at Google ScholarTitle data
Sahm, Jacqueline ; Brobeil, Beatrice ; Grubmüller, Eric ; Conrad, Taina ; Schott, Matthias ; Stökl, Johannes ; Steiger, Sandra:
The scent of offspring: chemical profiles of larvae change during development and affect parental behavior in a burying beetle.
In: Behavioral Ecology.
Vol. 35
(2024)
Issue 5
.
- arae061.
ISSN 1465-7279
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arae061
Abstract in another language
Chemical cues and signals, especially in insects, play a pivotal role in mediating interactions between individuals. Past studies have largely focused on adult semiochemicals and have neglected those of juvenile stages. Especially in the context of parental care, the larval odor might have a profound impact on parenting behavior, guiding parents in how much resources they should allocate to the different developmental stages. However, whether ontogenetic changes occur in subsocial species and whether larval-emitted scents influence parent-offspring interactions is largely unknown. Using 3 different sampling techniques, we analyzed the cuticular and VOC profile of the 3 larval instars of the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides, which is known for its elaborate parental care. We found distinct differences in the cuticular and VOC profiles across the 3 larval stages. Second-instar larvae, which receive more frequent feedings from parents than the other larval stages, released greater amounts of acetophenone, methyl geranate, and octanoic acid isopropyl ester than the first and third instar. Additionally, using a newly developed bioassay with automated video tracking, we found that adding the odor of second-instar larvae to first-instar larvae increased the number of maternal feeding trips. Our results suggest that the odor produced by larvae plays an important role in mediating parent-offspring interactions. Given these findings, burying beetles might emerge as a promising candidate for identifying a potential begging pheromone.
Further data
| Item Type: | Article in a journal |
|---|---|
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Institutions of the University: | Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Biology > Chair Animal Ecology II - Evolutionary Animal Ecology > Chair Animal Ecology II - Evolutionary Animal Ecology - Univ.-Prof. Dr. Sandra Steiger |
| Result of work at the UBT: | Yes |
| DDC Subjects: | 500 Science > 590 Animals (Zoology) |
| Date Deposited: | 06 Sep 2024 05:47 |
| Last Modified: | 06 Sep 2024 05:47 |
| URI: | https://eref.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/90350 |