Search results for "Aposematism"
showing 10 items of 124 documents
Colour polymorphism torn apart by opposing positive frequency-dependent selection, yet maintained in space.
2015
Summary Polymorphic warning signals in aposematic species are enigmatic because predator learning and discrimination should select for the most common coloration, resulting in positive frequency‐dependent survival selection. Here, we investigated whether differential mating success could create sufficiently strong negative frequency‐dependent selection for rare morphs to explain polymorphic (white and yellow) warning coloration in male wood tiger moths (Parasemia plantaginis). We conducted an experiment in semi‐natural conditions where we estimated mating success for both white and yellow male moths under three different morph frequencies. Contrary to expectations, mating success was positi…
DIET QUALITY AFFECTS WARNING COLORATION INDIRECTLY: EXCRETION COSTS IN A GENERALIST HERBIVORE
2009
Aposematic herbivores are under selection pressure from their host plants and predators. Although many aposematic herbivores exploit plant toxins in their own secondary defense, dealing with these harmful compounds might underlay costs. We studied whether the allocation of energy to detoxification and/or sequestration of host plant defense chemicals trades off with warning signal expression. We used a generalist aposematic herbivore Parasemia plantaginis (Arctiidae), whose adults and larvae show extensive phenotypic and genetic variation in coloration. We reared larvae from selection lines for small and large larval warning signals on Plantago lanceolata with either low or high concentratio…
Environment-mediated morph-linked immune and life-history responses in the aposematic wood tiger moth
2012
1. Warning signals are expected to evolve towards conspicuousness and monomorphism, and thereby hamper the evolution of multiple colour morphs. Here, we test fitness responses to different rearing densities to explain colour polymorphism in aposematic wood tiger moth (Parasemia plantaginis) males. 2. We used larval lines sired by white or yellow adult males selected for small or large melanization patterns of coloration. We reared these selected lines either solitarily (favourable conditions) or in aggregations (challenged conditions), and followed their performance to adult stage. We tested whether differences in larval density affected life-history traits, adult melanin expression, adult …
Trade-off between warning signal efficacy and mating success in the wood tiger moth
2011
The coloration of species can have multiple functions, such as predator avoidance and sexual signalling, that directly affect fitness. As selection should favour traits that positively affect fitness, the genes underlying the trait should reach fixation, thereby preventing the evolution of polymorphisms. This is particularly true for aposematic species that rely on coloration as a warning signal to advertise their unprofitability to predators. Nonetheless, there are numerous examples of aposematic species showing remarkable colour polymorphisms. We examined whether colour polymorphism in the wood tiger moth is maintained by trade-offs between different functions of coloration. In Finland, m…
Aposematism facilitates the diversification of parental care strategies in poison frogs
2021
AbstractMany organisms have evolved adaptations to increase the odds of survival of their offspring. Parental care has evolved several times in animals including ectotherms. In amphibians, ~ 10% of species exhibit parental care. Among these, poison frogs (Dendrobatidae) are well-known for their extensive care, which includes egg guarding, larval transport, and specialized tadpole provisioning with trophic eggs. At least one third of dendrobatids displaying aposematism by exhibiting warning coloration that informs potential predators about the presence of defensive skin toxins. Aposematism has a central role in poison frog diversification, including diet specialization, and visual and acoust…
Genetic colour variation visible for predators and conspecifics is concealed from humans in a polymorphic moth
2022
The definition of colour polymorphism is intuitive: genetic variants express discretely coloured phenotypes. This classification is, however, elusive as humans form subjective categories or ignore differences that cannot be seen by human eyes. We demonstrate an example of a 'cryptic morph' in a polymorphic wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis), a phenomenon that may be common among well-studied species. We used pedigree data from nearly 20,000 individuals to infer the inheritance of hindwing colouration. The evidence supports a single Mendelian locus with two alleles in males: WW and Wy produce the white and yy the yellow hindwing colour. The inheritance could not be resolved in females as t…
Molecular phylogeny of Malagasy poison frogs, genus Mantella (Anura: Mantellidae): homoplastic evolution of colour pattern in aposematic amphibians
2002
Abstract We studied the evolution of colour pattern in Malagasy poison frogs, genus Mantella , a group of diurnal and toxic frogs endemic to Madagascar. Based on a phylogeny reconstructed using 1130 bp of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene, the genus can be divided into five species groups. Within some of these groups, interspecific genetic divergences were very low (1.2–2.8% sequence divergence) while colour patterns were markedly different. In contrast, Mantella madagascariensis and M . baroni , two species which show extremely similar dorsal coloration patterns, were not included in the same clade. This conclusion was supported by high bootstrap values and by significant rejection of altern…
Direction and strength of selection by predators for the color of the aposematic wood tiger moth
2011
Conventionally, predation is assumed to select for conspicuousness and uniformity of warning signals in aposematic (i.e., chemically defended and warning signaling) prey because this enhances predators' initial and learned avoidance. On the other hand, it has been suggested that both variation in the background where the signal is displayed as well as variation in predators' probability to attack defended prey may favor intermediate signals or relax selection for signal monomorphism. We studied the direction and strength of selection for the hind wing color (orange vs. red) of female Parasemia plantaginis moths. Birds found the moths aversive and avoided them by sight both in laboratory and…
Effects of novelty and gregariousness in survival of aposematic prey
1997
We examined the reactions of captive wild great tits to novel unpalatable prey with (1) a traditional aposematic signal (black and yellow) (2) a novel signal (light pink), and (3) a control signal (brown). Prey were offered either singly or in groups to see whether novel signals with fewer possibilities for synergistic benefits are more dependent on grouping than are the traditional signals. Indeed, responses of birds toward unpalatable prey depended significantly on spatial distribution of prey (grouping versus solitary) and die type of die signal. Birds avoided more the traditional black and yellow signals than novel pink signals in both experimental set ups, but both of diese prey items …
Predator experience on cryptic prey affects the survival of conspicuous aposematic prey.
2001
Initially, aposematism, which is an unprofitable trait, e.g. noxiousness conspicuously advertised to predators, appears to be a paradox since conspicuousness should increase predation by naive predators. However, reluctance of predators for eating novel prey (e.g. neophobia) might balance the initial predation caused by inexperienced predators. We tested the novelty effects on initial predation and avoidance learning in two separate conspicuousness levels of aposematic prey by using a 'novel world' method. Half of the wild great tits (Parus major) were trained to eat cryptic prey prior to the introduction of an aposematic prey, which potentially creates a bias against the aposematic morph. …