TY - JOUR
T1 - Variation in contact chemical cues may mediate differential predator response in the colour polymorphic tortoise beetle, Chelymorpha alternans
AU - Strickland, Lynette R.
AU - Windsor, Donald
AU - Cáceres, Carla E.
N1 - Logistic support provided by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) to DW, and students facilitated long-term study of tortoise beetle biology. A Smithsonian Predoctoral Fellowship, an Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) fellowship, and a University of Illinois Dissertation Completion Fellowship provided support to LRS. Jorge Ceballos at STRI provided invaluable logistic support with GC–MS data collection. Meredith Gallagher and Butler University provided excellent assistance with fieldwork and insect rearing. Members of the Cáceres and McKenna labs provided valuable feedback on MS preparation. Dr. Jason Selwyn provided valuable assistance on figure design. Many friends, peers, and associates aided in locating and collecting invertebrate predators.
Logistic support provided by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) to DW, and students facilitated long‐term study of tortoise beetle biology. A Smithsonian Predoctoral Fellowship, an Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) fellowship, and a University of Illinois Dissertation Completion Fellowship provided support to LRS. Jorge Ceballos at STRI provided invaluable logistic support with GC–MS data collection. Meredith Gallagher and Butler University provided excellent assistance with fieldwork and insect rearing. Members of the Cáceres and McKenna labs provided valuable feedback on MS preparation. Dr. Jason Selwyn provided valuable assistance on figure design. Many friends, peers, and associates aided in locating and collecting invertebrate predators.
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - Differential predation on species with intraspecific colour variation has been explored in various systems and is often implicated as the driving force behind colour polymorphism maintenance. Here, investigation done on whether predation contributes to the maintenance of extensive colour variation in the Neotropical tortoise beetle, Chelymorpha alternans (Chrysomelidae). Recorded predation rates on different colour pattern phenotypes by three common, generalist invertebrate predators, and identified potential chemical signals of unpalatability. Predaceious mantids (Orthoptera, Mantidae) consumed no beetles, regardless of phenotype, whereas the giant orb-weaving spider (Trichonephila clavipes; Araneidae) consumed all three beetle phenotypes. The carton-nest ant, Azteca chartifex (Formicidae), displayed differential predation; the rufipennis phenotype of C. alternans was sometimes consumed, the metallic phenotype was never consumed, and the veraguensis phenotype was consumed in the first three encounters and subsequently discarded, suggesting a learned avoidance behaviour. Using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, it was determined that cuticular hydrocarbon profiles were similar between the metallic and militaris-a phenotypes. The rufipennis phenotype showed pronounced differences and displayed the greatest among-individual variation in elytral cuticular profiles. Between-phenotype variation in chemical cues, and differences in how predators receive those cues, may mediate predator response, and play a role in maintaining colour variation in this species.
AB - Differential predation on species with intraspecific colour variation has been explored in various systems and is often implicated as the driving force behind colour polymorphism maintenance. Here, investigation done on whether predation contributes to the maintenance of extensive colour variation in the Neotropical tortoise beetle, Chelymorpha alternans (Chrysomelidae). Recorded predation rates on different colour pattern phenotypes by three common, generalist invertebrate predators, and identified potential chemical signals of unpalatability. Predaceious mantids (Orthoptera, Mantidae) consumed no beetles, regardless of phenotype, whereas the giant orb-weaving spider (Trichonephila clavipes; Araneidae) consumed all three beetle phenotypes. The carton-nest ant, Azteca chartifex (Formicidae), displayed differential predation; the rufipennis phenotype of C. alternans was sometimes consumed, the metallic phenotype was never consumed, and the veraguensis phenotype was consumed in the first three encounters and subsequently discarded, suggesting a learned avoidance behaviour. Using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, it was determined that cuticular hydrocarbon profiles were similar between the metallic and militaris-a phenotypes. The rufipennis phenotype showed pronounced differences and displayed the greatest among-individual variation in elytral cuticular profiles. Between-phenotype variation in chemical cues, and differences in how predators receive those cues, may mediate predator response, and play a role in maintaining colour variation in this species.
KW - colour polymorphism
KW - cuticular hydrocarbons
KW - gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
KW - invertebrate bioassays
KW - predation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85137211285&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85137211285&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/een.13191
DO - 10.1111/een.13191
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85137211285
SN - 0307-6946
VL - 47
SP - 1032
EP - 1043
JO - Ecological Entomology
JF - Ecological Entomology
IS - 6
ER -