Evidence for a deterrent effect of cardenolides on Nephila spiders

Petschenka, Georg; Bramer, Christiane; Pankoke, Helga; Dobler, Susanne

doi:10.1016/j.baae.2010.12.005

Cited by 19 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…However, species vary in how they sequester, store, metabolize, and secrete different cardenolides. Various morphological and physiological mechanisms allow such species to become insensitive to cardenolides and/or to sequester and use these toxins as a defence against potential vertebrate and invertebrate predators that are not able to tolerate the ingestion of cardenolides (Opitz & Müller, ; Dobler et al., ; Petschenka et al., ). Species often have aposematic colouration to advertise their unpalatability and toxicity (Pasteels & Grégoire, ; Opitz & Müller, ; Rafter et al., ) as cardenolides are bitter tasting and are known to have repellent, emetic, and cardio‐toxic effects on non‐adapted vertebrate and invertebrate predators (Rothschild & Kellett, ; Isman et al., ; Berenbaum & Miliczky, ; Hilker et al., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical egg defence in the large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus, derives from maternal but not paternal diet

Newcombe

Blount

Mitchell

et al. 2013

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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Many herbivorous insects sequester defensive compounds from their host-plants and incorporate them into their eggs to protect them against predation. Here, we investigate whether transmission of cardenolides from the host-diet to the eggs is maternal, paternal, or biparental in the large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus (Dallas) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae). We reared individual bugs on either milkweed seeds [MW; Asclepias syriaca L. (Apocynaceae)] that contain cardenolides, or on sunflower seeds [SF; Helianthus annuus L. (Asteraceae)] that do not contain cardenolides. We mated females and males so that all four maternal/paternal diet combinations were represented: MW/MW, MW/SF, SF/MW, and SF/SF. Using larvae of the common green lacewing, Chrysoperla (Chrysopa) carnea (Stevens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), we conducted two-choice predation trials to assess whether maternal, paternal, or biparental transmission of cardenolides into the eggs of O. fasciatus increased protection against predation. Furthermore, we used high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to assess putative cardenolide content of eggs from the various parental diet treatment groups. The predation trials suggested that regardless of male diet, eggs were afforded better protection when females had been raised on milkweed. However, many eggs were at least partially consumed. This suggests that although chemical defence of eggs does not guarantee protection to eggs on an individual basis, they may increase the probability that some eggs in a clutch are left intact thereby potentially conferring a fitness advantage to more offspring than if eggs are left unprotected. Based on HPLC analysis we found that maternal contribution of cardenolides was significantly greater than paternal contribution of cardenolides to the eggs, supporting the results of our predation trials that a maternal diet of milkweed makes eggs more distasteful than a paternal diet of milkweed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical egg defence in the large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus, derives from maternal but not paternal diet

Newcombe

Blount

Mitchell

et al. 2013

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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“…Although nymphs only store the defensive cardenolides in the hemolymph and cannot release them onto their surface as adult bugs do (Bramer et al., ; Duffey & Scudder, ; Scudder & Meredith, ), both life stages were released unharmed by the spiders. In contrast, sequestration of cardenolides in the hemolymph of Empyreuma pugione (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae) did not prevent N. senegalensis from biting repeatedly, whereby most of the moths were killed during their time in web even though they were released in the end (Petschenka et al., ). We do not know what caused these differences in the spiders' behavior: Perhaps, the previous longer starvation period of 3 days compared to 2 days in the present experiments could have caused this difference in behavior.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nephila spiders, on the other hand, are able to discriminate against noxious prey and release distasteful individuals unharmed (Brown, 1984;Eisner & Meinwald, 1987;Masters, 1990;Orr, Trigo, Witte, & Hartmann, 1996;Robinson & Robinson, 1973;Vasconcellos-Neto & Lewinsohn, 1984). These orb-weaving spiders also discriminate against unpalatable artificial prey laced with ouabain, a well-known reference cardenolide (Petschenka, Bramer, Pankoke, & Dobler, 2011). However, it is unclear whether the spiders are able to associate negative experiences with aposematic prey and if they are capable of learned avoidance.…”

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confidence: 99%

Cardenolide‐defended milkweed bugs do not evoke learning in Nephila senegalensis spiders

2018

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Antipredator defense of herbivorous insects often relies on the potential toxicity of defensive chemicals sequestered from their host plants. The colorful Lygaeinae (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae) store a concentrated mixture of toxic cardenolides (cardiac glycosides) in specialized storage compartments of the bugs' integument, from which they are released upon attack. Larvae and adults of the large milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus (Heteroptera: Lygaeinae) are specialized to feed on cardenolide‐containing milkweeds in the plant genus Asclepias and display a conspicuous red and black colorations. To investigate whether O. fasciatus gained improved protection by feeding on a toxic host plant (Asclepias syriaca), compared to a nontoxic alternative (sunflower seeds), we fed nymphs and adults of O. fasciatus to the golden orb‐weaver Nephila senegalensis. While visually oriented vertebrates, such as avian predators, have been intensively investigated for their reaction to defensive compounds and aposematic coloration, less attention has been paid to invertebrate predators. Their different perceptual abilities can provide important opportunities for testing hypotheses on warning coloration and chemical defenses. The predation trials showed that the bugs fed on Asclepias were significantly less likely to be killed than the bugs reared on a cardenolide‐free diet. This suggests that sequestered cardenolides in O. fasciatus nymphs and adults represent a significant fitness advantage on an individual level against this invertebrate predator. Yet, when testing for avoidance learning in the spiders, negative experience did not change the way how similar prey was attacked at the next encounter. In this case, visual or chemical aposematism thus does not seem to matter for predator learning.

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“…It has long been assumed that specialist insects incur the potential costs of feeding on toxic plants for the benefits gained under certain ecological conditions, such as Herbivore-milkweed interactions 359 exposure to parasites or predators; yet, we are only beginning to unravel the mechanisms underlying these complex interactions (Forister et al, 2012). Studies investigating cardenolide-adapted insects have demonstrated the unpalatability and toxic effects of monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus (L.), to bird predators (van Zandt Brower, 1958;Brower & Moffitt, 1974), milkweed bugs [Oncopeltus fasciatus (Dallas)] to mantid predators (Berenbaum & Miliczky, 1984;Paradise & Stamp, 1991), and milkweed aphids (A. nerii) to spiders (Malcolm, 1989;Petschenka et al, 2011); however, monarch larvae and milkweed aphids are predated upon by a diversity of insects in the field . Parasitoids have reduced emergence from cardenolide-adapted aphids as compared to other aphid species (Desneux et al, 2009), and milkweed host plant species, presumably driven by differences in cardenolides, has an effect on parasitoid success in milkweed aphids (Colvin & Yeargan, 2013); however, the basis of cardenolide protection against parasitoids is unknown.…”

Section: Ecological Consequences Of Detoxification and Sequestrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insect adaptations toward plant toxins in milkweed–herbivores systems – a review

Birnbaum

Abbot

2018

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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Studies of plant defenses and insect herbivores have been important in the development of our understanding of coevolution and specialization. Milkweed-herbivore systems have been a model for studying plant secondary chemistry defense evolution, insect adaptations to that chemistry, and coevolution between toxic plants and their herbivores for over a century. Yet, we are only beginning to unravel the multitude of adaptations required for insect specialization on milkweed plants. We review the empirical evidence for specialist insect adaptations toward milkweed toxins, coevolution between insects and milkweed plants, and canonical paradigms for sequestration and highlight the areas for further research. By comparing research performed with diverse milkweed insects, we discuss the need to comprehensively study adaptations and specialization in divergent insect taxa.

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Evidence for a deterrent effect of cardenolides on Nephila spiders

Cited by 19 publications

References 25 publications

Chemical egg defence in the large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus, derives from maternal but not paternal diet

Chemical egg defence in the large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus, derives from maternal but not paternal diet

Cardenolide‐defended milkweed bugs do not evoke learning in Nephila senegalensis spiders

Insect adaptations toward plant toxins in milkweed–herbivores systems – a review

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