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Nokelainen O, Silvasti SA, Strauss SY, Wahlberg N, Mappes J. Predator selection on phenotypic variability of cryptic and aposematic moths. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1678. [PMID: 38395999 PMCID: PMC10891176 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45329-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural selection generally favours phenotypic variability in camouflaged organisms, whereas aposematic organisms are expected to evolve a more uniform warning coloration. However, no comprehensive analysis of the phenotypic consequences of predator selection in aposematic and cryptic species exists. Using state-of-the-art image analysis, we examine 2800 wing images of 82 moth species accessed via three online museum databases. We test whether anti-predator strategy (i.e., camouflage or aposematism) explains intraspecific variation in wing colour and pattern across northern hemisphere moths. In addition, we test two mutually non-exclusive, ecological hypotheses to explain variation in colour pattern: diel-activity or dietary-niche. In this work, taking into account phylogenetic relationships, moth phenotypic variability is best explained by anti-predator strategy with camouflaged moths being more variable in wing patterning than aposematic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ossi Nokelainen
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Viikki Biocenter 3, P.O. Box 65, 40014, Helsinki, Finland.
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
- Open Science Centre, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
| | - Sanni A Silvasti
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Sharon Y Strauss
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California at Davis, 2320 Storer Hall, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Wallotstrasse 19, Berlin, 14193, Germany
| | - Niklas Wahlberg
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Johanna Mappes
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Viikki Biocenter 3, P.O. Box 65, 40014, Helsinki, Finland.
- Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Wallotstrasse 19, Berlin, 14193, Germany.
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2
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Mendoza Nava H, Holderied MW, Pirrera A, Groh RMJ. Buckling-induced sound production in the aeroelastic tymbals of Yponomeuta. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2313549121. [PMID: 38315846 PMCID: PMC10873622 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313549121] [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: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The loss of elastic stability (buckling) can lead to catastrophic failure in the context of traditional engineering structures. Conversely, in nature, buckling often serves a desirable function, such as in the prey-trapping mechanism of the Venus fly trap (Dionaea muscipula). This paper investigates the buckling-enabled sound production in the wingbeat-powered (aeroelastic) tymbals of Yponomeuta moths. The hindwings of Yponomeuta possess a striated band of ridges that snap through sequentially during the up- and downstroke of the wingbeat cycle-a process reminiscent of cellular buckling in compressed slender shells. As a result, bursts of ultrasonic clicks are produced that deter predators (i.e. bats). Using various biological and mechanical characterization techniques, we show that wing camber changes during the wingbeat cycle act as the single actuation mechanism that causes buckling to propagate sequentially through each stria on the tymbal. The snap-through of each stria excites a bald patch of the wing's membrane, thereby amplifying sound pressure levels and radiating sound at the resonant frequencies of the patch. In addition, the interaction of phased tymbal clicks from the two wings enhances the directivity of the acoustic signal strength, suggesting an improvement in acoustic protection. These findings unveil the acousto-mechanics of Yponomeuta tymbals and uncover their buckling-driven evolutionary origin. We anticipate that through bioinspiration, aeroelastic tymbals will encourage novel developments in the context of multi-stable morphing structures, acoustic structural monitoring, and soft robotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hernaldo Mendoza Nava
- Bristol Composites Institute, School of Civil, Aerospace & Design Engineering, University of Bristol, BristolBS8 1TR, United Kingdom
| | - Marc W. Holderied
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, BristolBS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
| | - Alberto Pirrera
- Bristol Composites Institute, School of Civil, Aerospace & Design Engineering, University of Bristol, BristolBS8 1TR, United Kingdom
| | - Rainer M. J. Groh
- Bristol Composites Institute, School of Civil, Aerospace & Design Engineering, University of Bristol, BristolBS8 1TR, United Kingdom
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3
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Lin A, Li J, Hu Y, Zhong M, Yu M, Ma N, Wei T, Luo J, Feng J. Contrasting laboratory and field outcomes of bat-moth interactions. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:5864-5876. [PMID: 37789799 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17150] [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: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Predator-prey interactions are important but difficult to study in the field. Therefore, laboratory studies are often used to examine the outcomes of predator-prey interactions. Previous laboratory studies have shown that moth hearing and ultrasound production can help prey avoid being eaten by bats. We report here that laboratory behavioural outcomes may not accurately reflect the outcomes of field bat-moth interactions. We tested the success rates of two bat species capturing moths with distinct anti-bat tactics using behavioural experiments. We compared the results with the dietary composition of field bats using next-generation DNA sequencing. Rhinolophus episcopus and Rhinolophus osgoodi had a lower rate of capture success when hunting for moths that produce anti-bat clicks than for silent eared moths and earless moths. Unexpectedly, the success rates of the bats capturing silent eared moths and earless moths did not differ significantly from each other. However, the field bats had a higher proportion of silent eared moths than that of earless moths and that of clicking moths in their diets. The difference between the proportions of silent eared moths and earless moths in the bat diets can be explained by the difference between their abundance in bat foraging habitats. These findings suggest that moth defensive tactics, bat countertactics and moth availability collectively shape the diets of insectivorous bats. This study illustrates the importance of using a combination of behavioural experiments and molecular genetic techniques to reveal the complex interactions between predators and prey in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiqing Lin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiqian Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yinli Hu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Maojun Zhong
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Minglun Yu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Nina Ma
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Tingting Wei
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinhong Luo
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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4
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Natta G, Laini A, Roggero A, Fabbriciani F, Rolando A, Palestrini C. Behavioural Repeatability and Behavioural Syndrome in the Dung Beetle Copris umbilicatus (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). INSECTS 2023; 14:529. [PMID: 37367344 DOI: 10.3390/insects14060529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Although personality studies have primarily focused on vertebrates, the evidence showing invertebrates to be capable of displaying personalities has been steadily growing in recent years. In this study, we investigated the behavioural repeatability (repetition of a behaviour over time) and behavioural syndromes (a set of correlated behaviours) in Copris umbilicatus, which is a dung beetle species showing complex sub-social behaviour. We analysed three behaviours (activity, thanatosis and distress call emission) by measuring seven distinct behavioural traits (i.e., three activity-, one thanatosis- and three distress call-related traits). We found moderate to high levels of individual repeatability in all behavioural traits considered. The duration of thanatosis was inversely correlated with two activity traits, hinting a behavioural syndrome for thanatosis and activity, with bolder individuals exhibiting shorter thanatosis and higher locomotor activity in contrast with fearful individuals, which display longer thanatosis and poor locomotor activity. No relationships were found between the behavioural traits and body size or sex. Results of the principal component analysis (PCA) suggested personality differences among individuals. Dung beetles provide an impressive variety of ecosystem services. Since the provision of these services may depend on the personalities represented in local populations and communities, studies on the ecology of personality in dung beetles should be encouraged in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Natta
- Department of Life Science and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Alex Laini
- Department of Life Science and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Angela Roggero
- Department of Life Science and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | | | - Antonio Rolando
- Department of Life Science and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Claudia Palestrini
- Department of Life Science and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy
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5
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Fernández Y, Dowdy NJ, Conner WE. High duty cycle moth sounds jam bat echolocation: bats counter with compensatory changes in buzz duration. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:jeb244187. [PMID: 36111562 PMCID: PMC9637272 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Tiger moth species vary greatly in the number of clicks they produce and the resultant duty cycle. Signals with higher duty cycles are expected to more effectively interfere with bat sonar. However, little is known about the minimum duty cycle of tiger moth signals for sonar jamming. Is there a threshold that allows us to classify moths as acoustically aposematic versus sonar jammers based on their duty cycles? We performed playback experiments with three wild-caught adult male bats, Eptesicus fuscus. Bat attacks on tethered moths were challenged using acoustic signals of Bertholdia trigona with modified duty cycles ranging from 0 to 46%. We did not find evidence for a duty cycle threshold; rather, the ability to jam the bat's sonar was a continuous function of duty cycle consistent with a steady increase in the number of clicks arriving during a critical signal processing time window just prior to the arrival of an echo. The proportion of successful captures significantly decreased as the moth duty cycle increased. Our findings suggest that moths cannot be unambiguously classified as acoustically aposematic or sonar jammers based solely on duty cycle. Bats appear to compensate for sonar jamming by lengthening the duration of their terminal buzz and they are more successful in capturing moths when they do so. In contrast to previous findings for bats performing difficult spatial tasks, the number of sonar sound groups decreased in response to high duty cycles and did not affect capture success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohami Fernández
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, 1834 Wake Forest Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | - Nicolas J. Dowdy
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, 1834 Wake Forest Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
- Department of Zoology, Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 West Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
| | - William E. Conner
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, 1834 Wake Forest Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
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6
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Palting JD, Moore W. Molecular phylogeny of Lichen Tiger Moths (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae, Lithosiini): a contribution toward classifying Western Hemisphere genera. Zookeys 2022; 1108:119-139. [PMID: 36760697 PMCID: PMC9848871 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1108.80783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This study analyzes molecular sequence data from one mitochondrial (COI) and two nuclear (28S, RPS5) genes to test the monophyly of previously proposed subtribes of the Lithosiini (Erebidae: Arctidinae), including subtribal assignment of all North American genera that occur north of Mexico. After transferring Gardinia W.F. Kirby from Lithosiina to Cisthenina, there is strong support for a monophyletic Lithosiina, which includes three originally unplaced Nearctic genera: Agylla Walker, Inopsis Felder, and Gnamptonychia Hampson. The result of this study removes Clemensia Packard and Pronola Hampson from Cisthenina and places them in subtribe Clemensiina. We synonymize Eudesmiina under Cisthenina. After these changes, the phylogeny shows strong support for the monophyly of Cisthenina, which includes a further three unplaced Nearctic genera: Gardinia Kirby, Bruceia Neumögen, and Ptychoglene Felder. The monophyly of Cisthenina (including Eudesmia and Gardinia) is supported by two apomorphies found in adults: the apodemes of the second abdominal sternite are long and the anterolateral processes are fused with the rest of the sternite.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D. Palting
- Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Entomology and Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85721-0036, USAUniversity of ArizonaTucsonUnited States of America
| | - Wendy Moore
- Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Entomology and Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85721-0036, USAUniversity of ArizonaTucsonUnited States of America
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7
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Hamilton CA, Winiger N, Rubin JJ, Breinholt J, Rougerie R, Kitching IJ, Barber JR, Kawahara AY. Hidden phylogenomic signal helps elucidate arsenurine silkmoth phylogeny and the evolution of body size and wing shape trade-offs. Syst Biol 2021; 71:859-874. [PMID: 34791485 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syab090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the key objectives in biological research is understanding how evolutionary processes have produced Earth's diversity. A critical step towards revealing these processes is an investigation of evolutionary tradeoffs - that is, the opposing pressures of multiple selective forces. For millennia, nocturnal moths have had to balance successful flight, as they search for mates or host plants, with evading bat predators. However, the potential for evolutionary trade-offs between wing shape and body size are poorly understood. In this study, we used phylogenomics and geometric morphometrics to examine the evolution of wing shape in the wild silkmoth subfamily Arsenurinae (Saturniidae) and evaluate potential evolutionary relationships between body size and wing shape. The phylogeny was inferred based on 782 loci from target capture data of 42 arsenurine species representing all 10 recognized genera. After detecting in our data one of the most vexing problems in phylogenetic inference - a region of a tree that possesses short branches and no "support" for relationships (i.e., a polytomy), we looked for hidden phylogenomic signal (i.e., inspecting differing phylogenetic inferences, alternative support values, quartets, and phylogenetic networks) to better illuminate the most probable generic relationships within the subfamily. We found there are putative evolutionary trade-offs between wing shape, body size, and the interaction of fore- and hindwing shape. Namely, body size tends to decrease with increasing hindwing length but increases as forewing shape becomes more complex. Additionally, the type of hindwing (i.e., tail or no tail) a lineage possesses has a significant effect on the complexity of forewing shape. We outline possible selective forces driving the complex hindwing shapes that make Arsenurinae, and silkmoths as a whole, so charismatic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris A Hamilton
- Florida Museum of Natural History, McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA.,Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology & Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, 83844 USA
| | - Nathalie Winiger
- Florida Museum of Natural History, McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA.,Wildlife Ecology and Management, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Juliette J Rubin
- Florida Museum of Natural History, McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA
| | - Jesse Breinholt
- Florida Museum of Natural History, McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA.,Division of Bioinformatics, Intermountain Healthcare, Precision Genomics, St. George, UT 84790 USA
| | - Rodolphe Rougerie
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Ian J Kitching
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Jesse R Barber
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID, 83725 USA
| | - Akito Y Kawahara
- Florida Museum of Natural History, McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA
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Singh N, Joshi R, Kirti JS, Bisht SS, Param HS. A catalogue of Indian Arctiinae (Erebidae, Lepidoptera). Zootaxa 2021; 5058:1-118. [PMID: 34811187 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5058.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
We present a catalogue of 673 species and nine subspecies of Indian Arctiinae in 175 genera which represents 6.11% of the global Arctiinae. Out of 673 species, a monogeneric tribe Amerilini is represented by four species (0.59 % of Indian Arctiinae and 6.06 % of global Amerilini), Arctiini are known by 180 species in 38 genera (26.74 % of Indian Arctiinae and 2.73% of global Arctiini), Lithosiini comprise 419 species in 128 genera (62.25% of Indian Arctiinae and 13.30% of global Lithosiini), and Syntomini account for 70 species in eight genera (10.40 % of Indian Arctiinae and 5.83% of global Syntomini). Information related to type localities, records from India with respective literature references, and the genus/ species synonyms is provided. Brief summaries for the four tribes of Indian Arctiinae, stating their Indian genus and species diversities, diagnostic characters of imagines are also provided. Furthermore, we present data on the distribution of the Arctiinae within the biogeographic zones of India. In addition, a brief analysis of the research history of Indian Arctiinae illustrates the general patterns of when and by whom the Indian species were described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navneet Singh
- Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, West Bengal, India.
| | - Rahul Joshi
- Zoological Survey of India, Gangetic Plains Regional Centre, BH Colony, Patna 800026, Bihar, India .
| | - Jagbir Singh Kirti
- Department of Zoology Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala, 147002, Punjab, India.
| | - Santosh Singh Bisht
- Department of Zoology Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala, 147002, Punjab, India.
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9
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Fernández Y, Dowdy NJ, Conner WE. Extreme Duty Cycles in the Acoustic Signals of Tiger Moths: Sexual and Natural Selection Operating in Parallel. Integr Org Biol 2021; 2:obaa046. [PMID: 33791580 PMCID: PMC7810578 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obaa046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Sound production in tiger moths (Erebidae: Arctiinae) plays a role in natural selection. Some species use tymbal sounds as jamming signals avoiding bat predation. High duty cycle signals have the greatest efficacy in this regard. Tiger moth sounds can also be used for intraspecific communication. Little is known about the role of sound in the mating behavior of jamming species or the signal preferences underlying mate choice. We recorded sound production during the courtship of two high duty cycle arctiines, Bertholdia trigona and Carales arizonensis. We characterized variation in their acoustic signals, measured female preference for male signals that vary in duty cycle, and performed female choice experiments to determine the effect of male duty cycle on the acceptance of male mates. Although both species produced sound during courtship, the role of acoustic communication appears different between the species. Bertholdia trigona was acoustically active in all intraspecific interactions. Females preferred and ultimately mated with males that produced higher duty cycles. Muted males were never chosen. In C. arizonensis however, sound emissions were limited during courtship and in some successful matings no sound was detected. Muted and clicking males were equally successful in female mate-choice experiments, indicating that acoustic communication is not essential for mating in C. arizonensis. Our results suggest that in B. trigona natural and sexual selection may work in parallel, to favor higher duty cycle clicking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Fernández
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, 1834 Wake Forest Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | - N J Dowdy
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, 1834 Wake Forest Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA.,Department of Zoology, Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 West Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
| | - W E Conner
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, 1834 Wake Forest Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
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10
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Low ML, Naranjo M, Yack JE. Survival Sounds in Insects: Diversity, Function, and Evolution. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.641740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect defense sounds have been reported for centuries. Yet, aside from the well-studied anti-bat sounds of tiger moths, little is understood about the occurrence, function, and evolution of these sounds. We define a defense sound as an acoustic signal (air- or solid-borne vibration) produced in response to attack or threat of attack by a predator or parasitoid and that promotes survival. Defense sounds have been described in 12 insect orders, across different developmental stages, and between sexes. The mechanisms of defensive sound production include stridulation, percussion, tymbalation, tremulation, and forced air. Signal characteristics vary between species, and we discuss how morphology, the intended receiver, and specific functions of the sounds could explain this variation. Sounds can be directed at predators or non-predators, and proposed functions include startle, aposematism, jamming, and alarm, although experimental evidence for these hypotheses remains scant for many insects. The evolutionary origins of defense sounds in insects have not been rigorously investigated using phylogenetic methodology, but in most cases it is hypothesized that they evolved from incidental sounds associated with non-signaling behaviors such as flight or ventilatory movements. Compared to our understanding of visual defenses in insects, sonic defenses are poorly understood. We recommend that future investigations focus on testing hypotheses explaining the functions and evolution of these survival sounds using predator-prey experiments and comparative phylogenetics.
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11
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Song W, Lee SI, Jablonski PG. Evolution of switchable aposematism: insights from individual-based simulations. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8915. [PMID: 32309047 PMCID: PMC7153555 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Some defended prey animals can switch on their normally hidden aposematic signals. This switching may occur in reaction to predators’ approach (pre-attack signals) or attack (post-attack signals). Switchable aposematism has been relatively poorly studied, but we can expect that it might bring a variety of benefits to an aposmetic organism. First, the switching could startle the predators (deimatism). Second, it could facilitate aversive learning. Third, it could minimize exposure or energetic expense, as the signal can be switched off. These potential benefits might offset costs of developing, maintaining and utilizing the switchable traits. Here we focused on the third benefit of switchability, the cost-saving aspect, and developed an individual-based computer simulation of predators and prey. In 88,128 model runs, we observed evolution of permanent, pre-attack, or post-attack aposematic signals of varying strength. We found that, in general, the pre-attack switchable aposematism may require moderate predator learning speed, high basal detectability, and moderate to high signal cost. On the other hand, the post-attack signals may arise under slow predator learning, low basal detectability and high signal cost. When predator population turnover is fast, it may lead to evolution of post-attack aposematic signals that are not conforming to the above tendency. We also suggest that a high switching cost may exert different selection pressure on the pre-attack than the post-attack switchable strategies. To our knowledge, these are the first theoretical attempts to systematically explore the evolution of switchable aposematism relative to permanent aposematism in defended prey. Our simulation model is capable of addressing additional questions beyond the scope of this article, and we open the simulation software, program manual and source code for free public use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woncheol Song
- Laboratory of Behavioral Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sang-im Lee
- School of Undergraduate Studies, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Piotr G. Jablonski
- Laboratory of Behavioral Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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12
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Dowdy NJ, Conner WE. Nonchalant Flight in Tiger Moths (Erebidae: Arctiinae) Is Correlated With Unpalatability. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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13
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Dowdy NJ, Conner WE. Characteristics of tiger moth (Erebidae: Arctiinae) anti-bat sounds can be predicted from tymbal morphology. Front Zool 2019; 16:45. [PMID: 31827571 PMCID: PMC6902478 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-019-0345-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Acoustic signals are used by many animals to transmit information. Variation in the acoustic characteristics of these signals often covaries with morphology and can relay information about an individual’s fitness, sex, species, and/or other characteristics important for both mating and defense. Tiger moths (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae) use modified cuticular plates called “tymbal organs” to produce ultrasonic clicks which can aposematically signal their toxicity, mimic the signals of other species, or, in some cases, disrupt bat echolocation. The morphology of the tymbal organs and the sounds they produce vary greatly between species, but it is unclear how the variation in morphology gives rise to the variation in acoustic characteristics. This is the first study to determine how the morphological features of tymbals can predict the acoustic characteristics of the signals they produce. Results We show that the number of striations on the tymbal surface (historically known as “microtymbals”) and, to a lesser extent, the ratio of the projected surface area of the tymbal to that of the thorax have a strong, positive correlation with the number of clicks a moth produces per unit time. We also found that some clades have significantly different regression coefficients, and thus the relationship between microtymbals and click rate is also dependent on the shared ancestry of different species. Conclusions Our predictive model allows the click rates of moths to be estimated using preserved material (e.g., from museums) in cases where live specimens are unavailable. This has the potential to greatly accelerate our understanding of the distribution of sound production and acoustic anti-bat strategies employed by tiger moths. Such knowledge will generate new insights into the evolutionary history of tiger moth anti-predator defenses on a global scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas J Dowdy
- 1Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA.,2Invertebrate Zoology, Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 W. Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI USA
| | - William E Conner
- 1Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA
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Abstract
The wings of moths and butterflies are densely covered in scales that exhibit intricate shapes and sculptured nanostructures. While certain butterfly scales create nanoscale photonic effects, moth scales show different nanostructures suggesting different functionality. Here we investigate moth-scale vibrodynamics to understand their role in creating acoustic camouflage against bat echolocation, where scales on wings provide ultrasound absorber functionality. For this, individual scales can be considered as building blocks with adapted biomechanical properties at ultrasonic frequencies. The 3D nanostructure of a full Bunaea alcinoe moth forewing scale was characterized using confocal microscopy. Structurally, this scale is double layered and endowed with different perforation rates on the upper and lower laminae, which are interconnected by trabeculae pillars. From these observations a parameterized model of the scale's nanostructure was formed and its effective elastic stiffness matrix extracted. Macroscale numerical modeling of scale vibrodynamics showed close qualitative and quantitative agreement with scanning laser Doppler vibrometry measurement of this scale's oscillations, suggesting that the governing biomechanics have been captured accurately. Importantly, this scale of B. alcinoe exhibits its first three resonances in the typical echolocation frequency range of bats, suggesting it has evolved as a resonant absorber. Damping coefficients of the moth-scale resonator and ultrasonic absorption of a scaled wing were estimated using numerical modeling. The calculated absorption coefficient of 0.50 agrees with the published maximum acoustic effect of wing scaling. Understanding scale vibroacoustic behavior helps create macroscopic structures with the capacity for broadband acoustic camouflage.
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Early erratic flight response of the lucerne moth to the quiet echolocation calls of distant bats. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202679. [PMID: 30125318 PMCID: PMC6101402 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nocturnal insects have evolved ultrasound-sensitive hearing in response to predation pressures from echolocating insectivorous bats. Flying tympanate moths take various evasive actions when they detect bat cries, including turning away, performing a steering/zigzagging flight and ceasing flight. In general, infrequent ultrasonic pulses with low sound intensities that are emitted by distant bats evoke slight turns, whereas frequent and loud ultrasonic pulses of nearby bats evoke erratic or rapid unpredictable changes in the flight path of a moth. Flight cessation, which is a freezing response that causes the moth to passively dive (drop) to the ground, is considered the ultimate last-ditch evasive behaviour against approaching bats where there is a high predation threat. Here, we found that the crambid moth Nomophila nearctica never performed passive dives in response to frequent and loud ultrasonic pulses of >60 dB sound pressure level (SPL) that simulated the attacking echolocation call sequence of the predominant sympatric insectivorous bat Eptesicus fuscus, but rather turned away or flew erratically, regardless of the temporal structure of the stimulus. Consequently, N. nearctica is likely to survive predation by bats by taking early evasive action even when it detects the echolocation calls of sympatric bats hunting other insects at a distance. Since aerially hawking bats can track and catch erratically flying moths after targeting their prey, this early escape strategy may be common among night-flying tympanate insects.
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Leavell BC, Rubin JJ, McClure CJW, Miner KA, Branham MA, Barber JR. Fireflies thwart bat attack with multisensory warnings. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaat6601. [PMID: 30140743 PMCID: PMC6105302 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aat6601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/15/2018] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Many defended animals prevent attacks by displaying warning signals that are highly conspicuous to their predators. We hypothesized that bioluminescing fireflies, widely known for their vibrant courtship signals, also advertise their noxiousness to echolocating bats. To test this postulate, we pit naïve big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) against chemically defended fireflies (Photinus pyralis) to examine whether and how these beetles transmit salient warnings to bats. We demonstrate that these nocturnal predators learn to avoid noxious fireflies using either vision or echolocation and that bats learn faster when integrating information from both sensory streams-providing fundamental evidence that multisensory integration increases the efficacy of warning signals in a natural predator-prey system. Our findings add support for a warning signal origin of firefly bioluminescence and suggest that bat predation may have driven evolution of firefly bioluminescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C. Leavell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - Juliette J. Rubin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - Christopher J. W. McClure
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA
- The Peregrine Fund, Boise, ID 83709, USA
| | - Krystie A. Miner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - Marc A. Branham
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Jesse R. Barber
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA
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Silva MS, Willemart RH, Carbayo F. Sticky flatworms (Platyhelminthes) kill armored harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones) but are not immune to the prey′s weapons. J Zool (1987) 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. S. Silva
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução Escola de Artes Ciências e Humanidades Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo SP Brazil
| | - R. H. Willemart
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Zoologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo SP Brazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução Universidade Federal de São Paulo Campus Diadema Diadema SP Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes (LESCA) Escola de Artes Ciências e Humanidades Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo SP Brazil
| | - F. Carbayo
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução Escola de Artes Ciências e Humanidades Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo SP Brazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Zoologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo SP Brazil
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Scott Chialvo CH, Chialvo P, Holland JD, Anderson TJ, Breinholt JW, Kawahara AY, Zhou X, Liu S, Zaspel JM. A phylogenomic analysis of lichen-feeding tiger moths uncovers evolutionary origins of host chemical sequestration. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2017; 121:23-34. [PMID: 29274497 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2017] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Host species utilize a variety of defenses to deter feeding, including secondary chemicals. Some phytophagous insects have evolved tolerance to these chemical defenses, and can sequester secondary defense compounds for use against their own predators and parasitoids. While numerous studies have examined plant-insect interactions, little is known about lichen-insect interactions. Our study focused on reconstructing the evolution of lichen phenolic sequestration in the tiger moth tribe Lithosiini (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), the most diverse lineage of lichen-feeding moths, with 3000 described species. We built an RNA-Seq dataset and examined the adult metabolome for the presence of lichen-derived phenolics. Using the transcriptomic dataset, we recover a well-resolved phylogeny of the Lithosiini, and determine that the metabolomes within species are more similar than those among species. Results from an initial ancestral state reconstruction suggest that the ability to sequester phenolics produced by a single chemical pathway preceded generalist sequestration of phenolics produced by multiple chemical pathways. We conclude that phenolics are consistently and selectively sequestered within Lithosiini. Furthermore, sequestration of compounds from a single chemical pathway may represent a synapomorphy of the tribe, and the ability to sequester phenolics produced by multiple pathways arose later. These findings expand on our understanding of the interactions between Lepidoptera and their lichen hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare H Scott Chialvo
- Department of Biological Sciences, PO Box 870344, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA.
| | - Pablo Chialvo
- Department of Biology, 320 Stanley Avenue, Lander University, Greenwood, SC 29649, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Holland
- Department of Entomology, 901 West State Street, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Timothy J Anderson
- Department of Entomology, 901 West State Street, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Jesse W Breinholt
- Florida Museum of Natural History, 3215 Hull Road, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Akito Y Kawahara
- Florida Museum of Natural History, 3215 Hull Road, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Xin Zhou
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China; Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Shanlin Liu
- China National GeneBank, 8/F, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, BGI-Shenzhen, People's Republic of China; BGI-Shenzhen, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, People's Republic of China
| | - Jennifer M Zaspel
- Department of Entomology, 901 West State Street, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 W Wells St, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
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Predator counteradaptations: stealth echolocation overcomes insect sonar-jamming and evasive-manoeuvring defences. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Anderson TJ, Wagner DL, Cooper BR, McCarty ME, Zaspel JM. HPLC-MS Analysis of Lichen-Derived Metabolites in the Life Stages of Crambidia cephalica (Grote & Robinson). J Chem Ecol 2016; 43:66-74. [PMID: 27966190 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-016-0799-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2016] [Revised: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Tiger moths (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Arctiini) are notable for their specialized associations with hosts that produce toxic secondary compounds, and are thus an ideal study system for understanding insect-plant interactions and the evolution of antipredatory defense. Likewise, their sister lineage (Arctiinae: Lithosiini) has been documented feeding on algae and lichens, and is known to sequester lichen-derived secondary compounds from the larval to adult stages. Prevalence of lichenivory in this early radiation (ca. 3000 species) may provide clues to the phylogenetic basis for storied chemical sequestration within all tiger moths. Despite the evolutionary significance of this trait, we lack a basic understanding of the extent of lichenivory among lithosiines, and the distribution of sequestered chemicals among life stages. The dynamics of chemical sequestration throughout the lifecycle for the lichen moth Crambidia cephalica were investigated by testing the hypothesis that lichen-derived metabolites are unequally distributed among life stages, and that laboratory-reared C. cephalica have less metabolite diversity than wild-caught individuals. Crambidia cephalica was reared on Physcia, and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Several putative lichen-derived metabolites were detected across three life stages, i.e., larval, pupal, and adult, and differences among life stages and lichen host were observed. These results provide evidence that multiple lichen-derived metabolites are sequestered by C. cephalica; some metabolites are retained through adulthood, and others are lost or modified in earlier life stages. The presence of differing lichen-derived metabolites across life stages may indicate functional properties of the metabolites for C. cephalica with regards to chemical protection from antagonists, and other physiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Anderson
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
| | - David L Wagner
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Bruce R Cooper
- Metabolite Profiling Facility, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Megan E McCarty
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Jennifer M Zaspel
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
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Krüger D, Packer L, Flatt T, Hoi H, Morand S, Lieb B, Malabarba LR, Fenton MB. BMC Zoology – a home for all zoological research in the BMC series. BMC ZOOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1186/s40850-016-0001-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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22
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Moore CD, Hassall C. A bee or not a bee: an experimental test of acoustic mimicry by hoverflies. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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