Brood guarding and the evolution of male parental care in burying beetles

Scott, Michelle Pellissier

doi:10.1007/bf00174022

Cited by 129 publications

(143 citation statements)

References 19 publications

(24 reference statements)

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“…Competition for resources and predation have been hypothesized as ecological factors important to the evolution of parental care (27,28). Modern nicrophorines encounter intense biotic stress from two sources: competition with blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) for food, and threat of predation, potentially by some derived staphylinine rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) (7,29). Similar competitive pressures may have triggered the origin of parental care among ancient carrion beetles.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early origin of parental care in Mesozoic carrion beetles

Cai

Thayer

Engel

et al. 2014

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

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Significance We report on the unique discovery of Jurassic and Cretaceous carrion beetles (Silphidae) from China and Myanmar, early relatives of one of the most protected of beetle species in North America, and which clearly preserve evidence indicative of complex parental care. This finding represents the earliest evidence of parental care, a behavioral repertoire that is the first step in the development of truly social behavior and one that is intensely studied by ecologists, ethologists, and evolutionary biologists alike. Our fossils clearly span the origins of parent–offspring communication and allow us to provide a robust estimate of the time of origin for this complex behavior.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early origin of parental care in Mesozoic carrion beetles

Cai

Thayer

Engel

et al. 2014

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

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“…Although in burying beetles both parents are involved in caring for the young, most male care does not enhance reproductive success. For example, a male does not affect burial speed (Scott, 1990;Suzuki, 2011) and does not increase brood size or brood mass (Scott & Gladstein, 1993;Trumbo & Fernandez, 1995;Trumbo, 2006b). In contrast, a male is important in repelling intruders, irrespective of the sex of the intruders (Trumbo, 2006a).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although contests occur only intrasexually before carrion is buried (Suzuki, 2000;Suzuki et al, 2005), many inter-sexual contests occurred in this study after burial. Many resident pairs win against intruders after burial ( Scott, 1990;Trumbo, 1990Trumbo, , 2006b). In addition, resident males attacked intruder females more frequently than resident females.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The larger individuals are usually the winners in contests among conspecifics (Otronen, 1988;Müller et al, 1990). In Nicrophorus spp., even after oviposition and hatching, infanticidal takeovers by intruding individuals occur regularly in the field (Scott, 1990;Koulianos & Schwarz, 2000). Intruders kill the eggs and larvae of the residents and reproduce on the carcass (Trumbo, 1990b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The relationship between biparental care and infanticide in burying beetles is well studied (Trumbo, 1990a). Both males and females cooperatively defend carcasses and broods against intruders even after the larvae hatch (Scott, 1990;Robertson, 1993;Trumbo, 1994Trumbo, , 2006a. However, the notion of biparental cooperation against infanticidal intruders is based on indirect evidence such as a higher probability of reproductive success and higher rates of injury when there are intruders (Otronen, 1988;Trumbo, 1990a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Cooperative defence of brood in Nicrophorus quadripunctatus (Coleoptera: Silphidae)

Suzuki¹

2011

Eur. J. Entomol.

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Abstract.A positive correlation between the parental effort of a male and female should promote stable biparental care. In order to prevent infanticide male and female burying beetles are said to guard against intruders cooperatively and the presence of a male partner is said to increase the probability of successful defence. However, this hypothesis is supported only by indirect evidence. In this study this hypothesis is tested by direct observation. Whether the intruder was male or female, contests between the same and the opposite sex occurred, although there were few contests between resident females and intruding males. In addition, resident pairs tended to win irrespective of the sex of the intruder, although it is reported that among burying beetles large beetles usually win intra-sexual contests. In the presence of a partner, a small resident can defend a carcass against a large con-sexual intruder. These results suggest that by means of biparental cooperation burying beetles can repel stronger intruders and supports the hypothesis that the threat of infanticide is the primary explanation for extended biparental care in these beetles.

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Juvenile hormone-mediated reproduction in burying beetles: From behavior to physiology

Trumbo

1997

Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol.

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Brood guarding and the evolution of male parental care in burying beetles

Cited by 129 publications

References 19 publications

Early origin of parental care in Mesozoic carrion beetles

Early origin of parental care in Mesozoic carrion beetles

Cooperative defence of brood in Nicrophorus quadripunctatus (Coleoptera: Silphidae)

Juvenile hormone-mediated reproduction in burying beetles: From behavior to physiology

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