Asymmetric life-history decision-making in butterfly larvae

Friberg, Magne; Haugen, Inger M. Aalberg; Dahlerus, Josefin; Gotthard, Karl; Wiklund, Christer

doi:10.1007/s00442-010-1804-0

Cited by 48 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 42 publications

(54 reference statements)

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“…4; Stefanescu unpublished). Due to these 426 behavioural differences, diapausing individuals are likely to lose more energy and body weight already prior to entering the diapauses, in addition to the perhaps inevitably higher energetic losses during the much longer pupal period itself (Scriber 1994;Friberg and 429 Karlsson 2010;Friberg et al 2011). …”

Section: Discussion 345mentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinguishing between anticipatory and responsive plasticity in a seasonally polyphenic butterfly

et al. 2012

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Seasonal generations of short-lived organisms often differ in their morphological, behavioural and life history traits, including body size. These differences may be either due to immediate effects of seasonally variable environment on organisms (responsive plasticity) or rely on presumably adaptive responses of organisms to cues signalizing forthcoming seasonal changes (anticipatory plasticity). When directly developing individuals of insects are larger than their overwintering conspecifics, the betweengeneration differences are typically ascribed to responsive plasticity in larval growth. We tested this hypothesis using the papilionid butterly Iphiclides podalirius as a model species. In laboratory experiments, we demonstrated that seasonal differences in food quality could not explain the observed size difference. Similarly, the size differences are not likely to be explained by the immediate effects of ambient temperature and photoperiod on larval growth. The qualitative pattern of natural size differences between the directly developing and diapausing butterflies could be reproduced in the laboratory as a response to photoperiod, indicating anticipatory character of the response. Directly developing and diapausing individuals followed an identical growth trajectory until the end of the last larval instar, with size differences appearing just a few days before pupation. Taken together, various lines of evidence suggest that between-generation size differences in I. podalirius are not caused by immediate effects of environmental factors on larval growth. Instead, these differences rather represent anticipatory plasticity and are thus likely to have an adaptive explanation. It remains currently unclear, whether the seasonal differences in adult size per se are adaptive, or if they constitute co-product of processes related to the diapause. Our study shows that it may be feasible to distinguish between different types of plasticity on the basis of empirical data even if fitness cannot be directly measured, and contributes to the emerging view about the predominantly adaptive nature of seasonal polyphenisms in insects.

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Section: Discussion 345mentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinguishing between anticipatory and responsive plasticity in a seasonally polyphenic butterfly

et al. 2012

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“…Diapause is initiated in larvae in response to shortening day length [13,14]. Whereas pupal development without diapause generally lasts about two weeks, pupal diapause may last two to six months [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Idiosyncratic development of sensory structures in brains of diapausing butterfly pupae: implications for information processing

et al. 2017

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Diapause is an important escape mechanism from seasonal stress in many insects. A certain minimum amount of time in diapause is generally needed in order for it to terminate. The mechanisms of time-keeping in diapause are poorly understood, but it can be hypothesized that a well-developed neural system is required. However, because neural tissue is metabolically costly to maintain, there might exist conflicting selective pressures on overall brain development during diapause, on the one hand to save energy and on the other hand to provide reliable information processing during diapause. We performed the first ever investigation of neural development during diapause and non-diapause (direct) development in pupae of the butterfly Pieris napi from a population whose diapause duration is known. The brain grew in size similarly in pupae of both pathways up to 3 days after pupation, when development in the diapause brain was arrested. While development in the brain of direct pupae continued steadily after this point, no further development occurred during diapause until temperatures increased far after diapause termination. Interestingly, sensory structures related to vision were remarkably well developed in pupae from both pathways, in contrast with neuropils related to olfaction, which only developed in direct pupae. The results suggest that a well-developed visual system might be important for normal diapause development.

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“…Moreover, we could show that the positive slope of the reaction norm is not induced during a particular sensitive period of larval development (cf. Lester et al, 2005;Friberg et al, 2011): the response of larvae to crowding occurred both early in their development and during the final instar.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Larval crowding leads to unusual reaction norms for size and time at maturity in a geometrid moth (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

Vellau¹,

Tammaru²

2012

Eur. J. Entomol.

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Abstract. The theory of life history evolution generally predicts a negative across-environment correlation between development time and size at maturity in response to variations in environmental quality. Deviations from this pattern occur under specific circumstances. In particular, organisms may mature both early and at a small size when (1) some ultimate change (e.g. time constraint, resource exhaustion) in the environment precludes further growth, or (2) when there are predictable among-environment differences in mortality rates. The first scenario is frequently documented in insects but evidence for the second possibility is scarce. Here we report a crowding-induced plastic response resulting in a clear positive across-environment correlation between final weight and development time in a geometrid moth. The response was apparent during the entire larval period and in the last larval instar. Crowding also led to increased growth rates. As outbreaks have not been reported for this species it is unlikely that early pupation is a response to anticipated food shortage. Instead, we suggest that crowded larvae may perceive a higher risk of predation, perhaps because they are unable to distinguish conspecifics from potential predators. A possibility for a plastic increase in growth rate implies that the uncrowded larvae grow at submaximal rates, which indicates a cost of high growth rate.

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Asymmetric life-history decision-making in butterfly larvae

Cited by 48 publications

References 42 publications

Distinguishing between anticipatory and responsive plasticity in a seasonally polyphenic butterfly

Distinguishing between anticipatory and responsive plasticity in a seasonally polyphenic butterfly

Idiosyncratic development of sensory structures in brains of diapausing butterfly pupae: implications for information processing

Larval crowding leads to unusual reaction norms for size and time at maturity in a geometrid moth (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

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