Density-Related Volatile Emissions and Responses in the Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium castaneum

Duehl, Adrian J.; Arbogast, Richard T.; Teal, Peter E. A.

doi:10.1007/s10886-011-9942-3

Cited by 25 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 21 publications

(33 reference statements)

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“…Quinones are secreted from abdominal and thoracic glands (Markarian et al 1978) and are thought to accumulate in flour in a density-dependent manner (Sokoloff 1977). The individual response to major quinone components also increases as a function of population density (Duehl et al 2011). For instance, exposing a pair of focal beetles to olfactory cues from crowded beetles (presumably, largely quinones) for 3 days decreased female oviposition rate by up to 25% (Sonleitner and Gutherie 1991).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Female Density-Dependent Chemical Warfare Underlies Fitness Effects of Group Sex Ratio in Flour Beetles

Khan

Prakash

Issar

et al. 2018

The American Naturalist

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In animals, skewed sex ratios can affect individual fitness via sexual (e.g., intersexual conflict or intrasexual mate competition) or nonsexual (e.g., sex-specific resource competition) interactions. Because most analyses of sex ratio focus on sexual interactions, the relative importance of sexual versus nonsexual mechanisms remains unclear. We tested both mechanisms in the flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, where male-biased sex ratios increase female fitness relative to unbiased or female-biased groups. Although flour beetles show both sexual and nonsexual (resource) competition, we found that sexual interactions did not explain female fitness. Instead, female fecundity was dramatically reduced even after a brief exposure to flour conditioned by other females. Earlier studies suggested that secreted toxins might mediate density-dependent population growth in flour beetles. We identified ethyl benzoquinone and methyl benzoquinone (quinones) as components of adult stink glands that regulate female fecundity. In female-biased groups (i.e., at high female density), females upregulated quinones and suppressed each other's reproduction. In male-biased groups, low female density and associated low quinone levels maximized fecundity. Thus, females appear to use quinones as weapons for female-specific, density-dependent interference competition. Our results underscore the importance of nonsexual interference competition that may often underlie the fitness consequences of skewed sex ratios.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Female Density-Dependent Chemical Warfare Underlies Fitness Effects of Group Sex Ratio in Flour Beetles

Khan

Prakash

Issar

et al. 2018

The American Naturalist

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“…Flour conditioning can inßuence beetle behavior. For example, ßour can be more attractive to T. castaneum beetles when Þrst colonized (Hughes 1982), but highly conditioned ßour can become repellent (Duehl et al 2011). Sonleitner (1961 showed that egg cannibalism in adult T. castaneum increased in conditioned ßour compared with fresh ßour.…”

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confidence: 99%

Effects of Flour Conditioning on Cannibalism of <I>T. castaneum</I> Eggs and Pupae

Flinn

Campbell

2012

env. entom.

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Cannibalism is a very important factor regulating population dynamics of the red flour beetle. After several days of feeding, the flour becomes conditioned by the beetles, which can affect rates of cannibalism. Flour conditioning is caused by an accumulation of feces, pheromones, and ethylquinone, which is a repellent produced by the beetles. We determined the effect of five different levels of flour conditioning on cannibalism of red flour beetle eggs and pupae by adult and larval stages. Larvae had the highest rates of egg cannibalism (12 eggs eaten over the 4-d period) followed by female adults (seven eggs consumed). Adult males had the lowest rates of cannibalism with only two eggs consumed. Cannibalism of eggs by females was correlated negatively with the level of flour conditioning. There was no effect of flour conditioning on egg or pupal cannibalism by larvae or adult males. Cannibalism by adult females may decrease as the level of flour conditioning increases because females may spend less time tunneling in highly conditioned flour and more time trying to disperse to other areas that are better for oviposition.

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“…16.1.3). As populations increase, however, the food becomes less nutritious and accumulates toxic concentrations of waste products and benzoquinones (Duehl 2011). Such conditions induce adult dispersal via flight (Zyromska-Rudzka 1966a, b;Sokoloff 1974;Ziegler 1978).…”

Section: Habitat Food Life History and Population Cyclesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating Cryptic Female Choice in Highly Promiscuous Tribolium Beetles

Fedina

Lewis

2015

Cryptic Female Choice in Arthropods

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Tribolium flour beetles have been an important model organism for the study of postcopulatory sexual selection. These beetles are representative of many insects that live in high-density aggregations and therefore experience frequent mating opportunities. However, unlike many such insects, Tribolium females are extremely polyandrous and seemingly promiscuous as they engage in frequent matings without any apparent pre-mating courtship ritual. Instead, intrasexual competition as well as intersexual mate/paternity choices occurs primarily during and after copulation. Here, we review the evidence for at least four cryptic female choice (CFC) mechanisms in Tribolium that may affect how offspring paternity is apportioned among a female's mates. By comparing live to freshly euthanized females (both readily mated by males), studies reveal that during mating, females reject spermatophore transfer or limit sperm numbers transferred by inferior males. Re-mating with additional males is another CFC mechanism, and mated Tribolium females will more readily accept a spermatophore from males that are more attractive than their previous mate. Finally, Tribolium females may also use the timing of spermatophore ejection after mating to bias offspring paternity. Tribolium life history and mating system traits (including long adult life, continuous egg-laying, and frequent re-mating) suggest that females are unlikely to be harmed by multiple matings. Indeed, there exists little experimental evidence for the cost of polyandry to females, and the Tribolium mating system appears to lack many elements that would indicate sexually antagonistic coevolution. The multiple CFC mechanisms demonstrated in Tribolium may stem from females' inability to effectively assess males before mating. Such mechanisms may provide an effective

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Density-Related Volatile Emissions and Responses in the Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium castaneum

Cited by 25 publications

References 21 publications

Female Density-Dependent Chemical Warfare Underlies Fitness Effects of Group Sex Ratio in Flour Beetles

Female Density-Dependent Chemical Warfare Underlies Fitness Effects of Group Sex Ratio in Flour Beetles

Effects of Flour Conditioning on Cannibalism of <I>T. castaneum</I> Eggs and Pupae

Evaluating Cryptic Female Choice in Highly Promiscuous Tribolium Beetles

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