1
|
Mongue AJ, Martin SH, Manweiler REV, Scullion H, Koehn JL, de Roode JC, Walters JR. Genome sequence of Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, an apicomplexan parasite of monarch butterflies: cryptic diversity and response to host-sequestered plant chemicals. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:278. [PMID: 37226080 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09350-0] [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: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexa are ancient and diverse organisms which have been poorly characterized by modern genomics. To better understand the evolution and diversity of these single-celled eukaryotes, we sequenced the genome of Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, a parasite of monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus. We contextualize our newly generated resources within apicomplexan genomics before answering longstanding questions specific to this host-parasite system. To start, the genome is miniscule, totaling only 9 million bases and containing fewer than 3,000 genes, half the gene content of two other sequenced invertebrate-infecting apicomplexans, Porospora gigantea and Gregarina niphandrodes. We found that O. elektroscirrha shares different orthologs with each sequenced relative, suggesting the true set of universally conserved apicomplexan genes is very small indeed. Next, we show that sequencing data from other potential host butterflies can be used to diagnose infection status as well as to study diversity of parasite sequences. We recovered a similarly sized parasite genome from another butterfly, Danaus chrysippus, that was highly diverged from the O. elektroscirrha reference, possibly representing a distinct species. Using these two new genomes, we investigated potential evolutionary response by parasites to toxic phytochemicals their hosts ingest and sequester. Monarch butterflies are well-known to tolerate toxic cardenolides thanks to changes in the sequence of their Type II ATPase sodium pumps. We show that Ophryocystis completely lacks Type II or Type 4 sodium pumps, and related proteins PMCA calcium pumps show extreme sequence divergence compared to other Apicomplexa, demonstrating new avenues of research opened by genome sequencing of non-model Apicomplexa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Mongue
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
| | - Simon H Martin
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rachel E V Manweiler
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA
| | - Helena Scullion
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
| | - Jordyn L Koehn
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA
| | | | - James R Walters
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Mohammadi S, Yang L, Bulbert M, Rowland HM. Defence mitigation by predators of chemically defended prey integrated over the predation sequence and across biological levels with a focus on cardiotonic steroids. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220363. [PMID: 36133149 PMCID: PMC9449480 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Predator-prey interactions have long served as models for the investigation of adaptation and fitness in natural environments. Anti-predator defences such as mimicry and camouflage provide some of the best examples of evolution. Predators, in turn, have evolved sensory systems, cognitive abilities and physiological resistance to prey defences. In contrast to prey defences which have been reviewed extensively, the evolution of predator counter-strategies has received less attention. To gain a comprehensive view of how prey defences can influence the evolution of predator counter-strategies, it is essential to investigate how and when selection can operate. In this review we evaluate how predators overcome prey defences during (i) encounter, (ii) detection, (iii) identification, (iv) approach, (v) subjugation, and (vi) consumption. We focus on prey that are protected by cardiotonic steroids (CTS)-defensive compounds that are found in a wide range of taxa, and that have a specific physiological target. In this system, coevolution is well characterized between specialist insect herbivores and their host plants but evidence for coevolution between CTS-defended prey and their predators has received less attention. Using the predation sequence framework, we organize 574 studies reporting predators overcoming CTS defences, integrate these counter-strategies across biological levels of organization, and discuss the costs and benefits of attacking CTS-defended prey. We show that distinct lineages of predators have evolved dissecting behaviour, changes in perception of risk and of taste perception, and target-site insensitivity. We draw attention to biochemical, hormonal and microbiological strategies that have yet to be investigated as predator counter-adaptations to CTS defences. We show that the predation sequence framework will be useful for organizing future studies of chemically mediated systems and coevolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shabnam Mohammadi
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA
- Institut für Zell- und Systembiologie der Tiere, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Lu Yang
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Matthew Bulbert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Oxford Brookes, Oxford, UK
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mohammadi S, Yang L, Bulbert M, Rowland HM. Defence mitigation by predators of chemically defended prey integrated over the predation sequence and across biological levels with a focus on cardiotonic steroids. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220363. [PMID: 36133149 DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6168216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Predator-prey interactions have long served as models for the investigation of adaptation and fitness in natural environments. Anti-predator defences such as mimicry and camouflage provide some of the best examples of evolution. Predators, in turn, have evolved sensory systems, cognitive abilities and physiological resistance to prey defences. In contrast to prey defences which have been reviewed extensively, the evolution of predator counter-strategies has received less attention. To gain a comprehensive view of how prey defences can influence the evolution of predator counter-strategies, it is essential to investigate how and when selection can operate. In this review we evaluate how predators overcome prey defences during (i) encounter, (ii) detection, (iii) identification, (iv) approach, (v) subjugation, and (vi) consumption. We focus on prey that are protected by cardiotonic steroids (CTS)-defensive compounds that are found in a wide range of taxa, and that have a specific physiological target. In this system, coevolution is well characterized between specialist insect herbivores and their host plants but evidence for coevolution between CTS-defended prey and their predators has received less attention. Using the predation sequence framework, we organize 574 studies reporting predators overcoming CTS defences, integrate these counter-strategies across biological levels of organization, and discuss the costs and benefits of attacking CTS-defended prey. We show that distinct lineages of predators have evolved dissecting behaviour, changes in perception of risk and of taste perception, and target-site insensitivity. We draw attention to biochemical, hormonal and microbiological strategies that have yet to be investigated as predator counter-adaptations to CTS defences. We show that the predation sequence framework will be useful for organizing future studies of chemically mediated systems and coevolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shabnam Mohammadi
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA
- Institut für Zell- und Systembiologie der Tiere, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Lu Yang
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Matthew Bulbert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Oxford Brookes, Oxford, UK
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Petschenka G, Halitschke R, Züst T, Roth A, Stiehler S, Tenbusch L, Hartwig C, Gámez JFM, Trusch R, Deckert J, Chalušová K, Vilcinskas A, Exnerová A. Sequestration of defenses against predators drives specialized host plant associations in preadapted milkweed bugs (Heteroptera: Lygaeinae). Am Nat 2022; 199:E211-E228. [DOI: 10.1086/719196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
5
|
Mixed-Species Gardens Increase Monarch Oviposition without Increasing Top-Down Predation. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11090648. [PMID: 32971748 PMCID: PMC7565542 DOI: 10.3390/insects11090648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The North American monarch butterfly is an iconic insect that has recently declined by over 80%, largely due to habitat loss. The primary approach to mitigate population declines is to plant milkweed, the primary host plant that monarch caterpillars feed and develop on. Recently, researchers have focused on optimizing monarch conservation habitats (i.e., milkweed plantings) in urban green spaces by studying habitat design and plant species selection. In many cases, as plant diversity increases, predatory and parasitic insect diversity increases and insect herbivore colonization and establishment decrease. We compared milkweed monocultures to a mixture of milkweed and other wildflower species to see what effects plant diversity have on monarchs and potential predators. We found that monarchs laid 22% more eggs on milkweed planted in mixed-species plots than milkweed in monoculture. We also found more predators in the mixed-species plantings, but this did not affect monarch disappearance rates. These results can be used to create evidence-based guidelines for monarch conservation habitats. Abstract Monarch butterfly populations have declined by over 80% in the last 20 years. Conservation efforts focus on the creation of milkweed habitats to mitigate this decline. Previous research has found monarchs lay more eggs per milkweed stem in urban gardens than natural habitats and recent work identified specific garden designs that make urban gardens more attractive to monarchs. Increasing plant diversity can reduce specialist insect herbivore colonization via bottom-up (e.g., plant) and top-down (e.g., predation) regulatory factors. Although this is beneficial for pest management efforts, it contradicts conservation efforts. In this study, we explored if adding multiple flowering species to garden-sized milkweed plantings affected monarch oviposition or top-down regulation of larvae. We compared monarch egg abundance, natural enemy abundance and richness, and biological control of monarch larvae in milkweed monocultures and milkweed mixed with four additional wildflower species. We found that monarchs laid 22% more eggs on sentinel milkweed plants in mixed-species plots with no effect of plant diversity on monarch survival. We also found higher natural enemy richness, wasp, and predatory bug abundance in the mixed-species plots and this did not translate to higher biological control rates. Our results provide more evidence that plant selection and habitat design are important for monarch conservation.
Collapse
|
6
|
Hämäläinen L, Mappes J, Thorogood R, Valkonen JK, Karttunen K, Salmi T, Rowland HM. Predators’ consumption of unpalatable prey does not vary as a function of bitter taste perception. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Many prey species contain defensive chemicals that are described as tasting bitter. Bitter taste perception is, therefore, assumed to be important when predators are learning about prey defenses. However, it is not known how individuals differ in their response to bitter taste, and how this influences their foraging decisions. We conducted taste perception assays in which wild-caught great tits (Parus major) were given water with increasing concentrations of bitter-tasting chloroquine diphosphate until they showed an aversive response to bitter taste. This response threshold was found to vary considerably among individuals, ranging from chloroquine concentrations of 0.01 mmol/L to 8 mmol/L. We next investigated whether the response threshold influenced the consumption of defended prey during avoidance learning by presenting birds with novel palatable and defended prey in a random sequence until they refused to attack defended prey. We predicted that individuals with taste response thresholds at lower concentrations would consume fewer defended prey before rejecting them, but found that the response threshold had no effect on the birds’ foraging choices. Instead, willingness to consume defended prey was influenced by the birds’ body condition. This effect was age- and sex-dependent, with adult males attacking more of the defended prey when their body condition was poor, whereas body condition did not have an effect on the foraging choices of juveniles and females. Together, our results suggest that even though taste perception might be important for recognizing prey toxicity, other factors, such as predators’ energetic state, drive the decisions to consume chemically defended prey.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liisa Hämäläinen
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Johanna Mappes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Rose Thorogood
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Programme in Organismal & Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Janne K Valkonen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Kaijamari Karttunen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Tuuli Salmi
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Hannah M Rowland
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, UK
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Abstract
Every fall, millions of North American monarch butterflies undergo a stunning long-distance migration to reach their overwintering grounds in Mexico. Migration allows the butterflies to escape freezing temperatures and dying host plants, and reduces infections with a virulent parasite. We discuss the multigenerational migration journey and its evolutionary history, and highlight the navigational mechanisms of migratory monarchs. Monarchs use a bidirectional time-compensated sun compass for orientation, which is based on a time-compensating circadian clock that resides in the antennae, and which has a distinctive molecular mechanism. Migrants can also use a light-dependent inclination magnetic compass for orientation under overcast conditions. Additional environmental features, e.g., atmospheric conditions, geologic barriers, and social interactions, likely augment navigation. The publication of the monarch genome and the development of gene-editing strategies have enabled the dissection of the genetic and neurobiological basis of the migration. The monarch butterfly has emerged as an excellent system to study the ecological, neural, and genetic basis of long-distance animal migration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven M Reppert
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Hermann SL, Blackledge C, Haan NL, Myers AT, Landis DA. Predators of monarch butterfly eggs and neonate larvae are more diverse than previously recognised. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14304. [PMID: 31586127 PMCID: PMC6778129 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50737-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Conserving threatened organisms requires knowledge of the factors impacting their populations. The Eastern monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus L.) has declined by as much as 80% in the past two decades and conservation biologists are actively seeking to understand and reverse this decline. While it is well known that most monarchs die as eggs and young larvae, few studies have focused on identifying what arthropod taxa contribute to these losses. The aim of our study was to identify previously undocumented predators of immature monarchs in their summer breeding range in the United States. Using no-choice feeding assays augmented with field observations, we evaluated 75 arthropod taxa commonly found on the primary host plant for their propensity to consume immature monarchs. Here we report 36 previously unreported monarch predators, including representatives from 4 new orders (Orthoptera, Dermaptera, Lepidoptera and Opiliones) and 11 taxa (Acrididae, Gryllidae, Tettigoniidae, Forficulidae, Anthocoridae, Geocoridae, Lygaeidae, Miridae, Nabidae, Erebidae and Opilliones). Surprisingly, several putative herbivores were found to readily consume immature monarchs, both in a targeted fashion or incidentally as a result of herbivory. This work expands our understanding of the monarch predator community and highlights the importance of unrecognized predation on insects of conservation concern.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara L Hermann
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA.
| | | | - Nathan L Haan
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA
| | - Andrew T Myers
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA.,Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA
| | - Douglas A Landis
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA.,Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Bramer C, Schweizer C, Dobler S. Cardenolide-defended milkweed bugs do not evoke learning inNephila senegalensisspiders. Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Bramer
- Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institut; Georg-August-Universität; Göttingen Germany
- Institut für Zoologie; Universität Hamburg; Hamburg Germany
| | | | - Susanne Dobler
- Institut für Zoologie; Universität Hamburg; Hamburg Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Johnson PTJ, Calhoun DM, Stokes AN, Susbilla CB, McDevitt-Galles T, Briggs CJ, Hoverman JT, Tkach VV, de Roode JC. Of poisons and parasites-the defensive role of tetrodotoxin against infections in newts. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:1192-1204. [PMID: 29476541 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Classical research on animal toxicity has focused on the role of toxins in protection against predators, but recent studies suggest these same compounds can offer a powerful defense against parasites and infectious diseases. Newts in the genus Taricha are brightly coloured and contain the potent neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin (TTX), which is hypothesized to have evolved as a defense against vertebrate predators such as garter snakes. However, newt populations often vary dramatically in toxicity, which is only partially explained by predation pressure. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between TTX concentration and infection by parasites. By systematically assessing micro- and macroparasite infections among 345 adult newts (sympatric populations of Taricha granulosa and T. torosa), we detected 18 unique taxa of helminths, fungi, viruses and protozoans. For both newt species, per-host concentrations of TTX, which varied from undetectable to >60 μg/cm2 skin, negatively predicted overall parasite richness as well as the likelihood of infection by the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, and ranavirus. No such effect was found on infection load among infected hosts. Despite commonly occurring at the same wetlands, T. torosa supported higher parasite richness and average infection load than T. granulosa. Host body size and sex (females > males) tended to positively predict infection levels in both species. For hosts in which we quantified leucocyte profiles, total white blood cell count correlated positively with both parasite richness and total infection load. By coupling data on host toxicity and infection by a broad range of micro- and macroparasites, these results suggest that-alongside its effects on predators-tetrodotoxin may help protect newts against parasitic infections, highlighting the importance of integrative research on animal chemistry, immunological defenses and natural enemy ecology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pieter T J Johnson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Dana M Calhoun
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Amber N Stokes
- Department of Biology, California State University, Bakersfield, CA, USA
| | - Calvin B Susbilla
- Department of Biology, California State University, Bakersfield, CA, USA
| | - Travis McDevitt-Galles
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Cheryl J Briggs
- Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Jason T Hoverman
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Vasyl V Tkach
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Brower LP, Calvert WH. FORAGING DYNAMICS OF BIRD PREDATORS ON OVERWINTERING MONARCH BUTTERFLIES IN MEXICO. Evolution 2017; 39:852-868. [PMID: 28561370 DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1985.tb00427.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/1984] [Accepted: 05/08/1985] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
By suspending nets within and adjacent to a 2.25 hectare overwintering colony of monarch butterflies in Mexico, we estimated that black-backed orioles and black-headed grosbeaks killed 4,550 to 34,300 and an average of 15,067 butterflies per day. A conservative calculation of mortality through the 135 day overwintering season was 2.034 million butterflies, or about 9% of the colony. The birds preyed selectively upon male butterflies, possibly because of a difference in fat content, or possibly because females contain higher concentrations and larger amounts of cardenolide or other defensive chemicals. The risk to individual monarchs of being killed was much greater on the colony periphery and in thinned areas of the forest. Bird predation thus is sufficient to have played a major role in shaping the evolution of the monarch's overwintering and aggregation behavior. Substantial daily variation in predation intensity occurred, 26% of which was attributable to the birds eating more butterflies on colder days, and 30% of which was attributable to a 7.85 day predation cycle. The hypothesis is put forward that the birds feed cyclically because they build up toxic levels of cardenolides or other defensive chemicals contained in the butterflies. The cyclic predation may reduce total predation on the colony by as much as 50%. Such chemical-based group protection is interpreted as a fortuitous by-product of the evolution of unpalatability through selective processes acting on other phases of the monarch's life history.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lincoln P Brower
- Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611
| | - William H Calvert
- Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ritland DB. REVISING A CLASSIC BUTTERFLY MIMICRY SCENARIO: DEMONSTRATION OF MÜLLERIAN MIMICRY BETWEEN FLORIDA VICEROYS (LIMENITIS ARCHIPPUS FLORIDENSIS) AND QUEENS (DANAUS GILIPPUS BERENICE). Evolution 2017; 45:918-934. [PMID: 28564042 DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1991.tb04360.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/1989] [Accepted: 11/20/1990] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Batesian and Müllerian mimicry relationships differ greatly in terms of selective pressures affecting the participants; hence, accurately characterizing a mimetic interaction is a crucial prerequisite to understanding the selective milieux of model, mimic, and predator. Florida viceroy butterflies (Limenitis archippus floridensis) are conventionally characterized as palatable Batesian mimics of distasteful Florida queens (Danaus gilippus berenice). However, recent experiments indicate that both butterflies are moderately distasteful, suggesting they may be Müllerian comimics. To directly test whether the butterflies exemplify Müllerian mimicry, I performed two reciprocal experiments using red-winged blackbird predators. In Experiment 1, each of eight birds was exposed to a series of eight queens as "models," then offered four choice trials involving a viceroy (the putative "mimic") versus a novel alternative butterfly. If mimicry was effective, viceroys should be attacked less than alternatives. I also compared the birds' reactions to solo viceroy "mimics" offered before and after queen models, hypothesizing that attack rate on the viceroy would decrease after birds had been exposed to queen models. In Experiment 2, 12 birds were tested with viceroys as models and queens as putative mimics. The experiments revealed that (1) viceroys and queens offered as models were both moderately unpalatable (only 16% entirely eaten), (2) some birds apparently developed conditioned aversions to viceroy or queen models after only eight exposures, (3) in the subsequent choice trials, viceroy and queen "mimics" were attacked significantly less than alternatives, and (4) solo postmodel mimics were attacked significantly less than solo premodel mimics. Therefore, under these experimental conditions, sampled Florida viceroys and queens are comimics and exemplify Müllerian, not Batesian, mimicry. This compels a reassessment of selective forces affecting the butterflies and their predators, and sets the stage for a broader empirical investigation of the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of mimicry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David B Ritland
- Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Holzinger F, Wink M. Mediation of cardiac glycoside insensitivity in the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus): Role of an amino acid substitution in the ouabain binding site of Na(+),K (+)-ATPase. J Chem Ecol 2013; 22:1921-37. [PMID: 24227116 DOI: 10.1007/bf02028512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/1996] [Accepted: 05/16/1996] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) sequesters cardiac glycosides (CG) for its chemical defense against predators. Larvae and adults of this butterfly are insensitive towards dietary cardiac glycosides, whereas other Lepidoptera are sensitive and intoxicated by ouabain. Ouabain inhibits Na(+),K(+)-ATPase by binding to its α-subunit. We have amplified and cloned the DNA-sequence encoding the respective ouabain binding site. Instead of the amino acid asparagine at position 122 in ouabain-sensitive insects, the Monarch has a histidine in the putative ouabain binding site, which consists of 12 amino acids. Starting with the CG-sensitive Na(+),K(+)-ATPase gene fromDrosophila, we converted pos. 122 to a histidine residue as inDanaus plexippus by site-directed mutagenesis. Human embryonic kidney cells (HEK) (which are sensitive to ouabain) were transfected with the mutated Na(+),K(+)-ATPase gene in a pSVDF-expression vector and showed a transient expression of the mutatedDrosophila Na(+),K(+)-ATPase. When treated with ouabain, the transfected cells tolerated ouabain at a concentration of 50 mM, whereas untransformed controls or controls transfected with the unmutatedDrosophila gene, showed a substantial mortality. This result implies that the asparagine to histidine exchange contributes to ouabain insensitivity in the Monarch. In two other CG-sequestering insects, e.g.,Danaus gilippus andSyntomeida epilais, the pattern of amino acid substitution differed, indicating that the Monarch has acquired this mutation independently during evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- F Holzinger
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie, Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
What Toxicity May Result from Ingestion of the Plant Pictured Below? Answer: Cardioactive Steroid Toxicity from Common Milkweed. J Med Toxicol 2013; 9:287-8. [DOI: 10.1007/s13181-013-0322-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
|
15
|
|
16
|
Abstract
Many predators quickly learn to avoid attacking aposematic prey. If the prey vary in toxicity, the predators may alternatively learn to capture and taste-sample prey carefully before ingesting or rejecting them (go-slow behaviour). An increase in prey toxicity is generally thought to decrease predation on prey populations. However, while prey with a higher toxin load are more harmful to ingest, they may also be easier to recognize and reject owing to greater distastefulness, which can facilitate a taste-sampling foraging strategy. Here, the classic diet model is used to study the separate effects of taste and toxicity on predator preferences. The taste-sampling process is modelled using signal detection theory. The model is applicable to automimicry and batesian mimicry. It shows that when the defensive toxin is sufficiently distasteful, a mimicry complex may be less profitable to the predator and better protected against predation if the models are moderately toxic than if they are highly toxic. Moreover, taste mimicry can reduce the profitability of the mimicry complex and increase protection against predation. The results are discussed in relation to the selection pressures acting on prey defences and the evolution of mimicry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Øistein Haugsten Holen
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
de Roode JC, Rarick RM, Mongue AJ, Gerardo NM, Hunter MD. Aphids indirectly increase virulence and transmission potential of a monarch butterfly parasite by reducing defensive chemistry of a shared food plant. Ecol Lett 2011; 14:453-61. [PMID: 21375682 DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01604.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Parasites and hosts live in communities consisting of many interacting species, but few studies have examined how communities affect parasite virulence and transmission. We studied a food web consisting of two species of milkweed, two milkweed herbivores (monarch butterfly and oleander aphid) and a monarch butterfly-specific parasite. We found that the presence of aphids increased the virulence and transmission potential of the monarch butterfly's parasite on one milkweed species. These increases were associated with aphid-induced decreases in the defensive chemicals of milkweed plants. Our experiment suggests that aphids can indirectly increase the virulence and transmission potential of monarch butterfly parasites, probably by altering the chemical composition of a shared food plant. These results indicate that species that are far removed from host-parasite interactions can alter such interactions through cascading indirect effects in the food web. As such, indirect effects within ecological communities may drive the dynamics and evolution of parasites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacobus C de Roode
- Department of Biology, Emory University, 1510 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Ryan GD, Rasmussen S, Newman JA. Global Atmospheric Change and Trophic Interactions: Are There Any General Responses? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-12162-3_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
|
19
|
Explaining classical conditioning: Phenomenological unity conceals mechanistic diversity. Behav Brain Sci 2010. [DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x00024638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
20
|
Abstract
AbstractConverging data from different disciplines are showing the role of classical conditioning processes in the elaboration of human and animal behavior to be larger than previously supposed. Restricted views of classically conditioned responses as merely secretory, reflexive, or emotional are giving way to a broader conception that includes problem-solving, and other rule-governed behavior thought to be the exclusive province of either operant conditiońing or cognitive psychology. These new views have been accompanied by changes in the way conditioning is conducted and evaluated. Data from a number of seemingly unrelated phenomena such as relapse to drug abuse by postaddicts, the placebo effect, and the immune response appear to involve classical conditioning processes. Classical conditioning, moreover, has been found to occur in simpler and simpler organisms and recently even demonstrated in brain slices and in utero. This target article will integrate the several research areas that have used the classical conditioning process as an explanatory model; it will challenge teleological interpretations of the classically conditioned CR and offer some basic principles for testing conditioning in diverse areas.
Collapse
|
21
|
Flights of teleological fancy about classical conditioning do not produce valid science or useful technology. Behav Brain Sci 2010. [DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x0002464x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
22
|
Conditioning of sexual and reproductive behavior: Extending the hegemony to the propagation of species. Behav Brain Sci 2010. [DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x00024602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
23
|
|
24
|
|
25
|
|
26
|
|
27
|
|
28
|
|
29
|
Chai P. Butterfly visual characteristics and ontogeny of responses to butterflies by a specialized tropical bird. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2008. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.1996.tb01452.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
30
|
Müller C, Agerbirk N, Olsen CE, Boevé JL, Schaffner U, Brakefield PM. Sequestration of host plant glucosinolates in the defensive hemolymph of the sawfly Athalia rosae. J Chem Ecol 2001; 27:2505-16. [PMID: 11789955 DOI: 10.1023/a:1013631616141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Interactions between insects and glucosinolate-containing plant species have been investigated for a long time. Although the glucosinolate-myrosinase system is believed to act as a defense mechanism against generalist herbivores and fungi, several specialist insects use these secondary metabolites for host plant finding and acceptance and can handle them physiologically. However, sequestration of glucosinolates in specialist herbivores has been less well studied. Larvae of the tumip sawfly Athalia rosae feed on several glucosinolate-containing plant species. When larvae are disturbed by antagonists, they release one or more small droplets of hemolymph from their integument. This "reflex bleeding" is used as a defense mechanism. Specific glucosinolate analysis, by conversion to desulfoglucosinolates and analysis of these by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array UV spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, revealed that larvae incorporate and concentrate the plant's characteristic glucosinolates from their hosts. Extracts of larvae that were reared on Sinapis alba contained sinalbin, even when the larvae were first starved for 22 hr and, thus, had empty guts. Hemolymph was analyzed from larvae that were reared on either S. alba, Brassica nigra, or Barbarea stricta. Leaves were analyzed from the same plants the larvae had fed on. Sinalbin (from S. alba), sinigrin (B. nigra), or glucobarbarin and glucobrassicin (B. stricta) were present in leaves in concentrations less than 1 micromol/g fresh weight, while the same glucosinolates could be detected in the larvae's hemolymph in concentrations between 10 and 31 micromol/g fresh weight, except that glucobrassicin was present only as a trace. In larval feces, only trace amounts of glucosinolates (sinalbin and sinigrin) could be detected. The glucosinolates were likewise found in freshly emerged adults, showing that the sequestered phytochemicals were transferred through the pupal stage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Müller
- Institute of Evolutionary and Ecological Sciences, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Sturdy CB, Phillmore LS, Weisman RG. Call-note discriminations in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus). J Comp Psychol 2000; 114:357-64. [PMID: 11149539 DOI: 10.1037/0735-7036.114.4.357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Bioacousticians (M.S. Ficken, S. R. Ficken, & S. R. Witken, 1978) classified black-capped chickadee call notes from the chick-a-dee call complex into 4 note types (A, B, C, and D) identified from sound spectrograms. In Experiment 1, chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) learned operant auditory discriminations both within and between the 4 note types but learned the between note-type discrimination significantly faster. In Experiment 2, when the original, unrewarded between-category exemplars were replaced with novel, rewarded exemplars of these same categories, chickadees showed transfer of inhibitory stimulus control to the novel exemplars. In Experiment 3, when novel exemplars were replaced by the original exemplars, chickadees showed propagation of positive stimulus control back to the original exemplars. This evidence suggests that chickadees and bioacousticians accurately sort conspecific call notes into the same open-ended categories (R. J. Herrnstein, 1990).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C B Sturdy
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Abstract
Animals may acquire toxicity by absorbing toxic compounds from their food, e.g. from plants or other animals. Sequestration and accumulation of toxins may provide protection from predators, which learn to avoid this prey because of unpleasant experiences such as bitter taste. This is a common phenomenon in marine as well as in terrestrial ecosystems. Moreover, toxins may enter food chains where they accumulate reaching high, often lethal concentrations. Palytoxin which had been primarily detected in marine zoanthids (Palythoa sp.), occurs also in a wide range of other animals, e.g. in sponges, corals, shellfish, polychaetes and crustaceans, but also in fish, which feed on crustaceans and zoanthids as well. These animals exhibit a high resistance to the toxin's action. The mechanisms which protect the Na+, K+-ATPase of their cell membranes, the primary target of palytoxin, is unknown. Sequestration of the toxin by other animals may cause health problems due to food poisoning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D Mebs
- Zentrum der Rechtsmedizin, University of Frankfurt, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Frick C, Wink M. Uptake and sequestration of ouabain and other cardiac glycosides inDanaus plexippus (Lepidoptera: Danaidae): Evidence for a carrier-mediated process. J Chem Ecol 1995; 21:557-75. [DOI: 10.1007/bf02033701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/1994] [Accepted: 01/26/1995] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
34
|
Comparative unpalatability of mimetic viceroy butterflies (Limenitis archippus) from four south-eastern United States populations. Oecologia 1995; 103:327-336. [PMID: 28306826 DOI: 10.1007/bf00328621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/1994] [Accepted: 03/24/1995] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Viceroy butterflies (Limenitis archippus), long considered palatable mimics of distasteful danaine butterflies, have been shown in studies involving laboratoryreared specimens to be moderately unpalatable to avian predators. This implies that some viceroys are Müllerian co-mimics, rather than defenseless Batesian mimics, of danaines. Here, I further test this hypothesis by assessing the palatability of wild-caught viceroys from four genetically and ecologically diverse populations in the southeastern United States. Bioassays revealed that viceroys sampled from three sites in Florida and one in South Carolina were all moderately unpalatable to captive redwinged blackbird predators, which ate fewer than half of the viceroy abdomens presented. Red-wings commonly exhibited long manipulation times and considerable distress behavior when attempting to eat a viceroy abdomen, and they taste-rejected over one-third of viceroys after a single peck. These findings, the first based on wild-caught butterflies, support the hypothesis that the viceroy-danaine relationship in some areas represents Müllerian mimicry, prompting a reassessment of selective forces shaping the interaction. Moreover, considerable variation in palatability of individual viceroys, and in behavior of individual birds, contributes to the complexity of chemical defense and mimicry in this system.
Collapse
|
35
|
Malcolm SB. Milkweeds, monarch butterflies and the ecological significance of cardenolides. CHEMOECOLOGY 1994. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01240595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
36
|
Glendinning JI. Effectiveness of cardenolides as feeding deterrents toPeromyscus mice. J Chem Ecol 1992; 18:1559-75. [DOI: 10.1007/bf00993229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/1992] [Accepted: 05/01/1992] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
37
|
Zalucki MP, Brower LP. Survival of first instar larvae ofDanaus plexippus (Lepidoptera: Danainae) in relation to cardiac glycoside and latex content ofAsclepias humistrata (Asclepiadaceae). CHEMOECOLOGY 1992. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01245886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
38
|
Sequestration of plant pyrrolizidine alkaloids by chrysomelid beetles and selective transfer into the defensive secretions. CHEMOECOLOGY 1991. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01240665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
39
|
Glendinning JI. Responses of three mouse species to deterrent chemicals in the monarch butterfly. II. Taste tests using intact monarchs. CHEMOECOLOGY 1990. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01241653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
40
|
Chemical defence in chewing and sucking insect herbivores: Plant-derived cardenolides in the monarch butterfly and oleander aphid. CHEMOECOLOGY 1990. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01240581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
41
|
Pavlovian conditioning: Providing a bridge between cognition and biology. Behav Brain Sci 1989. [DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x00024742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
42
|
Cerebro-cerebellar learning loops and language skills. Behav Brain Sci 1989. [DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x00024808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
|
43
|
|
44
|
Mis(sed)-representations. Behav Brain Sci 1989. [DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x0002481x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
45
|
Response utility in classical and operant conditioning. Behav Brain Sci 1989. [DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x00024626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
46
|
Classical conditioning beyond the laboratory. Behav Brain Sci 1989. [DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x00024754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
47
|
|
48
|
Associative theory versus classical conditioning: Their proper relationship. Behav Brain Sci 1989. [DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x00024699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
49
|
Classical conditioning: The role of interdisciplinary theory. Behav Brain Sci 1989. [DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x00024663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
50
|
Classical conditioning: A parsimonious analysis? Behav Brain Sci 1989. [DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x00024821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|