Title: | Early-exposure to new sex pheromone blends alters mate preference in female butterflies and in their offspring |
Author(s): | Dion E; Pui LX; Weber K; Monteiro A; |
Address: | "Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Singapore. dion.emilie@ymail.com. Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Singapore. Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Singapore. antonia.monteiro@nus.edu.sg. Yale-NUS-College, 6 College Avenue East, Singapore, 138614, Singapore. antonia.monteiro@nus.edu.sg" |
DOI: | 10.1038/s41467-019-13801-2 |
ISSN/ISBN: | 2041-1723 (Electronic) 2041-1723 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "While the diversity of sex pheromone communication systems across insects is well documented, the mechanisms that lead to such diversity are not well understood. Sex pheromones constitute a species-specific system of sexual communication that reinforces interspecific reproductive isolation. When odor blends evolve, the efficacy of male-female communication becomes compromised, unless preference for novel blends also evolves. We explore odor learning as a possible mechanism leading to changes in sex pheromone preferences in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. Our experiments reveal mating patterns suggesting that mating bias for new blends can develop following a short learning experience, and that this maternal experience impacts the mating outcome of offspring without further exposure. We propose that odor learning can be a key factor in the evolution of sex pheromone blend recognition and in chemosensory speciation" |
Keywords: | "Alcohols/pharmacology Aldehydes/pharmacology Animals Butterflies/*drug effects/*physiology Fatty Alcohols/pharmacology Female Male Mating Preference, Animal/*drug effects/physiology Sex Attractants/chemistry/*pharmacology/physiology Terpenes/pharmacology;" |
Notes: | "MedlineDion, Emilie Pui, Li Xian Weber, Katie Monteiro, Antonia eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2020/01/04 Nat Commun. 2020 Jan 2; 11(1):53. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-13801-2" |