scholarly journals Larval memory affects adult nest-mate recognition in the ant Aphaenogaster senilis

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1774) ◽  
pp. 20132579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Signorotti ◽  
Pierre Jaisson ◽  
Patrizia d'Ettorre
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Mate Recognition ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Aphaenogaster Senilis ◽  
Nest Mate ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Early Developmental ◽  
Nest Mate Recognition ◽  
Efficient Recognition

Prenatal olfactory learning has been demonstrated in a wide variety of animals, where it affects development and behaviour. Young ants learn the chemical signature of their colony. This cue-learning process allows the formation of a template used for nest-mate recognition in order to distinguish alien individuals from nest-mates, thus ensuring that cooperation is directed towards group members and aliens are kept outside the colony. To date, no study has investigated the possible effect of cue learning during early developmental stages on adult nest-mate recognition. Here, we show that odour familiarization during preimaginal life affects recognition abilities of adult Aphaenogaster senilis ants, particularly when the familiarization process occurs during the first larval stages. Ants eclosed from larvae exposed to the odour of an adoptive colony showed reduced aggression towards familiar, adoptive individuals belonging to this colony compared with alien individuals (true unfamiliar), but they remained non-aggressive towards adult individuals of their natal colony. Moreover, we found that the chemical similarity between the colony of origin and the adoptive colony does not influence the degree of aggression, meaning that the observed effect is likely to be due only to preimaginal learning experience. These results help understanding the developmental processes underlying efficient recognition systems.

scholarly journals Comparison of fecundity and offspring immunity in zebrafish fed Lactobacillus rhamnosus CICC 6141 and Lactobacillus casei BL23

Reproduction ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 147 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chubin Qin ◽  
Li Xu ◽  
Yalin Yang ◽  
Suxu He ◽  
Yingying Dai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Oocyte Maturation ◽  
Lactobacillus Casei ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Lactobacillus Rhamnosus ◽  
Reproductive Process ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Probiotic Strains ◽  
Early Developmental

To increase the knowledge of probiotic effects on zebrafish (Danio rerio), we compare the effects of two probiotic strains, Lactobacillus rhamnosus CICC 6141 (a highly adhesive strain) and Lactobacillus casei BL23 (a weakly adhesive strain), on zebrafish reproduction and their offsprings' innate level of immunity to water-borne pathogens. During probiotics treatments from 7 to 28 days, both the Lactobacillus strains, and especially L. casei BL23, significantly increased fecundity in zebrafish: higher rates of egg ovulation, fertilization, and hatching were observed. Increased densities of both small and large vitellogenic follicles, seen in specimens fed either Lactobacillus strain, demonstrated accelerated oocyte maturation. Feeding either strain of Lactobacillus upregulated gene expression of leptin, kiss2, gnrh3, fsh, lh, lhcgr, and paqr8, which were regarded to enhance fecundity and encourage oocyte maturation. Concomitantly, the gene expression of bmp15 and tgfb1 was inhibited, which code for local factors that prevent oocyte maturation. The beneficial effects of the Lactobacillus strains on fecundity diminished after feeding of the probiotics was discontinued, even for the highly adhesive gut Lactobacillus strain. Administering L. rhamnosus CICC 6141 for 28 days was found to affect the innate immunity of offspring derived from their parents, as evinced by a lower level of alkaline phosphatase activity in early larval stages. This study highlights the effects of probiotics both upon the reproductive process and upon the offsprings' immunity during early developmental stages.

scholarly journals Nest-mate recognition template of guard honeybees ( Apis mellifera ) is modified by wax comb transfer

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 228-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret J Couvillon ◽  
Jamie P Caple ◽  
Samuel L Endsor ◽  
Martin Kärcher ◽  
Trudy E Russell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Mate Recognition ◽  
Nest Mate ◽  
Colony Odour ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Unidirectional Transfer ◽  
Nest Mate Recognition ◽  
Wax Comb ◽  
Rejection Rates

In recognition, discriminators use sensory information to make decisions. For example, honeybee ( Apis mellifera ) entrance guards discriminate between nest-mates and intruders by comparing their odours with a template of the colony odour. Comb wax plays a major role in honeybee recognition. We measured the rejection rates of nest-mate and non-nest-mate worker bees by entrance guards before and after a unidirectional transfer of wax comb from a ‘comb donor’ hive to a ‘comb receiver’ hive. Our results showed a significant effect that occurred in one direction. Guards in the comb receiver hive became more accepting of non-nest-mates from the comb donor hive (rejection decreased from 70 to 47%); however, guards in the comb donor hive did not become more accepting of bees from the comb receiver hive. These data strongly support the hypothesis that the transfer of wax comb increases the acceptance of non-nest-mates not by changing the odour of the bees, but by changing the template used by guards.

scholarly journals Comb wax mediates the acquisition of nest-mate recognition cues in honey bees

1988 ◽  
Vol 85 (22) ◽  
pp. 8766-8769 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Breed ◽  
K. R. Williams ◽  
J. H. Fewell
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bees ◽  
Mate Recognition ◽  
Nest Mate ◽  
Nest Mate Recognition

scholarly journals Chemical defense in developmental stages and adult of the sea star Echinaster (Othilia) brasiliensis

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e11503
Author(s):  
Renato Crespo Pereira ◽  
Daniela Bueno Sudatti ◽  
Thaise S.G. Moreira ◽  
Carlos Renato R. Ventura
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Defense ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Sea Star ◽  
Sea Stars ◽  
Geographic Ranges ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Prey Interaction ◽  
Specific Predator ◽  
Early Developmental

To date, evidence regarding the performance of secondary metabolites from larval stages of sea stars as an anti-predation defense relates only to a few species/specimens from a few geographic ranges. Unfortunately, this hinders a comprehensive global understanding of this inter-specific predator-prey interaction. Here, we present laboratory experimental evidence of chemical defense action in the early developmental stages and adults of the sea star Echinaster (Othilia) brasiliensis from Brazil against sympatric and allopatric invertebrate consumers. Blastulae, early and late brachiolarias of E. (O.) brasiliensis were not consumed by the sympatric and allopatric crabs Mithraculus forceps. Blastulae were also avoided by the sympatric and allopatric individuals of the anemone Anemonia sargassensis, but not the larval stages. Extracts from embryos (blastula) and brachiolarias of E. (O.) brasiliensis from one sampled population (João Fernandes beach) significantly inhibited the consumption by sympatric M. forceps, but not by allopatric crabs and A. sargassensi anemone. In this same site, extracts from adults E. (O.) brasiliensis significantly inhibited the consumption by sympatric and allopatric specimens of the crab in a range of concentrations. Whereas equivalent extract concentrations of E. (O.) brasiliensis from other population (Itaipu beach)inhibited the predation by allopatric M. forceps, while sympatric individuals of this crab avoided the only the higher level tested. Then, early stages and adult specimens of E. (O.) brasiliensis can be chemically defended against consumers, but this action is quite variable, depending on the type (anemone or crab) and the origin of the consumer (sympatric or allopatric).

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