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 editorsRojas Zuluaga, Bibiana; Burdfield-Steel, Emily; Pakkanen, Hannu; Suisto, Kaisa; Maczka, Michael; Schulz, Stefan; Mappes, Johanna

Journal or seriesProceedings of the Royal Society B : Biological Sciences

ISSN0962-8452

eISSN1471-2954

Publication year2017

Volume284

Issue number1863

Article number20171424

PublisherThe Royal Society Publishing

Publication countryUnited Kingdom

Publication languageEnglish

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1424

Research data linkhttps://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dk244

Publication open accessNot 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 keywordspredator–prey interactions; chemical defences; aposematism; pyrazines


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Ministry reportingYes

Reporting Year2017

JUFO rating3


Last updated on 2024-08-01 at 20:07