A1 Journal article (refereed)
How to fight multiple enemies : target-specific chemical defences in an aposematic moth (2017)
Rojas Zuluaga, B., Burdfield-Steel, E., Pakkanen, H., Suisto, K., Maczka, M., Schulz, S., & Mappes, J. (2017). How to fight multiple enemies : target-specific chemical defences in an aposematic moth. Proceedings of the Royal Society B : Biological Sciences, 284(1863), Article 20171424. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1424
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Rojas Zuluaga, Bibiana; Burdfield-Steel, Emily; Pakkanen, Hannu; Suisto, Kaisa; Maczka, Michael; Schulz, Stefan; Mappes, Johanna
Journal or series: Proceedings of the Royal Society B : Biological Sciences
ISSN: 0962-8452
eISSN: 1471-2954
Publication year: 2017
Volume: 284
Issue number: 1863
Article number: 20171424
Publisher: The Royal Society Publishing
Publication country: United Kingdom
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1424
Research data link: https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dk244
Publication open access: Not open
Publication channel open access:
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/56195
Abstract
Animals have evolved different defensive strategies to survive predation, among which chemical defences are particularly widespread and diverse. Here we investigate the function of chemical defence diversity, hypothesizing that such diversity has evolved as a response to multiple enemies. The aposematic wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) displays conspicuous hindwing coloration and secretes distinct defensive fluids from its thoracic glands and abdomen. We presented the two defensive fluids from laboratory-reared moths to two biologically relevant predators, birds and ants, and measured their reaction in controlled bioassays (no information on colour was provided). We found that defensive fluids are target-specific: thoracic fluids, and particularly 2-sec-butyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which they contain, deterred birds, but caused no aversive response in ants. By contrast, abdominal fluids were particularly deterrent to ants, while birds did not find them repellent. Our study, to our knowledge, is the first to show evidence of a single species producing separate chemical defences targeted to different predator types, highlighting the importance of taking into account complex predator communities in studies on the evolution of prey defence diversity.
Free keywords: predator–prey interactions; chemical defences; aposematism; pyrazines
Contributing organizations
Related projects
- Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions Research
- Mappes, Johanna
- Research Council of Finland
Ministry reporting: Yes
Reporting Year: 2017
JUFO rating: 3