Aposematism: what should our starting point be?

Speed, Michael P.; Ruxton, Graeme D.

doi:10.1098/rspb.2004.2968

Cited by 74 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…These findings support theories of aposematism acting as a honest handicap signal [27]. Paradoxically, other theories predict negative correlation when well defended prey are able to avoid predation and can therefore reduce costs incurring by signalling [1,13,14,28]. Therefore, no consistent explanation of the relation between aposematic display and levels of secondary defence exists.…”

Section: Introductioncontrasting

confidence: 33%

“…This seems like a reasonable conclusion and for questions related to the possibility of overcoming the stability of crypsis this paper refers to models of the initial emergence of aposematism describing mechanisms such as dietary conservatism, a shifted peak of the aversive information function, the opportunity cost of crypsis, and specific properties of the predator's perception or cognitive processes [13,17,18,28].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Evolutionary Dynamics of Aposematism: a Numerical Analysis of Co-Evolution in Finite Populations

Teichmann

Broom

Alonso

2014

Math. Model. Nat. Phenom.

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This is the published version of the paper.This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Abstract. The majority of species are under predatory risk in their natural habitat and targeted by predators as part of the food web. During the evolution of ecosystems, manifold mechanisms have emerged to avoid predation. So called secondary defences, which are used after a predator has initiated prey-catching behaviour, commonly involve the expression of toxins or deterrent substances which are not observable by the predator. Hence, the possession of such secondary defence in many prey species comes with a specific signal of that defence (aposematism). This paper builds on the ideas of existing models of such signalling behaviour, using a model of co-evolution and generalisation of aversive information and introduces a new methodology of numerical analysis for finite populations. This new methodology significantly improves the accessibility of previous models. In finite populations, investigating the co-evolution of defence and signalling requires an understanding of natural selection as well as an assessment of the effects of drift as an additional force acting on stability. The new methodology is able to reproduce the predicted solutions of preceding models and finds additional solutions involving negative correlation between signal strength and the extent of secondary defence. In addition, genetic drift extends the range of stable aposematic solutions through the introduction of a new pseudo-stability and gives new insights into the diversification of aposematic displays. Permanent repository link

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Section: Introductioncontrasting

confidence: 33%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Evolutionary Dynamics of Aposematism: a Numerical Analysis of Co-Evolution in Finite Populations

Teichmann

Broom

Alonso

2014

Math. Model. Nat. Phenom.

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“…Previous work suggested that aposematic coloration releases prey species to explore more environmental opportunities than a cryptic phenotype because an aposematic signaler is no longer constrained to a particular visual background (13,47). However, aposematism in Papilio larvae has had the opposite effect, meaning that aposematic lineages are constrained to particular host plant growth forms, specifically narrow-leaved herbs and shrubs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

The signal environment is more important than diet or chemical specialization in the evolution of warning coloration

Prudic

Oliver²,

Sperling³

2007

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Aposematic coloration, or warning coloration, is a visual signal that acts to minimize contact between predator and unprofitable prey. The conditions favoring the evolution of aposematic coloration remain largely unidentified. Recent work suggests that diet specialization and resultant toxicity may play a role in facilitating the evolution and persistence of warning coloration. Using a phylogenetic approach, we investigated the evolution of larval warning coloration in the genus Papilio (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Our results indicate that there are at least four independent origins of aposematic larval coloration within Papilio. Controlling for phylogenetic relatedness among Papilio taxa, we found no evidence supporting the hypothesis that either diet specialization or chemical specialization facilitated the origin of aposematic larvae. However, there was a significant relationship between the signal environment and the evolution of aposematic larvae. Specifically, Papilio lineages feeding on herbaceous or narrow-leaved plants, regardless of the plants' taxonomic affiliation, were more likely to evolve aposematic larvae than were lineages feeding only on trees/shrubs or broad-leaved plants. These results demonstrate that factors other than diet specialization, such as the signal environment of predator-prey interactions, may play a large role in the initial evolution and persistence of aposematic coloration. caterpillar ͉ diet specialization ͉ Lepidoptera ͉ Papilio

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“…An organism is defined as aposematic when it possesses both a defensive trait that makes it unpalatable and a warning signal to advertise its defense to potential predators (Poulton 1890;Ruxton et al 2004;Mappes et al 2005). The initial evolution of aposematism is often considered paradoxical because of the predicted higher predation costs associated with the original appearance of conspicuousness, which may not yet be associated with a defense (Lindström et al 2001;Ruxton et al 2004;Speed and Ruxton 2005). In general, predators learn to avoid aposematic prey more quickly when the diversity of warning signals is low, compared to higher signal diversity (Joron and Mallet 1998;Rowland et al 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Not all colors are equal: predation and color polytypism in the aposematic poison frog Oophaga pumilio

2012

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Aposematic organisms are not predicted to show high levels of warning signal diversity because they are expected to be under stabilizing selection to decrease costs of 'educating' predators about their unpalatability. However, systematic changes in warning signals (polytypism) can be expected if they represent adaptations to local predators. The aposematic strawberry poison frog (Oophaga pumilio) is red throughout its mainland distribution in Costa Rica and Panamá, but displays high levels of warning signal diversity in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago of Panamá. Both coloration and spot pattern vary in a polytypic sense. Sexual selection contributes to maintaining the polytypism, but little work has investigated the potential influence of predation. We used unspotted models of O. pumilio to determine if predation might help explain the color polytypism on Isla Colón in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago of Panamá. We tested whether attack rates differed among the red mainland morph, green/yellow Isla Colón morph, and the brown control. We found that frog color significantly predicted being attacked. The local green Isla Colón models were attacked more than foreign red or brown models. No difference in attack rate existed between red and brown control models. Our results suggest that the red mainland morph possesses a more effective warning signal, even when it is not the local morph. Honest signaling of unpalatability, neophobia, and the use of search images by local predators are potential explanations. Similarity of the brown model to other local poison frogs might explain the lower attack rate compared to previous work. The attack rate was lower on Isla Colón compared to mainland Costa Rica, which supports the hypothesis that less overall 123Evol Ecol DOI 10.1007/s10682-012-9605-z predation in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago may contribute to the overall warning signal diversity in O. pumilio there by relaxing selection for aposematic traits.

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Aposematism: what should our starting point be?

Cited by 74 publications

References 47 publications

The Evolutionary Dynamics of Aposematism: a Numerical Analysis of Co-Evolution in Finite Populations

The Evolutionary Dynamics of Aposematism: a Numerical Analysis of Co-Evolution in Finite Populations

The signal environment is more important than diet or chemical specialization in the evolution of warning coloration

Not all colors are equal: predation and color polytypism in the aposematic poison frog Oophaga pumilio

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