizard populations. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2012.01866.x] [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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Differences in Chemical Sexual Signals May Promote Reproductive Isolation and Cryptic Speciation between Iberian Wall Lizard Populations. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY 2012; 2012:698520. [PMID: 22288019 PMCID: PMC3263623 DOI: 10.1155/2012/698520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2011] [Revised: 08/08/2011] [Accepted: 10/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Interpopulational variation in sexual signals may lead to premating reproductive isolation and speciation. Genetic and morphological studies suggest that the Iberian wall lizard, Podarcis hispanica, forms part of a “species complex” with several cryptic species. We explored the role of chemical sexual signals in interpopulational recognition between five distinct populations of Iberian wall lizards in Central Spain. Results showed that these populations differed in morphology and in composition and proportion of chemical compounds in femoral gland secretions of males. Tongue-flick experiments indicated that male and female lizards discriminated and were more interested in scents of lizards from their own area (i.e., Northern versus Southern populations), but did not discriminate between all populations. Moreover, only males from the populations that are geographically located more far away preferred scent of females from their own population. These data suggest that, at least between some populations, there may be reproductive isolation mediated by chemical signals and cryptic speciation.
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Runemark A, Hey J, Hansson B, Svensson EI. Vicariance divergence and gene flow among islet populations of an endemic lizard. Mol Ecol 2011; 21:117-29. [PMID: 22129244 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05377.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Allopatry and allopatric speciation can arise through two different mechanisms: vicariance or colonization through dispersal. Distinguishing between these different allopatric mechanisms is difficult and one of the major challenges in biogeographical research. Here, we address whether allopatric isolation in an endemic island lizard is the result of vicariance or dispersal. We estimated the amount and direction of gene flow during the divergence of isolated islet populations and subspecies of the endemic Skyros wall lizard Podarcis gaigeae, a phenotypically variable species that inhabits a major island and small islets in the Greek archipelago. We applied isolation-with-migration models to estimate population divergence times, population sizes and gene flow between islet-mainland population pairs. Divergence times were significantly correlated with independently estimated geological divergence times. This correlation strongly supports a vicariance scenario where islet populations have sequentially become isolated from the major island. We did not find evidence for significant gene flow within P. g. gaigeae. However, gene-flow estimates from the islet to the mainland populations were positively affected by islet area and negatively by distance between the islet and mainland. We also found evidence for gene flow from one subspecies (P. g. weigandi) into another (P. g. gaigeae), but not in the other direction. Ongoing gene flow between the subspecies suggests that even in this geographically allopatric scenario with the sea posing a strong barrier to dispersal, divergence with some gene flow is still feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Runemark
- Department of Biology, Ecology Building, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden.
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