'Awareness' in metamorphosing pupae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)

Neurobiological studies of model insect species have established that the nervous system retains some larval innervations, remodels others, and develops other new adult innervations during metamorphosis. Using a simple behavioral response – the ability to ‘kick’ by pupae of the pierid, Catopsilia po...

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Main Author: Timothy C. Hawes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University La Sapienza of Rome 2019-11-01
Series:Fragmenta entomologica
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.fragmentaentomol.org/index.php/fragmenta/article/view/371
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author Timothy C. Hawes
author_facet Timothy C. Hawes
author_sort Timothy C. Hawes
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description Neurobiological studies of model insect species have established that the nervous system retains some larval innervations, remodels others, and develops other new adult innervations during metamorphosis. Using a simple behavioral response – the ability to ‘kick’ by pupae of the pierid, Catopsilia pomona (Fabricius, 1775) - it was possible to assay for the retention of environmental awareness during ontogenetic reorganization. All pupae kicked 24h after ecdysis, 48% of pupae kicked at the pharate adult stage, and 28% of pupae kicked every day of their development (6.52 d ± 0.10). Both the mode and temporal expression of the response indicate that this retained awareness has larval origins. Variability in the response supports the inference that this response is mediated, to some extent, by prior experience rather than purely ‘reflex’. This is consistent with a Darwinian explanation of the behavior (and retained environmental awareness itself) as serving a protective function in pupae.
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spelling doaj.art-60148df6e6484727ab64f67f81fa3e222022-12-22T00:41:20ZengUniversity La Sapienza of RomeFragmenta entomologica0429-288X2284-48802019-11-0151210.4081/fe.2019.371'Awareness' in metamorphosing pupae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)Timothy C. Hawes0Akarn Teeranee, BangkokNeurobiological studies of model insect species have established that the nervous system retains some larval innervations, remodels others, and develops other new adult innervations during metamorphosis. Using a simple behavioral response – the ability to ‘kick’ by pupae of the pierid, Catopsilia pomona (Fabricius, 1775) - it was possible to assay for the retention of environmental awareness during ontogenetic reorganization. All pupae kicked 24h after ecdysis, 48% of pupae kicked at the pharate adult stage, and 28% of pupae kicked every day of their development (6.52 d ± 0.10). Both the mode and temporal expression of the response indicate that this retained awareness has larval origins. Variability in the response supports the inference that this response is mediated, to some extent, by prior experience rather than purely ‘reflex’. This is consistent with a Darwinian explanation of the behavior (and retained environmental awareness itself) as serving a protective function in pupae.http://www.fragmentaentomol.org/index.php/fragmenta/article/view/371disturbance behaviorecdysismetamorphosisPieridae
spellingShingle Timothy C. Hawes
'Awareness' in metamorphosing pupae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)
Fragmenta entomologica
disturbance behavior
ecdysis
metamorphosis
Pieridae
title 'Awareness' in metamorphosing pupae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)
title_full 'Awareness' in metamorphosing pupae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)
title_fullStr 'Awareness' in metamorphosing pupae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)
title_full_unstemmed 'Awareness' in metamorphosing pupae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)
title_short 'Awareness' in metamorphosing pupae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)
title_sort awareness in metamorphosing pupae lepidoptera pieridae
topic disturbance behavior
ecdysis
metamorphosis
Pieridae
url http://www.fragmentaentomol.org/index.php/fragmenta/article/view/371
work_keys_str_mv AT timothychawes awarenessinmetamorphosingpupaelepidopterapieridae