1
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Duque T, Chowdhury S, Isaia M, Pekár S, Riess K, Scherf G, Schäfer RB, Entling MH. Sensitivity of spiders from different ecosystems to lambda-cyhalothrin: effects of phylogeny and climate. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:857-865. [PMID: 37867443 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In spite of their importance as arthropod predators, spiders have received little attention in the risk assessment of pesticides. In addition, research has mainly focused on a few species commonly found in agricultural habitats. Spiders living in more natural ecosystems may also be exposed to and affected by pesticides, including insecticides. However, their sensitivity and factors driving possible variations in sensitivity between spider taxa are largely unknown. To fill this gap, we quantified the sensitivity of 28 spider species from a wide range of European ecosystems to lambda-cyhalothrin in an acute exposure scenario. RESULTS Sensitivity varied among the tested populations by a factor of 30. Strong differences in sensitivity were observed between families, but also between genera within the Lycosidae. Apart from the variation explained by the phylogeny, spiders from boreal and polar climates were more sensitive than spiders from warmer areas. Overall, the median lethal concentration (LC50 ) of 85% of species was below the recommended application rate of lambda-cyhalothrin (75 ng a.i. cm-2 ). CONCLUSION Our study underlines the high sensitivity of spiders to lambda-cyhalothrin, which can lead to unintended negative effects on pest suppression in areas treated with this insecticide. The strong differences observed between families and genera indicate that the functional composition of spider communities would change in affected areas. Overall, the variation in spider sensitivity suggests that multispecies investigations should be more widely considered in pesticide risk assessment. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomás Duque
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Sumaiya Chowdhury
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Marco Isaia
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Stano Pekár
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kai Riess
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Gregor Scherf
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Ralf B Schäfer
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Martin H Entling
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
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2
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Lin YJ, Yeh CH, Wu CZ, Wu LH. Climate and Wolbachia Impacts on Anoplolepis gracilipes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1482. [PMID: 38132308 PMCID: PMC10871109 DOI: 10.3390/biology12121482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes (Smith, 1857)) is a prominent invasive species exhibiting variable population dynamics. Through collecting long-term climate data and validating field surveys with MaxEnt SDM projections, our results indicated that winter temperature and precipitation accumulation strongly influence the population dynamics. An aggression analysis showed that A. gracilipes nests with higher aggression levels (over 2.5 scores) experienced a higher mean maximum temperature (31.84 ± 0.43 °C) and lower prevalence of wAgra (84.8 ± 4.70%) in A. gracilipes from June to October. The nest manipulation and aggression experiments confirmed that temperature increases aggression (1.3 to 2.8 scores) among A. gracilipes workers due to the reduced prevalence of wAgra. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of a notable reduction in the prevalence of Wolbachia (100 to 66%) within a colony of A. gracilipes while maintaining stable nests for further experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Li-Hsin Wu
- Department of Plant Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pintung 91201, Taiwan
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3
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Gordon DM, Steiner E, Das B, Walker NS. Harvester ant colonies differ in collective behavioural plasticity to regulate water loss. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230726. [PMID: 37736532 PMCID: PMC10509591 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Collective behavioural plasticity allows ant colonies to adjust to changing conditions. The red harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus), a desert seed-eating species, regulates foraging activity in response to water stress. Foraging ants lose water to evaporation. Reducing foraging activity in dry conditions sacrifices food intake but conserves water. Within a year, some colonies tend to reduce foraging on dry days while others do not. We examined whether these differences among colonies in collective behavioural plasticity persist from year to year. Colonies live 20-30 years with a single queen who produces successive cohorts of workers which live only a year. The humidity level at which all colonies tend to reduce foraging varies from year to year. Longitudinal observations of 95 colonies over 5 years between 2016 and 2021 showed that differences among colonies, in how they regulate foraging activity in response to day-to-day changes in humidity, persist across years. Approximately 40% of colonies consistently reduced foraging activity, year after year, on days with low daily maximum relative humidity; approximately 20% of colonies never did, foraging as much or more on dry days as on humid days. This variation among colonies may allow evolutionary rescue from drought due to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. M. Gordon
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - E. Steiner
- InfoGraphics Lab, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Biplabendu Das
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - N. S. Walker
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, USA
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4
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Whyte BA, Sandidge R, Buellesbach J, Cash EI, Scheckel KJ, Gibson JD, Tsutsui ND. The role of body size and cuticular hydrocarbons in the desiccation resistance of invasive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile). J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245578. [PMID: 37497773 PMCID: PMC10482004 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245578] [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: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
An insect's cuticle is typically covered in a layer of wax prominently featuring various hydrocarbons involved in desiccation resistance and chemical communication. In Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) communicate colony identity, but also provide waterproofing necessary to survive dry conditions. Theory suggests different CHC compound classes have functional trade-offs, such that selection for compounds used in communication would compromise waterproofing, and vice versa. We sampled sites of invasive L. humile populations from across California to test whether CHC differences between them can explain differences in their desiccation survival. We hypothesized that CHCs whose abundance was correlated with environmental factors would determine survival during desiccation, but our regression analysis did not support this hypothesis. Interestingly, we found the abundance of most CHCs had a negative correlation with survival, regardless of compound class. We suggest that the CHC differences between L. humile nests in California are insufficient to explain their differential survival against desiccation, and that body mass is a better predictor of desiccation survival at this scale of comparison.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian A. Whyte
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, 130 Mulford Hall, #3114, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3114, USA
| | - Rebecca Sandidge
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, 130 Mulford Hall, #3114, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3114, USA
| | - Jan Buellesbach
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, 130 Mulford Hall, #3114, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3114, USA
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Muenster, Hüfferstr. 1, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Elizabeth I. Cash
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, 130 Mulford Hall, #3114, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3114, USA
| | - Kelsey J. Scheckel
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, 130 Mulford Hall, #3114, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3114, USA
| | - Joshua D. Gibson
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, 130 Mulford Hall, #3114, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3114, USA
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, PO Box 8042-1, Statesboro, GA 30460, USA
| | - Neil D. Tsutsui
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, 130 Mulford Hall, #3114, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3114, USA
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5
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Simmons LW, Lovegrove M, Du X(B, Ren Y, Thomas ML. Humidity stress and its consequences for male pre- and post-copulatory fitness traits in an insect. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10244. [PMID: 37404700 PMCID: PMC10316369 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Global declines in insect abundance are of significant concern. While there is evidence that climate change is contributing to insect declines, we know little of the direct mechanisms responsible for these declines. Male fertility is compromised by increasing temperatures, and the thermal limit to fertility has been implicated as an important factor in the response of insects to climate change. However, climate change is affecting both temperature and hydric conditions, and the effects of water availability on male fertility have rarely been considered. Here we exposed male crickets Teleogryllus oceanicus to either low or high-humidity environments while holding temperature constant. We measured water loss and the expression of both pre- and postmating reproductive traits. Males exposed to a low-humidity environment lost more water than males exposed to a high-humidity environment. A male's cuticular hydrocarbon profile (CHC) did not affect the amount of water lost, and males did not adjust the composition of their CHC profiles in response to hydric conditions. Males exposed to a low-humidity environment were less likely to produce courtship song or produced songs of low quality. Their spermatophores failed to evacuate and their ejaculates contained sperm of reduced viability. The detrimental effects of low-humidity on male reproductive traits will compromise male fertility and population persistence. We argue that limits to insect fertility based on temperature alone are likely to underestimate the true effects of climate change on insect persistence and that the explicit incorporation of water regulation into our modeling will yield more accurate predictions of the effects of climate change on insect declines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh W. Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological SciencesThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Maxine Lovegrove
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological SciencesThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Xin (Bob) Du
- Harry Butler InstituteMurdoch UniversityPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Yonglin Ren
- Harry Butler InstituteMurdoch UniversityPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Melissa L. Thomas
- Harry Butler InstituteMurdoch UniversityPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- CSIRO Health and BiosecurityCSIRO Land and WaterFloreatWestern AustraliaAustralia
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6
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Ostwald MM, Tretter S, Buellesbach J, Calixto JM, Fewell JH, Gadau J, Baudier KM. Body mass and cuticular hydrocarbon profiles, but not queen number, underlie worker desiccation resistance in a facultatively polygynous harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus). J Comp Physiol B 2023; 193:261-269. [PMID: 37120421 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-023-01488-3] [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: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
As small-bodied terrestrial organisms, insects face severe desiccation risks in arid environments, and these risks are increasing under climate change. Here, we investigate the physiological, chemical, and behavioral mechanisms by which harvester ants, one of the most abundant arid-adapted insect groups, cope with desiccating environmental conditions. We aimed to understand how body size, cuticular hydrocarbon profiles, and queen number impact worker desiccation resistance in the facultatively polygynous harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex californicus. We measured survival at 0% humidity of field-collected worker ants sourced from three closely situated populations within a semi-arid region of southern California. These populations vary in queen number, with one population dominated by multi-queen colonies (primary polygyny), one population dominated by single-queen colonies, and one containing an even mix of single- and multi-queen colonies. We found no effect of population on worker survival in desiccation assays, suggesting that queen number does not influence colony desiccation resistance. Across populations, however, body mass and cuticular hydrocarbon profiles significantly predicted desiccation resistance. Larger-bodied workers survived longer in desiccation assays, emphasizing the importance of reduced surface area-to-volume ratios in maintaining water balance. Additionally, we observed a positive relationship between desiccation resistance and the abundance of n-alkanes, supporting previous work that has linked these high-melting point compounds to improved body water conservation. Together, these results contribute to an emerging model explaining the physiological mechanisms of desiccation resistance in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandra Tretter
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Jan Buellesbach
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | | | - Jürgen Gadau
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Kaitlin M Baudier
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
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7
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Maihoff F, Sahler S, Schoger S, Brenzinger K, Kallnik K, Sauer N, Bofinger L, Schmitt T, Nooten SS, Classen A. Cuticular hydrocarbons of alpine bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Bombus) are species-specific, but show little evidence of elevation-related climate adaptation. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1082559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpine bumble bees are the most important pollinators in temperate mountain ecosystems. Although they are used to encounter small-scale successions of very different climates in the mountains, many species respond sensitively to climatic changes, reflected in spatial range shifts and declining populations worldwide. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) mediate climate adaptation in some insects. However, whether they predict the elevational niche of bumble bees or their responses to climatic changes remains poorly understood. Here, we used three different approaches to study the role of bumble bees’ CHCs in the context of climate adaptation: using a 1,300 m elevational gradient, we first investigated whether the overall composition of CHCs, and two potentially climate-associated chemical traits (proportion of saturated components, mean chain length) on the cuticle of six bumble bee species were linked to the species’ elevational niches. We then analyzed intraspecific variation in CHCs of Bombus pascuorum along the elevational gradient and tested whether these traits respond to temperature. Finally, we used a field translocation experiment to test whether CHCs of Bombus lucorum workers change, when translocated from the foothill of a cool and wet mountain region to (a) higher elevations, and (b) a warm and dry region. Overall, the six species showed distinctive, species-specific CHC profiles. We found inter- and intraspecific variation in the composition of CHCs and in chemical traits along the elevational gradient, but no link to the elevational distribution of species and individuals. According to our expectations, bumble bees translocated to a warm and dry region tended to express longer CHC chains than bumble bees translocated to cool and wet foothills, which could reflect an acclimatization to regional climate. However, chain lengths did not further decrease systematically along the elevational gradient, suggesting that other factors than temperature also shape chain lengths in CHC profiles. We conclude that in alpine bumble bees, CHC profiles and traits respond at best secondarily to the climate conditions tested in this study. While the functional role of species-specific CHC profiles in bumble bees remains elusive, limited plasticity in this trait could restrict species’ ability to adapt to climatic changes.
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8
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Pokorny T, Ruther J. Cuticular Hydrocarbon Polymorphism in a Parasitoid Wasp. J Chem Ecol 2023; 49:36-45. [PMID: 36705801 PMCID: PMC9941234 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-022-01401-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are major constituents of the cuticular lipid layer of insects. They serve not only as a barrier to desiccation, but often additionally mediate communication at close range. The compositions of the CHC profiles, i.e., the specific compounds and their relative amounts, usually differ between species. Additional intraspecific variability can be found between different populations, between colonies and castes of social insects, and between the sexes. Thus, such groups can often be distinguished based on distinctive compounds and/or specific compound ratios. The CHC profile may further be influenced by biotic and abiotic factors, which therefore can impact, e.g., nestmate recognition or mate choice. However, consistent intrasexual variation seems to be rare. Here, we investigated a case of intrasexual CHC variability within a single population of a parasitoid wasp. While wasps of both sexes produced the same set of compounds, the relative amounts of specific compound classes revealed the presence of intrasexual chemical phenotypes. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of three distinct female CHC profile patterns within a population of a solitary insect that uses CHCs for mate recognition. Additionally, male CHC profiles, while overall very similar, could be separated into two chemotypes by multivariate analysis. The study of species exhibiting such intraspecific and intrasexual CHC variation will advance our understanding of the effects of CHC variability on both, desiccation resistance and intraspecific communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Pokorny
- Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Joachim Ruther
- grid.7727.50000 0001 2190 5763Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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9
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Chaturvedi S, Gompert Z, Feder JL, Osborne OG, Muschick M, Riesch R, Soria-Carrasco V, Nosil P. Climatic similarity and genomic background shape the extent of parallel adaptation in Timema stick insects. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1952-1964. [PMID: 36280782 PMCID: PMC7613875 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01909-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Evolution can repeat itself, resulting in parallel adaptations in independent lineages occupying similar environments. Moreover, parallel evolution sometimes, but not always, uses the same genes. Two main hypotheses have been put forth to explain the probability and extent of parallel evolution. First, parallel evolution is more likely when shared ecologies result in similar patterns of natural selection in different taxa. Second, parallelism is more likely when genomes are similar because of shared standing variation and similar mutational effects in closely related genomes. Here we combine ecological, genomic, experimental and phenotypic data with Bayesian modelling and randomization tests to quantify the degree of parallelism and its relationship with ecology and genetics. Our results show that the extent to which genomic regions associated with climate are parallel among species of Timema stick insects is shaped collectively by shared ecology and genomic background. Specifically, the extent of genomic parallelism decays with divergence in climatic conditions (that is, habitat or ecological similarity) and genomic similarity. Moreover, we find that climate-associated loci are likely subject to selection in a field experiment, overlap with genetic regions associated with cuticular hydrocarbon traits and are not strongly shaped by introgression between species. Our findings shed light on when evolution is most expected to repeat itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samridhi Chaturvedi
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Department of Biology and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA.
| | - Zachariah Gompert
- Department of Biology and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA.
| | - Jeffrey L Feder
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Owen G Osborne
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Bangor, Environment Centre Wales, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Moritz Muschick
- Aquatic Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Fish Ecology and Evolution, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute for Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | - Rüdiger Riesch
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | | | - Patrik Nosil
- Department of Biology and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
- CEFE, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ. Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
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10
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Simmons LW, Lovegrove M, Du B, Ren Y, Thomas ML. Ontogeny can provide insight into the roles of natural and sexual selection in cricket cuticular hydrocarbon evolution. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:276022. [PMID: 35848820 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The often complex cocktails of hydrocarbon compounds found on the cuticles of insects can serve both naturally and sexually selected functions, contributing to an individual's ability to withstand water loss and attract mating partners. However, whether natural and sexual selection act synergistically or antagonistically on a species' cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile remains unclear. Here we examined the ontogeny of the CHC profile in a species of cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus while manipulating humidity during development. We predicted that juvenile crickets should produce only those compounds that contribute to desiccation resistance, while those compounds contributing specifically to male attractiveness should be produced only at sexual maturity. Further, if attractive CHCs come at a cost to desiccation resistance as predicted by some models of sexual selection, then males reared under low humidity should be constrained to invest less in attractive CHCs. Crickets reared under low humidity produced more long chained methyl branched alkanes, alkenes and alkadienes than did crickets reared under high humidity. The abundance of n-alkanes was unaffected by humidity treatment. Sexual dimorphism in the CHC profile was not apparent until adult emergence and became exaggerated 10 days after emergence when crickets were sexually mature. Males produced more of the same compounds that were increased in both sexes under low humidity, but the humidity treatment did not interact with sex in determining CHC abundance. The data suggest that CHC profiles which protect crickets from desiccation might have synergistic effects on male attractiveness, as there was no evidence to suggest males trade-off a CHC profile produced in response to low humidity for one associated with sexual signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh W Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, Australia
| | - Maxine Lovegrove
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, Australia
| | - Bob Du
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth 6150, Australia
| | - Yonglin Ren
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth 6150, Australia
| | - Melissa L Thomas
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth 6150, Australia.,CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, CSIRO Land and Water, Floreat 6014, Australia
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11
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Baumgart L, Wittke M, Morsbach S, Abou B, Menzel F. Why do ants differ in acclimatory ability? Biophysical mechanisms behind cuticular hydrocarbon acclimation across species. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:275883. [PMID: 35775442 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Maintaining water balance is vital for terrestrial organisms. Insects protect themselves against desiccation via cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs). CHC layers are complex mixtures of solid and liquid hydrocarbons, with a surprisingly diverse composition across species. This variation may translate to differential phase behaviour, and hence varying waterproofing capacity. This is especially relevant when temperatures change, which requires acclimatory CHC changes to maintain waterproofing. Nevertheless, the physical consequences of CHC variation are still little understood. We studied acclimatory responses and their consequences for CHC composition, phase behaviour, and drought survival in three congeneric ant species. Colony fragments were kept under cool, warm, and fluctuating temperature regimes. Lasius niger and platythorax, both of which are rich in methyl-branched alkanes, showed largely predictable acclimatory changes of the CHC profile. In both species, warm acclimation increased drought resistance. Warm acclimation increased the proportion of solid compounds in L. niger but not in L. platythorax. In both species, the CHC layer formed a liquid matrix of constantly low viscosity, which contained highly viscous and solid parts. This phase heterogeneity may be adaptive, increasing robustness to temperature fluctuations. In L. brunneus, which is rich in unsaturated hydrocarbons, acclimatory CHC changes were less predictable, and warm acclimation did not enhance drought survival. The CHC layer was more homogenous, but matrix viscosity changed with acclimation. We showed that ant species use different physical mechanisms to enhance waterproofing during acclimation. Hence, the ability to acclimate, and thus climatic niche breadth, may strongly depend on species-specific CHC profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Baumgart
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany.,Institute of Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany.,Matière et Systèmes Complexes (MSC), UMR CNRS 7057, Université de Paris, 75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Marti Wittke
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Svenja Morsbach
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Bérengère Abou
- Matière et Systèmes Complexes (MSC), UMR CNRS 7057, Université de Paris, 75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Florian Menzel
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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12
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Wittke M, Baumgart L, Menzel F. Acclimation in ants: Interference of communication and waterproofing through cuticular hydrocarbons in a multifunctional trait. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marti Wittke
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Johannes Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
| | - Lucas Baumgart
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Johannes Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
- Institute of Biology II, RWTH Aachen Germany
| | - Florian Menzel
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Johannes Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
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13
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Acclimation Effects of Natural Daily Temperature Variation on Longevity, Fecundity, and Thermal Tolerance of the Diamondback Moth (Plutella xylostella). INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13040309. [PMID: 35447751 PMCID: PMC9025151 DOI: 10.3390/insects13040309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Diurnal, monthly, or seasonal temperatures can fluctuate substantially. Daily temperature amplitudes (DTAs) can significantly impact the traits of insects but there is limited evidence from the natural environment. Therefore, we studied the acclimation effects of DTA on the longevity, total fecundity, early fecundity, and thermal tolerance of adult diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella) under environmental conditions. The longevity, total fecundity, early fecundity, and heat thermal tolerance of adults significantly changed under different DTAs. These findings highlight the effects of DTA on the acclimation response in the P.xylostella phenotype, and DTA should be incorporated into prediction models for assessing insect populations and the effects of climate change. Abstract Daily temperature amplitudes (DTAs) significantly affect the ecological and physiological traits of insects. Most studies in this field are based on laboratory experiments, while there is limited research on the effects of changes in DTA on insect phenotypic plasticity under natural conditions. Therefore, we studied the acclimation effects of DTA on the longevity, total fecundity, early fecundity, and the thermal tolerance of adult diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella L.) under naturally occurring environmental conditions. As DTAs increased, male longevity and total fecundity decreased, and early fecundity increased. An increase in DTA was significantly associated with the increased heat coma temperature (CTmax) of both males and females, but had no significant effect on their cold coma temperature (CTmin). Our findings highlight the effects of DTA on the acclimation response of P. xylostella and emphasize the importance of considering DTA in predicting models for assessing insect populations and the effects of climate change.
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14
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Joel AC, Schmitt D, Baumgart L, Menzel F. Insect cuticular hydrocarbon composition influences their interaction with spider capture threads. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274274. [PMID: 35129200 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Insects represent the main prey of spiders, and spiders and insects co-diversified in evolutionary history. One of the main features characterizing spiders is their web as trap to capture prey. Phylogenetically, the cribellate thread is one of the earliest thread types that was specialized to capture prey. In contrast to capture threads, it lacks adhesive glue and consists of nanofibers, which do not only adhere to insects via van der Waals forces, but also interact with the insects' cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) layer, thus enhancing adhesion. The CHC layer consist of multiple hydrocarbon types and is highly diverse between species. In this study, we show that CHC adhesion to cribellate capture threads is affected by CHC composition of the insect. We studied the interaction in detail for four different insect species with different CHC profiles and observed a differential migration of CHCs into the thread. The migration depends on the molecular structure of the hydrocarbon types as well as their viscosity, influenced by altering the ambient temperature during interaction. As a consequence, adhesion forces to CHC layers differ depending on their chemical composition. Our results match predictions based on biophysical properties of hydrocarbons, and show that cribellate spiders can exert selection pressure on the CHC composition of their insect prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Christin Joel
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Zoology, Aachen, Germany.,Johannes Gutenberg-University, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Mainz, Germany
| | - Dorothea Schmitt
- Johannes Gutenberg-University, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Mainz, Germany
| | - Lucas Baumgart
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Zoology, Aachen, Germany
| | - Florian Menzel
- Johannes Gutenberg-University, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Mainz, Germany
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15
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Sprenger PP, Gerbes LJ, Sahm J, Menzel F. Cuticular hydrocarbon profiles differ between ant body parts: implications for communication and our understanding of CHC diffusion. Curr Zool 2021; 67:531-540. [PMID: 34616951 PMCID: PMC8489164 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) serve as communication signals and protect against desiccation. They form complex blends of up to 150 different compounds. Due to differences in molecular packing, CHC classes differ in melting point. Communication is especially important in social insects like ants, which use CHCs to communicate within the colony and to recognize nestmates. Nestmate recognition models often assume a homogenous colony odor, where CHCs are collected, mixed, and redistributed in the postpharyngeal gland (PPG). Via diffusion, recognition cues should evenly spread over the body surface. Hence, CHC composition should be similar across body parts and in the PPG. To test this, we compared CHC composition among whole-body extracts, PPG, legs, thorax, and gaster, across 17 ant species from 3 genera. Quantitative CHC composition differed between body parts, with consistent patterns across species and CHC classes. Early-melting CHC classes were most abundant in the PPG. In contrast, whole body, gaster, thorax, and legs had increasing proportions of CHC classes with higher melting points. Intraindividual CHC variation was highest for rather solid, late-melting CHC classes, suggesting that CHCs differ in their diffusion rates across the body surface. Our results show that body parts strongly differ in CHC composition, either being rich in rather solid, late-melting, or rather liquid, early-melting CHCs. This implies that recognition cues are not homogenously present across the insect body. However, the unequal diffusion of different CHCs represents a biophysical mechanism that enables caste differences despite continuous CHC exchange among colony members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp P Sprenger
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz, 55128, Germany
| | - Lisa J Gerbes
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz, 55128, Germany
| | - Jacqueline Sahm
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz, 55128, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Animal Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, Bayreuth, 95477, Germany
| | - Florian Menzel
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz, 55128, Germany
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16
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Malmos KG, Lüdeking AH, Vosegaard T, Aagaard A, Bechsgaard J, Sørensen JG, Bilde T. Behavioural and physiological responses to thermal stress in a social spider. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Gade Malmos
- Interdisciplinary Nano Science Center (iNANO) Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
| | | | - Thomas Vosegaard
- Interdisciplinary Nano Science Center (iNANO) Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
- Department of Chemistry Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Anne Aagaard
- Department of Biology Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
| | | | | | - Trine Bilde
- Department of Biology Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
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17
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Awater-Salendo S, Voigt D, Hilker M, Fürstenau B. Cuticular Hydrocarbon Trails Released by Host Larvae Lose their Kairomonal Activity for Parasitoids by Solidification. J Chem Ecol 2021; 47:998-1013. [PMID: 34529198 PMCID: PMC8642257 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-021-01310-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Successful host search by parasitic wasps is often mediated by host-associated chemical cues. The ectoparasitoid Holepyris sylvanidis is known to follow chemical trails released by host larvae of the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum, for short-range host location. Although the hexane-extractable trails consist of stable, long-chain cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) with low volatility, the kairomonal activity of a trail is lost two days after release. Here, we studied whether this loss of kairomonal activity is due to changes in the chemical trail composition induced by microbial activity. We chemically analyzed trails consisting of hexane extracts of T. confusum larvae after different time intervals past deposition under sterile and non-sterile conditions. GC-MS analyses revealed that the qualitative and quantitative pattern of the long-chain CHCs of larval trails did not significantly change over time, neither under non-sterile nor sterile conditions. Hence, our results show that the loss of kairomonal activity of host trails is not due to microbially induced changes of the CHC pattern of a trail. Interestingly, the kairomonal activity of trails consisting of host larval CHC extracts was recoverable after two days by applying hexane to them. After hexane evaporation, the parasitoids followed the reactivated host trails as they followed freshly laid ones. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy showed that the trails gradually formed filament-shaped microstructures within two days. This self-assemblage of CHCs was reversible by hexane application. Our study suggests that the long-chain CHCs of a host trail slowly undergo solidification by a self-assembling process, which reduces the accessibility of CHCs to the parasitoid’s receptors as such that the trail is no longer eliciting trail-following behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Awater-Salendo
- Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Ecological Chemistry, Plant Analysis and Stored Product Protection, Julius Kühn Institute, Königin-Luise-Str.19, 14195, Berlin, Germany.,Dahlem Centre of Plant Science, Institute of Biology, Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Freie Universität Berlin, Haderslebener Str.9, 12163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dagmar Voigt
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Technische Universität Dresden, Zellescher Weg 20b, 01217, Dresden, Germany
| | - Monika Hilker
- Dahlem Centre of Plant Science, Institute of Biology, Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Freie Universität Berlin, Haderslebener Str.9, 12163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Benjamin Fürstenau
- Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Ecological Chemistry, Plant Analysis and Stored Product Protection, Julius Kühn Institute, Königin-Luise-Str.19, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
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18
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Sprenger PP, Hartke J, Schmitt T, Menzel F, Feldmeyer B. Candidate genes involved in cuticular hydrocarbon differentiation between cryptic, parabiotic ant species. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2021; 11:6174692. [PMID: 33729492 PMCID: PMC8104948 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Insect cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are highly diverse and have multiple functions, including communication and waterproofing. CHC profiles form species-specific, complex blends of up to 150 compounds. Especially in ants, even closely related species can have largely different profiles, raising the question how CHC differences are mirrored in the regulation of biosynthetic pathways. The neotropical ants Crematogaster levior and Camponotus femoratus both consist of two cryptic species each that are morphologically similar, but express strongly different CHC profiles. This is ideal to study the molecular basis of CHC differences. We thus investigated gene expression differences in fat-body transcriptomes of these ants. Despite common garden conditions, we found several thousand differentially expressed transcripts within each cryptic species pair. Many of these were related to metabolic processes, probably accounting for physiological differences. Moreover, we identified candidate genes from five gene families involved in CHC biosynthesis. By assigning candidate transcripts to orthologs in Drosophila, we inferred which CHCs might be influenced by differential gene expression. Expression of these candidate genes was often mirrored in the CHC profiles. For example, Cr. levior A, which has longer CHCs than its cryptic sister species, had a higher expression of elongases and a lower expression of fatty acyl- CoA reductases. This study is one of the first to identify CHC candidate genes in ants and will provide a basis for further research on the genetic basis of CHC biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp P Sprenger
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Johannes-Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany.,Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Juliane Hartke
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Johannes-Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany.,Senckenberg Research Institute, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Florian Menzel
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Johannes-Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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19
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Steitz I, Paxton RJ, Schulz S, Ayasse M. Chemical Variation among Castes, Female Life Stages and Populations of the Facultative Eusocial Sweat Bee Halictus rubicundus (Hymenoptera: Halictidae). J Chem Ecol 2021; 47:406-419. [PMID: 33788128 PMCID: PMC8116247 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-021-01267-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In eusocial insects, chemical communication is crucial for mediating many aspects of social activities, especially the regulation of reproduction. Though queen signals are known to decrease ovarian activation of workers in highly eusocial species, little is known about their evolution. In contrast, some primitively eusocial species are thought to control worker reproduction through physical aggression by the queen rather than via pheromones, suggesting the evolutionary establishment of chemical signals with more derived sociality. However, studies supporting this hypothesis are largely missing. Socially polymorphic halictid bees, such as Halictus rubicundus, with social and solitary populations in both Europe and North America, offer excellent opportunities to illuminate the evolution of caste-specific signals. Here we compared the chemical profiles of social and solitary populations from both continents and tested whether (i) population or social level affect chemical dissimilarity and whether (ii) caste-specific patterns reflect a conserved queen signal. Our results demonstrate unique odor profiles of European and North American populations, mainly due to different isomers of n-alkenes and macrocyclic lactones; chemical differences may be indicative of phylogeographic drift in odor profiles. We also found common compounds overproduced in queens compared to workers in both populations, indicating a potential conserved queen signal. However, North American populations have a lower caste-specific chemical dissimilarity than European populations which raises the question if both use different mechanisms of regulating reproductive division of labor. Therefore, our study gives new insights into the evolution of eusocial behavior and the role of chemical communication in the inhibition of reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Steitz
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Robert J Paxton
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefan Schulz
- Departement of Life Sciences, Institute of Organic Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Manfred Ayasse
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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20
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Cuticle Hydrocarbons Show Plastic Variation under Desiccation in Saline Aquatic Beetles. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12040285. [PMID: 33806018 PMCID: PMC8064485 DOI: 10.3390/insects12040285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In the context of aridification in Mediterranean regions, desiccation resistance and physiological plasticity will be key traits for the persistence of aquatic insects exposed to increasing desiccation stress. Control of cuticular transpiration through changes in the quantity and composition of epicuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) is one of the main mechanisms of desiccation resistance in insects, but it remains largely unexplored in aquatic ones. We studied acclimation responses to desiccation in adults of two endemic water beetles from distant lineages living in Mediterranean intermittent saline streams: Enochrus jesusarribasi (Hydrophilidae) and Nebrioporus baeticus (Dytiscidae). Cuticular water loss and CHC composition were measured in specimens exposed to a prior non-lethal desiccation stress, allowed to recover and exposed to a subsequent desiccation treatment. E. jesusarribasi showed a beneficial acclimation response to desiccation: pre-desiccated individuals reduced cuticular water loss rate in a subsequent exposure by increasing the relative abundance of cuticular methyl-branched compounds, longer chain alkanes and branched alkanes. In contrast, N. baeticus lacked acclimation capacity for controlling water loss and therefore may have a lower physiological capacity to cope with increasing aridity. These results are relevant to understanding biochemical adaptations to drought stress in inland waters in an evolutionary and ecological context.
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21
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Hartke J, Waldvogel A, Sprenger PP, Schmitt T, Menzel F, Pfenninger M, Feldmeyer B. Little parallelism in genomic signatures of local adaptation in two sympatric, cryptic sister species. J Evol Biol 2021; 34:937-952. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Hartke
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution Johannes‐Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
| | - Ann‐Marie Waldvogel
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Institute for Zoology University of Cologne Cologne Germany
| | - Philipp P. Sprenger
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution Johannes‐Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocentre, Am Hubland University of Würzburg Würzburg Germany
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocentre, Am Hubland University of Würzburg Würzburg Germany
| | - Florian Menzel
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution Johannes‐Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
| | - Markus Pfenninger
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution Johannes‐Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE‐TBG) Frankfurt am Main Germany
| | - Barbara Feldmeyer
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt am Main Germany
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22
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Mitrus S. No effect of lack of wood for acorn ant colonies development. THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2020.1856950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
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23
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Blomquist GJ, Ginzel MD. Chemical Ecology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology of Insect Hydrocarbons. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 66:45-60. [PMID: 33417824 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-031620-071754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Insect cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) consist of complex mixtures of straight-chain alkanes and alkenes, and methyl-branched hydrocarbons. In addition to restricting water loss through the cuticle and preventing desiccation, they have secondarily evolved to serve a variety of functions in chemical communication and play critical roles as signals mediating the life histories of insects. In this review, we describe the physical properties of CHCs that allow for both waterproofing and signaling functions, summarize their roles as inter- and intraspecific chemical signals, and discuss the influences of diet and environment on CHC profiles. We also present advances in our understanding of hydrocarbon biosynthesis. Hydrocarbons are biosynthesized in oenocytes and transported to the cuticle by lipophorin proteins. Recent work on the synthesis of fatty acids and their ultimate reductive decarbonylation to hydrocarbons has taken advantage of powerful new tools of molecular biology, including genomics and RNA interference knockdown of specific genes, to provide new insights into the biosynthesis of hydrocarbons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary J Blomquist
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA;
| | - Matthew D Ginzel
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA;
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
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24
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Low temperatures induce physiological changes in lipids, fatty acids and hydrocarbons, in two rare winter scorpions of genus Urophonius (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae). J Therm Biol 2021; 96:102841. [PMID: 33627278 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.102841] [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: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Different organisms (mainly poikilotherms) are subject to environmental fluctuations that could affect their normal physiological functioning (e.g., by destabilization of biomembranes and rupture of biomolecules). As a result, animals regulate their body temperature and adapt to different environmental conditions through various physiological strategies. These adaptations are crucial in all organisms, although they are more relevant in those that have reached a great adaptive diversity such as scorpions. Within scorpions, the genus Urophonius presents species with winter activity, being this a peculiarity within the Order and an opportunity to study the strategies deployed by these organisms when facing different temperatures. Here, we explore three basic issues of lipid remodeling under high and low temperatures, using adults and juveniles of Urophonius achalensis and U. brachycentrus. First, as an indicator of metabolic state, we analyzed the lipidic changes in different tissues observing that low temperatures generate higher quantities of triacylglycerols and fewer amount of structural lipids and sphyngomielin. Furthermore, we studied the participation of fatty acids in adaptive homeoviscosity, showing that there are changes in the quantity of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids at low temperature (mainly 16:0, 18:0, 18:1 and 18:2). Finally, we observe that there are quantitative and qualitative variations in the cuticular hydrocarbons (with possible water barrier and chemical recognition function). These fluctuations are in some cases species-specific, metabolic-specific, tissue-specific and in others depend on the ontogenetic state.
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25
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Perez R, Aron S. Adaptations to thermal stress in social insects: recent advances and future directions. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:1535-1553. [PMID: 33021060 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Thermal stress is a major driver of population declines and extinctions. Shifts in thermal regimes create new environmental conditions, leading to trait adaptation, population migration, and/or species extinction. Extensive research has examined thermal adaptations in terrestrial arthropods. However, little is known about social insects, despite their major role in ecosystems. It is only within the last few years that the adaptations of social insects to thermal stress have received attention. Herein, we discuss what is currently known about thermal tolerance and thermal adaptation in social insects - namely ants, termites, social bees, and social wasps. We describe the behavioural, morphological, physiological, and molecular adaptations that social insects have evolved to cope with thermal stress. We examine individual and collective responses to both temporary and persistent changes in thermal conditions and explore the extent to which individuals can exploit genetic variability to acclimatise. Finally, we consider the costs and benefits of sociality in the face of thermal stress, and we propose some future research directions that should advance our knowledge of individual and collective thermal adaptations in social insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rémy Perez
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Serge Aron
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
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26
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Leeson SA, Kennington WJ, Evans TA, Simmons LW. Phenotypic plasticity but no adaptive divergence in cuticular hydrocarbons and desiccation resistance among translocated populations of dung beetles. Evol Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-020-10074-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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27
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Butterworth NJ, Wallman JF, Drijfhout FP, Johnston NP, Keller PA, Byrne PG. The evolution of sexually dimorphic cuticular hydrocarbons in blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae). J Evol Biol 2020; 33:1468-1486. [PMID: 32722879 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are organic compounds found on the cuticles of all insects which can act as close-contact pheromones, while also providing a hydrophobic barrier to water loss. Given their widespread importance in sexual behaviour and survival, CHCs have likely contributed heavily to the adaptation and speciation of insects. Despite this, the patterns and mechanisms of their diversification have been studied in very few taxa. Here, we perform the first study of CHC diversification in blowflies, focussing on wild populations of the ecologically diverse genus Chrysomya. We convert CHC profiles into qualitative and quantitative traits and assess their inter- and intra-specific variation across 10 species. We also construct a global phylogeny of Chrysomya, onto which CHCs were mapped to explore the patterns of their diversification. For the first time, we demonstrate that blowflies express an exceptional diversity of CHCs, which have diversified in a nonphylogenetic and punctuated manner, are species-specific and sexually dimorphic. It is likely that both ecological and sexual selection have shaped these patterns of CHC diversification, and our study now provides a comprehensive framework for testing such hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan J Butterworth
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - James F Wallman
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.,School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Falko P Drijfhout
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Keele University, Keele, UK
| | - Nikolas P Johnston
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Paul A Keller
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Phillip G Byrne
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
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28
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Walsh J, Pontieri L, d'Ettorre P, Linksvayer TA. Ant cuticular hydrocarbons are heritable and associated with variation in colony productivity. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201029. [PMID: 32517627 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In social insects, cuticular hydrocarbons function in nest-mate recognition and also provide a waxy barrier against desiccation, but basic evolutionary features, including the heritability of hydrocarbon profiles and how they are shaped by natural selection are largely unknown. We used a new pharaoh ant (Monomorium pharaonis) laboratory mapping population to estimate the heritability of individual cuticular hydrocarbons, genetic correlations between hydrocarbons, and fitness consequences of phenotypic variation in the hydrocarbons. Individual hydrocarbons had low to moderate estimated heritability, indicating that some compounds provide more information about genetic relatedness and can also better respond to natural selection. Strong genetic correlations between compounds are likely to constrain independent evolutionary trajectories, which is expected, given that many hydrocarbons share biosynthetic pathways. Variation in cuticular hydrocarbons was associated with variation in colony productivity, with some hydrocarbons experiencing strong directional selection. Altogether, this study builds on our knowledge of the genetic architecture of the social insect hydrocarbon profile and indicates that hydrocarbon variation is shaped by natural selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Walsh
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Luigi Pontieri
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Patrizia d'Ettorre
- Laboratory of Experimental and Comparative Ethology (LEEC), University of Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, France
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Firmino ELB, Mendonça A, Michelutti KB, Bernardi RC, Lima-Junior SE, Cardoso CAL, Antonialli-Junior WF. Intraspecific variation of cuticular hydrocarbons and apolar compounds in the venom of Ectatomma brunneum. CHEMOECOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00049-020-00309-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Overlooked Scents: Chemical Profile of Soma, Volatile Emissions and Trails of the Green Tree Ant, Oecophylla smaragdina. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25092112. [PMID: 32365972 PMCID: PMC7249187 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25092112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The green tree ant, Oecophylla smaragdina, is one of only two recognized species of weaver ants. While the identity and functions of chemicals produced and emitted by its congener O. longinoda have been studied quite extensively and serve as a valuable model in chemical ecology research, little comparable information is available about O. smaragdina. Although some analyses of chemicals produced and emitted by O. smaragdina have been reported, the literature is fragmentary and incomplete for this species. To address this knowledge gap, and to enable comparisons in the chemical ecology of the two weaver ant species, we here describe diverse chemicals from the cuticle, Dufour's glands, poison glands, head, headspace volatiles, and trails of O. smaragdina.
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Pu J, Wang Z, Chung H. Climate change and the genetics of insecticide resistance. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2020; 76:846-852. [PMID: 31793168 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Changes in global temperature and humidity as a result of climate change are producing rapid evolutionary changes in many animal species, including agricultural pests and disease vectors, leading to changes in allele frequencies of genes involved in thermotolerance and desiccation resistance. As some of these genes have pleiotropic effects on insecticide resistance, climate change is likely to affect insecticide resistance in the field. In this review, we discuss how the interactions between adaptation to climate change and resistance to insecticides can affect insecticide resistance in the field using examples in phytophagous and hematophagous pest insects, focusing on the effects of increased temperature and increased aridity. We then use detailed genetic and mechanistic studies in the model insect, Drosophila melanogaster, to explain the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. We suggest that tradeoffs or facilitation between adaptation to climate change and resistance to insecticides can alter insecticide resistance allele frequencies in the field. The dynamics of these interactions will need to be considered when managing agricultural pests and disease vectors in a changing climate. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Pu
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Zinan Wang
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Henry Chung
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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32
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Environmental and genetic constraints on cuticular hydrocarbon composition and nestmate recognition in ants. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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33
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Neves EF, Lima LD, Sguarizi-Antonio D, Andrade LHC, Lima SM, Lima-Junior SE, Antonialli-Junior WF. Intraspecific Cuticular Chemical Profile Variation in the Social Wasp Mischocyttarus consimilis (Hymenoptera, Vespidae). NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 48:1030-1038. [PMID: 31456168 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-019-00711-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Chemical compounds present on the cuticle of social insects are important in communication, as they are used in recognition of nestmates and sexual partners as well as in caste distinction, varying according to several factors, such as genetic and environmental. In this context, some studies have explored the cuticular chemical profile as a tool for assessing intra- and interspecific differences in social insects, although few studies have investigated this in social wasps. This study aimed to assess the differences in cuticular chemical profiles among different geographic samples of the wasp Mischocyttarus consimilis Zikán. Our hypothesis was that environmental factors are decisive to compose the cuticular chemical profiles of colonies of these social wasps and that there are differences regarding the geographic distribution among colonies. We used Fourier Transform Infrared-Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (FTIR-PAS) to assess the chemical profiles of samples. Our results show that despite there are differences between the cuticular chemical composition of the wasps' samples from different populations, there is no significant correlation compared to the spatial distribution of the colonies nor with the environment. Thus, our hypothesis was refuted, and we can infer that in this species neither exogenous nor genetic factors stand out to differentiate the chemical signature of their colonies, but a combination of both.
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Affiliation(s)
- E F Neves
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Univ Federal da Grande Dourados, Dourados, MS, Brasil.
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental, Univ Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Rodovia Dourados/ Itahum, Km 12, 79804-970, Dourados, MS, Brasil.
| | - L D Lima
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental, Univ Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Rodovia Dourados/ Itahum, Km 12, 79804-970, Dourados, MS, Brasil
| | - D Sguarizi-Antonio
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental, Univ Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Rodovia Dourados/ Itahum, Km 12, 79804-970, Dourados, MS, Brasil
| | - L H C Andrade
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Naturais, Univ Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados, MS, Brasil
| | - S M Lima
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Naturais, Univ Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados, MS, Brasil
| | - S E Lima-Junior
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Naturais, Univ Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados, MS, Brasil
| | - W F Antonialli-Junior
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental, Univ Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Rodovia Dourados/ Itahum, Km 12, 79804-970, Dourados, MS, Brasil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Naturais, Univ Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados, MS, Brasil
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Steitz I, Brandt K, Biefel F, Minat Ä, Ayasse M. Queen Recognition Signals in Two Primitively Eusocial Halictid Bees: Evolutionary Conservation and Caste-Specific Perception. INSECTS 2019; 10:E416. [PMID: 31766459 PMCID: PMC6955767 DOI: 10.3390/insects10120416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Queen signals are known to regulate reproductive harmony within eusocial colonies by influencing worker behavior and ovarian physiology. However, decades of research have resulted in the identification of just a few queen signals, and studies of their mode of action are rare. Our aim was to identify queen recognition signals in the halictid bee Lasioglossum pauxillum and to analyze caste differences in the olfactory perception of queen signals in L. pauxillum and the closely related species L. malachurum. We performed chemical analyses and bioassays to test for caste differences in chemical profiles and worker behavior influenced by queen-specific compounds in L. pauxillum. Our results indicated that caste differences in the chemical profiles were mainly attributable to higher amounts of macrocyclic lactones in queens. Bioassays demonstrated a higher frequency of subordinate behavior in workers elicited by queen-specific amounts of macrocyclic lactones. Thus, macrocyclic lactones function as queen recognition signals in L. pauxillum, as in L. malachurum. Using electrophysiological analyses, we have demonstrated that queens of both tested species lack antennal reactions to certain macrocyclic lactones. Therefore, we assume that this is a mechanism to prevent reproductive self-inhibition in queens. Our results should stimulate debate on the conservation and mode of action of queen signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Steitz
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany; (K.B.); (F.B.); (Ä.M.); (M.A.)
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Sprenger PP, Hartke J, Feldmeyer B, Orivel J, Schmitt T, Menzel F. Influence of Mutualistic Lifestyle, Mutualistic Partner, and Climate on Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles in Parabiotic Ants. J Chem Ecol 2019; 45:741-754. [DOI: 10.1007/s10886-019-01099-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Botella-Cruz M, Pallarés S, Millán A, Velasco J. Role of cuticle hydrocarbons composition in the salinity tolerance of aquatic beetles. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 117:103899. [PMID: 31202853 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.103899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Salinity tolerance has enabled the colonization of inland saline waters and promoted species diversification in some lineages of aquatic insects. However, the mechanisms behind this tolerance, particularly the role of cuticle hydrocarbons (CHCs), are not well-known. We characterized the CHC profile of eight species of two water beetle genera (Nebrioporus, Adephaga: Dytiscidae and Enochrus, Polyphaga: Hydrophilidae), which span the fresh-hypersaline gradient, to: i) determine the interspecific variation of CHC composition in relation to species' salinity tolerance; ii) explore plastic adjustments in CHC profiles in response to salinity changes at the intraspecific level in saline-tolerant species. CHC profiles were highly species-specific, more complex and diverse in composition, and characterized by longer-chain-length compounds in the species with higher salinity tolerance within each genus. Higher salinity tolerance in the Enochrus species was also associated with an increase in the relative abundance of branched alkanes, and with a lower proportion of n-alkanes and unsaturated compounds. These CHC characteristics are related with improved waterproofing capacity and suggest that reducing cuticle permeability was one of the key mechanisms to adapt to saline waters. Similar CHC composition patterns were found at the intraspecific level between populations from lower and higher salinity sites within saline-tolerant species of each genus. These saline species also displayed an extraordinary ability to adjust CHC profiles to changing salinity conditions in the laboratory in a relatively short time, which reflects great plasticity and a high potential to deal with daily and seasonal environmental fluctuations in the highly dynamic saline habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Susana Pallarés
- Department of Zoology, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain; Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales (ICAM), University of Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
| | - Andrés Millán
- Department of Ecology and Hydrology, University of Murcia, Spain
| | - Josefa Velasco
- Department of Ecology and Hydrology, University of Murcia, Spain
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Schnee L, Sampalla B, Müller JK, Betz O. A comparison of tarsal morphology and traction force in the two burying beetles Nicrophorus nepalensis and Nicrophorus vespilloides (Coleoptera, Silphidae). BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2019; 10:47-61. [PMID: 30680278 PMCID: PMC6334798 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.10.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Our aim was to compare friction and traction forces between two burying beetle species of the genus Nicrophorus exhibiting different attachment abilities during climbing. Specifically, the interaction of adhesive hairs and claws during attachment with respect to various surface properties was investigated by using a 2 × 3 experimental design. Traction force was measured for two different surface energies (hydrophilic vs hydrophobic) varying in roughness from smooth to micro-rough to rough. Nanotribometric tests on single legs were also performed. The external morphology of the attachment devices investigated by scanning electron microscopy suggested higher intra-specific (intersexual) than inter-specific differences. Whereas differences between the two species in traction force were high on smooth surfaces, no differences could be detected between males and females within each species. With claws intact, both species showed the highest forces on rough surfaces, although N. nepalensis with clipped claws performed best on a smooth surface. However, N. nepalensis beetles outperformed N. vespilloides, which showed no differences between smooth and rough surfaces with clipped claws. Both species demonstrated poor traction forces on micro-rough surfaces. Results concerning the impact of surface polarity were inconclusive, whereas roughness more strongly affected the attachment performance in both species. Nanotribometric analyses of the fore tarsi performed on micro-rough and rough surfaces revealed higher friction in the proximal (pull) direction compared with the distal (push) direction. In these experiments, we detected neither differences in friction performance between the two species, nor clear trends concerning the influence of surface polarity. We conclude that the investigated morphological traits are not critical for the observed interspecific difference in attachment ability on smooth surfaces. Furthermore, interspecific differences in performance are only clear on smooth surfaces and vanish on micro-rough and rough surfaces. Our results suggest that even subtle differences in the adhesion-mediating secretion in closely related species might result in qualitative performance shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liesa Schnee
- Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Evolutionsbiologie der Invertebraten, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28E, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Benjamin Sampalla
- Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Evolutionsbiologie der Invertebraten, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28E, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Josef K Müller
- Institut für Biologie I, Evolutionsbiologie & Ökologie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Hauptstr.1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Betz
- Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Evolutionsbiologie der Invertebraten, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28E, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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Menzel F, Morsbach S, Martens JH, Räder P, Hadjaje S, Poizat M, Abou B. Communication vs. waterproofing: the physics of insect cuticular hydrocarbons. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.210807. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.210807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the evolution of complex traits is among the major challenges in biology. One such trait is the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) layer in insects. It protects against desiccation and provides communication signals, especially in social insects. CHC composition is highly diverse within and across species. To understand the adaptive value of this chemical diversity, we must understand how it affects biological functionality. So far, CHCs received ample research attention, but their physical properties were little studied. We argue that these properties determine their biological functionality, and are vital to understand how CHC composition affects their adaptive value. We investigated melting behaviour and viscosity of CHCs from eleven ant species using differential scanning calorimetry and a novel microrheological technique.
Cuticular hydrocarbons began melting below -45°C, and often were entirely liquid only above 30°C. Thus, they formed a solid-liquid mixture at ambient conditions, which contrasts to previous assumptions of entirely solid layers in many species. This may be adaptive since only biphasic CHC layers ensure uniform coating of the insect body, which is necessary for waterproofing. CHC viscosity was mostly between 0.1 and 0.2 Pa.s, thus similar to motor oils. Surprisingly, chemically different CHC profiles had similar viscosities, suggesting that a certain viscosity level is adaptive and ensures that communication signals can be perceived.
With this study, we draw attention to the importance of studying the physics of CHC layers. Only by understanding how chemical and physical mechanisms enable CHC functionality can we understand the causes and consequences of CHC diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Menzel
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, University of Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Svenja Morsbach
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Jiska H. Martens
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, University of Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Matière et Systèmes Complexes (MSC), UMR CNRS 7057, Université de Paris, 75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Petra Räder
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Simon Hadjaje
- Matière et Systèmes Complexes (MSC), UMR CNRS 7057, Université de Paris, 75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Marine Poizat
- Matière et Systèmes Complexes (MSC), UMR CNRS 7057, Université de Paris, 75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Bérengère Abou
- Matière et Systèmes Complexes (MSC), UMR CNRS 7057, Université de Paris, 75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
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