English
 
Help Privacy Policy Disclaimer
  Advanced SearchBrowse

Item

ITEM ACTIONSEXPORT
 
 
DownloadE-Mail
  How the ladybird got its spots: effects of resource limitation on the honesty of aposematic signals

Blount, J. D., Rowland, H. M., Drijfhout, F. P., Endler, J. A., Inger, R., Sloggett, J. J., et al. (2012). How the ladybird got its spots: effects of resource limitation on the honesty of aposematic signals. Functional Ecology, 26(2), 334-342. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2435.2012.01961.x.

Item is

Files

show Files
hide Files
:
EXT516.pdf (Publisher version), 306KB
 
File Permalink:
-
Name:
EXT516.pdf
Description:
-
OA-Status:
Visibility:
Restricted (Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, MJCO; )
MIME-Type / Checksum:
application/pdf
Technical Metadata:
Copyright Date:
-
Copyright Info:
-
License:
-
:
EXT516s1.pdf (Supplementary material), 103KB
 
File Permalink:
-
Name:
EXT516s1.pdf
Description:
-
OA-Status:
Visibility:
Restricted (Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, MJCO; )
MIME-Type / Checksum:
application/pdf
Technical Metadata:
Copyright Date:
-
Copyright Info:
-
License:
-

Locators

show
hide
Description:
OA
OA-Status:

Creators

show
hide
 Creators:
Blount, J. D., Author
Rowland, Hannah M.1, Author           
Drijfhout, F. P., Author
Endler, J. A., Author
Inger, R., Author
Sloggett, J. J., Author
Hurst, G. D. D., Author
Hodgson, D. J., Author
Speed, M. P., Author
Affiliations:
1External Organizations, ou_persistent22              

Content

show
hide
Free keywords: -
 Abstract: 1. Prey species often possess defences (e.g. toxins) coupled with warning signals (i.e. aposematism). There is growing evidence that the expression of aposematic signals often varies within species and correlates with the strength of chemical defences. This has led to the speculation that such signals may be honest, with signal reliability ensured by the costliness of producing or maintaining aposematic traits. 2. We reared larval seven-spot ladybirds (Coccinella septempunctata) on a Low or High aphid diet and measured the effects on warning signal expression (elytral carotenoid pigmentation, conspicuousness, spot size), levels of defensive alkaloids (precoccinelline, coccinelline), and relationships between these traits. 3. High-diet individuals had greater total precoccinelline levels, and elytra carotenoid concentrations at adulthood which was detectable to a typical avian predator. However, larval diet did not significantly affect adult body mass or size, spot size or coccinelline levels. 4. Elytra carotenoid concentrations correlated positively with total precoccinelline levels in both diet groups and sexes. However, the relationship between elytra carotenoid concentrations and total levels of coccinelline depended on sex: in both diet groups, elytra carotenoids and coccinelline levels were positively correlated in females, but negatively correlated in males. Spot size and coccinelline levels correlated positively in Low-diet individuals, but negatively in High-diet individuals. 5. These results point to physiological linkages between components of aposematism, which are modulated by resource (i. e. food) availability and affect the honesty of signals. Developmental diet, but also sex, influenced the relationships between signals and toxin levels. Ladybirds are sexually size dimorphic, and thus in comparison with males, females may be more susceptible to resource limitation and more likely to be honest signallers.

Details

show
hide
Language(s): eng - English
 Dates: 2012
 Publication Status: Issued
 Pages: -
 Publishing info: -
 Table of Contents: -
 Rev. Type: -
 Identifiers: Other: EXT516
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2012.01961.x
 Degree: -

Event

show

Legal Case

show

Project information

show

Source 1

show
hide
Title: Functional Ecology
  Alternative Title : Funct. Ecol.
Source Genre: Journal
 Creator(s):
Affiliations:
Publ. Info: -
Pages: - Volume / Issue: 26 (2) Sequence Number: - Start / End Page: 334 - 342 Identifier: -