The biological roles of pyrazines: evidence for a warning odour function

Guilford, Tim; Nicol, CJ; Rothschild, Miriam; Moore, B. P.

doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.1987.tb01984.x

Cited by 142 publications

(74 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…It is likely that if large amounts of volatiles are produced by A. pagana L5-6, which display aposematic body colours, then they may function more easily as a defence, not only towards invertebrates such as ants, but also towards predatory birds, as chemical warning signal. Such a function is known for odours emitted by caterpillars (Guilford et al, 1987). Beside a physical protection (see above), the L5-6 of A. pagana would combine visual and chemical warning signals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anti-predator defence mechanisms in sawfly larvae of Arge (Hymenoptera, Argidae)

Petre

Detrain

Boevé

2007

Journal of Insect Physiology

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Larvae of the sawfly Arge (Hymenoptera, Argidae) are exposed to predators such as ants. Their defence mechanisms, which have been almost unstudied, were investigated by behavioural observations coupled to a morphological approach and by testing the bioactivity of several body parts. Arge larvae raised their abdomen when contacted by Myrmica rubra workers. The ants rarely bit a larva and generally retreated immediately, sometimes without contacting it. Most of those few ants that bit a larva then showed an uncoordinated walk. Crude hemolymph from a common species, A. pagana, was a feeding deterrent towards ants. Hemolymph extracts remained active up to a concentration of 0.8 µg DW extract per microlitre solution, and were more active than integument and gut extracts. We also observed ants paralysed by extracts, especially from the gut. It is likely that this toxicity is due to a polypeptide, lophyrotomin, which is known to occur in A. pullata. Six or seven non-eversible ventro-abdominal glands occurred in all species studied (A. fuscipes, A. nigripes, A. ochropus, A. pagana, A. pullata, A. ustulata). These glands contain volatiles. We consider both types of chemicals to be important in defence, and we propose that the paralysing effect is a common feature among Arge species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anti-predator defence mechanisms in sawfly larvae of Arge (Hymenoptera, Argidae)

Petre

Detrain

Boevé

2007

Journal of Insect Physiology

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“…Relevant findings of seven experimental studies documenting the responses of supposedly naive predators to real aposematic prey with defenses known to induce aversion (in all but two studies* learned aversion had been demonstrated). Subsidiary data are from: Rothschild (1985)1, Brower (1984)2, Davis and Nahrstedt (1985)3, Guilford et al (1987)4. The table does not include studies which are anecdotal or poorly controlled, do not document predator responses to first presentations, use artificial prey, or use predators likely to have had prior experience with the relevant prey or prey from which aversive responses may have been generalized.…”

Section: Immediate Versus Delayed-action Toxinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are Warning Colors Handicaps?

Guilford

Dawkins

1993

Evolution

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Abstract.s-The handicap theory, in which the cost of waste guarantees honest advertising, is being used increasingly in solutions to the problems of biological signal evolution. However, it is usually applied to systems which are insufficiently understood to allow testing against alternative theories. In particular, the ability of the handicap theory to explain the design of signals has never been properly tested. We test its ability to explain signal design features in an unusually well studied area of biological signalling: warning coloration and mimicry. Since a full handicap model proves immediately unrealistic, we modify the model to incorporate realistic assumptions about predator learning. Using this model we explicitly compare the handicap theory with a purely "conventional" signalling model and with a null model. Predictions relating to three key design features (conspicuousness, pattern similarity, and Batesian mimicry) are compared, and tested against available data. Although many predictions remain to be tested adequately, we conclude that: (i) conspicuousness is most plausibly explained by the conventional signalling theory that ascribes the function of conspicuous coloration to signal efficacy rather than waste; (ii) pattern similarity, within and between species, is unlikely to be the result of the need to produce similar degrees of conspicuousness, as predicted by the handicap theory, but is plausibly explained as the result of pattern generalization amongst discriminating predators, as predicted by the conventional signalling theory; and (iii) Batesian mimicry is predicted by the conventional signalling theory, but not the handicap theory. Therefore the handicap theory fails to provide an adequate explanation of the main design features of at least one major signalling system.

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“…Birds can detect pyrazine, and learn to avoid unpalatable prey by odour alone (Guilford et al 1987;see Roper (1999) for a review of birds' olfactory capabilities), but pyrazine can also evoke unlearned colour biases in naive avian predators. Pyrazine odour causes naive domestic chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus) to reduce their intake of prey that share visual characteristics typical of aposematic insects, such as prey that are red or yellow (Rowe & Guilford 1996, con-spicuous against the background (Lindströ m et al 2001), or novel in appearance ( Jetz et al 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sound improves visual discrimination learning in avian predators

Rowe

2002

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

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Aposematic insects use warning colours to deter predators, but many also produce odours or sounds when attacked by a predator. One possible role for these additional components is that they promote the association between the warning colour and the non-profitability it signals, thus reducing the chance of future attacks from visually hunting predators. This experiment explicitly tests this idea by looking at the effects of sound on a visual discrimination task. Young domestic chicks were trained to look for food rewards under coloured paper cones scattered in an experimental arena. In a subsequent visual discrimination task, they learned to discriminate between rewarded and non-rewarded hats on the basis of colour. Half the chicks performed this task in silence, whilst the other half had a tone played when they attacked non-rewarded hats. The presence of the tone improved the speed of colour discrimination learning. This demonstrates that there could be a selective advantage for aposematic coloured insects to emit sounds when attacked, since avian predators will learn to avoid their coloration more quickly. The role of psychological interactions between signal components in receivers is discussed in relation to the evolution of multimodal displays.

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The biological roles of pyrazines: evidence for a warning odour function

Cited by 142 publications

References 27 publications

Anti-predator defence mechanisms in sawfly larvae of Arge (Hymenoptera, Argidae)

Anti-predator defence mechanisms in sawfly larvae of Arge (Hymenoptera, Argidae)

Are Warning Colors Handicaps?

Sound improves visual discrimination learning in avian predators

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