Predator-Induced Plasticity on Warning Signal and Larval Life-History Traits of the Aposematic Wood Tiger Moth, Arctia plantaginis
Predator-induced plasticity in life-history and antipredator traits during the larval period has been extensively studied in organisms with complex life-histories. However, it is unclear whether different levels of predation could induce warning signals in aposematic organisms. Here, we investigated...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.658177/full |
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| author | Diana Abondano Almeida Diana Abondano Almeida Johanna Mappes Johanna Mappes Swanne Gordon |
| author_facet | Diana Abondano Almeida Diana Abondano Almeida Johanna Mappes Johanna Mappes Swanne Gordon |
| author_sort | Diana Abondano Almeida |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Predator-induced plasticity in life-history and antipredator traits during the larval period has been extensively studied in organisms with complex life-histories. However, it is unclear whether different levels of predation could induce warning signals in aposematic organisms. Here, we investigated whether predator-simulated handling affects warning coloration and life-history traits in the aposematic wood tiger moth larva, Arctia plantaginis. As juveniles, a larger orange patch on an otherwise black body signifies a more efficient warning signal against predators but this comes at the costs of conspicuousness and thermoregulation. Given this, one would expect that an increase in predation risk would induce flexible expression of the orange patch. Prior research in this system points to plastic effects being important as a response to environmental changes for life history traits, but we had yet to assess whether this was the case for predation risk, a key driver of this species evolution. Using a full-sib rearing design, in which individuals were reared in the presence and absence of a non-lethal simulated bird attack, we evaluated flexible responses of warning signal size (number of orange segments), growth, molting events, and development time in wood tiger moths. All measured traits except development time showed a significant response to predation. Larvae from the predation treatment developed a more melanized warning signal (smaller orange patch), reached a smaller body size, and molted more often. Our results suggest plasticity is indeed important in aposematic organisms, but in this case may be complicated by the trade-off between costly pigmentation and other life-history traits. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T16:11:39Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-472e121f0fea4e93ad924eec746fd7f52022-12-21T22:54:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2021-06-01910.3389/fevo.2021.658177658177Predator-Induced Plasticity on Warning Signal and Larval Life-History Traits of the Aposematic Wood Tiger Moth, Arctia plantaginisDiana Abondano Almeida0Diana Abondano Almeida1Johanna Mappes2Johanna Mappes3Swanne Gordon4Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, FinlandDepartment of Wildlife-/Zoo-Animal-Biology and Systematics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe Universität, Frankfurt, GermanyDepartment of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, FinlandOrganismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United StatesPredator-induced plasticity in life-history and antipredator traits during the larval period has been extensively studied in organisms with complex life-histories. However, it is unclear whether different levels of predation could induce warning signals in aposematic organisms. Here, we investigated whether predator-simulated handling affects warning coloration and life-history traits in the aposematic wood tiger moth larva, Arctia plantaginis. As juveniles, a larger orange patch on an otherwise black body signifies a more efficient warning signal against predators but this comes at the costs of conspicuousness and thermoregulation. Given this, one would expect that an increase in predation risk would induce flexible expression of the orange patch. Prior research in this system points to plastic effects being important as a response to environmental changes for life history traits, but we had yet to assess whether this was the case for predation risk, a key driver of this species evolution. Using a full-sib rearing design, in which individuals were reared in the presence and absence of a non-lethal simulated bird attack, we evaluated flexible responses of warning signal size (number of orange segments), growth, molting events, and development time in wood tiger moths. All measured traits except development time showed a significant response to predation. Larvae from the predation treatment developed a more melanized warning signal (smaller orange patch), reached a smaller body size, and molted more often. Our results suggest plasticity is indeed important in aposematic organisms, but in this case may be complicated by the trade-off between costly pigmentation and other life-history traits.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.658177/fullpredationPlastic responseAposematismLife-historyantipredatorLarva |
| spellingShingle | Diana Abondano Almeida Diana Abondano Almeida Johanna Mappes Johanna Mappes Swanne Gordon Predator-Induced Plasticity on Warning Signal and Larval Life-History Traits of the Aposematic Wood Tiger Moth, Arctia plantaginis Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution predation Plastic response Aposematism Life-history antipredator Larva |
| title | Predator-Induced Plasticity on Warning Signal and Larval Life-History Traits of the Aposematic Wood Tiger Moth, Arctia plantaginis |
| title_full | Predator-Induced Plasticity on Warning Signal and Larval Life-History Traits of the Aposematic Wood Tiger Moth, Arctia plantaginis |
| title_fullStr | Predator-Induced Plasticity on Warning Signal and Larval Life-History Traits of the Aposematic Wood Tiger Moth, Arctia plantaginis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Predator-Induced Plasticity on Warning Signal and Larval Life-History Traits of the Aposematic Wood Tiger Moth, Arctia plantaginis |
| title_short | Predator-Induced Plasticity on Warning Signal and Larval Life-History Traits of the Aposematic Wood Tiger Moth, Arctia plantaginis |
| title_sort | predator induced plasticity on warning signal and larval life history traits of the aposematic wood tiger moth arctia plantaginis |
| topic | predation Plastic response Aposematism Life-history antipredator Larva |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.658177/full |
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