Evolutionary implications of deception in mimicry and masquerade

Aggressive mimicry occurs when an organism resembles some aspect of another organism （the model） in order to obtain prey through its deceptive resemblance. This may function either through the overt response of the receiver or through the lack of response of the receiver. Reviewing selected examples, I discuss some of the difficulties in ascribing a model for the mimic. I also discuss how a single animal can have multiple ploys in its armoury of deceptive signals, thus belonging within two or more categories of deceptive signalling. In addition to aggressive mimicry, these may include crypsis or camouflage, mas- querade （mimicry of inanimate objects）, and Batesian or protective mimicry. Each of these examples of deception has multiple evolutionary pathways, and some deceptive signals may be more costly to receivers than others, but no single organism is subject to a single selection pressure, leading to the reality that many evolutionary pathways contribute to the diversity we see around us. New technologies are opening new channels of investigation into deceptive signaling in many different sensory modalities, and this is reflected in the recent increase in studies investigating the structure and function of deceptive signals. In turn, these studies are beginning to expose the fascinating complexity of deceptive signaling systems, allowing us to discover the myriad, non-mutually exclusive, solutions that can be selected for to obtain prey     

Do animal eyespots really mimic eyes？

The diversity of anti-predator adaptations in the natural world has long been an active area of research in evolutionary and behavioural biology. A common visually-obvious feature found on prey are ＇eyespots＇, being approximately circular mark- ings often with concentric rings and conspicuous colours. These are found on a range of animals, especially adult and larval Lepidoptera and fish. One of the most widespread functions of eyespots seems to be to intimidate or startle predators： delaying, preventing or halting an attack. However, while the fact that they can influence predators in this way is tmcuntroversial, the mechanism（s） behind why they are effective is debated. Traditionally, they have been assumed to work by mimicking the eyes of the predator＇s own enemies, and much research in this field is conducted under the implicit or explicit assumption that this theory is correct. However, eyespots might work simply by being highly salient stimuli that promote sensory overload, biases, or neo- phobic reactions in predators. A range of recent studies has aimed to test these alternatives. Here, we critically evaluate this work and what it tells us about the mechanisms underlying eyespot function. We conclude that although eye mimicry is plausible, there remains a lack of evidence to support it and most observations are at least equally consistent with alternative mechanisms. Finally we also discuss how the debate can be resolved     

Boldness is related to the development of the cephalic crest in the male of the river blenny Salariafluviatilis （Asso, 1801）

Boldness is defined as the tendency of an individual to take risks when exposed to novel objects or situations. The main aim of this work was to dilucidate if boldness was related to the development of the secondary sexual traits （SSTs） in the male of the fiver blenny Salariafluviatilis, a freshwater fish which takes care of eggs. As a second objective SSTs effect on pa rental status adoption was also be explored. Wild young fish were caught in the Segre River （Ebro basin） in November 2010. Fish were kept in five aquaria in groups of eight males and eight females with artificial nests. Boldness （boldness score and hesitancy） of males （initially with little SSTs development） was tested as the time required to exit a refuge when exposed to a new environ ment. Fish were mantained in the same aquaria for several months, and males＇ SSTs development and reproductive behaviour were monitored. Boldness score was negatively associated to cephalic crest development. Hesitancy was negatively related to male length and was also influenced by the interaction between male length and cephalic crest. Parental status acquisition was positively related to the male＇s length, marginally related to anal gland development, and nonrelated to cephalic crest. These re sults suggest an intrasexual role of the crest as an informative trait of boldness （honest signal） which might not necessarily be chosen by the females. It is also discussed that correlational selection could be responsible for linking boldness and growth rate in this species. Sexual selection, in addition to having directed the evolution of secondary sexual traits, might have favored certain personality traits （e.g. boldness） associated with the achievement of a larger body length .     

Animal personalities and their implications for complex signaling

Animal personalities have been a major focus of behavioral ecology over the past decade. Consistent individual dif ferences in behavior have been found across taxa, and have been shown to influence a range of ecological processes. The role of personalities in sexual selection has been considered, and examples exist that show selection for personality traits with both assortative and disassortative mating patterns between personality types. One overlooked aspect of the personality and sexual se lection literature is the potential for personalitysignaling interactions, specifically with complex signaling. Complex signaling is a diverse topic in itself, and in short, consists of multiple signals within one or more modalities that interact to elicit a receiver response. Research into complex signaling has been thorough, although at times studies discover complex signaling systems that fail to fit into one of the existing hypotheses in the literature. Here, we argue that personalities may interact with complex signal ing, which should be considered by researchers of both personality and sexual selection and communication. We describe several ways in which personalitycomplex signaling interactions could affect both the signaler and receiver, and the way in which they may drive personalityspecific signals as well as receiver preferences. Finally, we discuss how considering personality in com plex signaling studies may inform theory as well as improve the ability of researchers to accurately describe its function.     

Acoustic communication and sexual selection in Orthoptera (Insecta)

Comparison of calling and courtship songs and mating strategies in different groups of Orthoptera shows that acoustic signals in bush crickets (Tettigonioidea) are used for searching conspecific mates at a distance, and song evolution is primarily driven by the acoustic surroundings and simultaneously singing other species. The role of sexual selection in the evolution of acoustic signals in bush crickets is much less important than in the evolution of other nonacoustic signals employed during direct contact. Acoustic signals of crickets (Grylloidea) are involved in both distant and short-range communication. Acoustic courtship signals, along with other courtship components, may offer the material for sexual selection, although, essentially, evolution of acoustic signals in crickets is determined by the acoustic surroundings. Acoustic communication in the grasshoppers of the subfamily Gomphocerinae is mainly a short-distance communication. Acoustic signals of Gomphocerinae are highly variable and elaborate in temporal parameters, and therefore can serve for evaluation of the mate "quality". Song evolution in this group is to a greater extent driven by sexual selection than by the acoustic surroundings and, therefore, could proceed faster than in other groups of Orthoptera and play a major role in speciation.     

Seasonal patterns of cell-to-cell communication in Chara corallina Klein ex Willd. I. Cell-to-cell communication in vegetative lateral branches during winter and spring

Cell-to-cell communication in lateral branches of limited growth in male Chara corallina plants has been studied using fluorescent plasmalemma-impermeable probes. The extent of cell-to-cell communication was found to be seasonal. In winter, branch internodes were characterized by relatively low plasmalemma potential differences (–121·2±23·2 mV; [K⁺]_o 0·5 mol m^?3; pH 7·6), quiescent dactyls isolated from the symplast (conic tips) and by restricted cell-cell communication (frequency of intercellular transport of six carboxyfluorescein = 42·9%). Cell-to-cell communication was inhibited during action-potentials, and was more extensive between cells which did not give an action potential in response to a current pulse. An inhibitor of the action potential, La³⁺, promoted cell-to-cell communication. These may be characteristic features of winter dormancy in lateral branches of Chara. In spring, morphological and electrophysiological changes occurred immediately prior to the onset of fertility. Characteristic changes in morphology included increased abundance of spherosomes and glycosomes, elongation of stipulodes and development of active branch dactyls. Spring branch inter-nodes were characterized by high plasmalemma PDs (–210·5±30·8mV; [K⁺]_o 0·5 mol m^?3; pH 7·6), predominantly active, non-isolated dactyls (spinaceous tips), and extensive intercellular communication (frequency of intercellular transport of 6 carboxyfluorescein = 89·2%). Artificial elevation of the intracellular calcium ion concentration by application of ionophore A23187 or Ca²⁺ microinjection significantly restricted intercellular communication to a level similar to that found in winter. The depression of intercellular communication in winter tissues is suggested to be due to high sensitivity to action potentials and/or to Ca²⁺ fluxes. Changes in intracellular Ca²⁺ distribution may be involved in the transition between the morphologically distinct states of dormancy and incipient fertility.     

Digital imaging approaches for phenotyping whole plant nitrogen and phosphorus response in Bracbypodium distacbyon

This work evaluates the phenotypic response of the model grass （Brachypodium distacbyon （L.） P. Beauv.） to nitrogen and phosphorus nutrition using a combination of imaging techniques and destructive harvest of shoots and roots. Reference line Bd21-3 was grown in pots using 11 phosphorus and 11 nitrogen concentrations to establish a dose-response curve. Shoot biovolume and biomass, root length and biomass, and tissue phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations increased with nutrient concentration. Shoot biovolume, estimated by imaging, was highly correlated with dry weight （R2 〉 0.92） and both biovolume and growth rate responded strongly to nutrient availability. Higher nutrient supply increased nodal root length more than other root types. Photochemical efficiency was strongly reduced by low phosphorus concentrations as early as 1 week after germination, suggesting that this measurement may be suitable for high throughput screening of phosphorus response. In contrast, nitrogen concentration had little effect on photochemical efficiency. Changes in biovolume over time were used to compare growth rates of four accessions in response tonitrogen and phosphorus supply. We demonstrate that a time series image-based approach coupled with mathematical modeling provides higher resolution of genotypic response to nutrient supply than traditional destructive techniques and shows promise for high throughput screening and determina- tion of genomic regions associated with superior nutrient use efficiency.     

Genealogy and phylogeography of Cyprinid fish Labeo rohita （Hamilton, 1822） inferred from ATPase 6 and 8 mitochondrial DNA gene analysis

ATPase 6/8 gene （842 bp） of mitochondrial DNA was sequenced in Labeo rohita samples （n = 253） collected from nine rivers belonging to four river basins; Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra and Mahanadi. Analysis revealed 44 haplotypes with high haplotype diversity （Hd） 0.694 and low nucleotide diversity （π） 0.001. The within population variation was larger （83.44%） than among population differences （16.56%）. The mean Fsv value （0.166; P 〈 0.05） for overall populations revealed moderate level of genetic structuring in the wild L. rohita populations. The haplotype network presented a single clade for wild L. rohita population, from different rivers. Negative values for Fu＇s index （Fs）, mismatch distribution analysis indicated period of expansion in L. rohita population. The time after recent expansion was estimated for each population, between 0.042 to 0.167 mya. The pattern of Isolation by Distance （IBD） was not significant （r = -0.113, P 〈 0.287）, when all the sampling locations were compared （Mantel test）, however, when an outlier （Indus, Brahmaputra and Mahanadi） was removed from the whole population set, a clear positive correlation between pairwise Fsv and geographic distance （Km） was seen. The analysis of data demonstrated that ATPase6/8 gene polymorphism is a potential marker to understand genetic population structure of wild L. rohita existing in different rivers. The study identified population substructure in wild L. rohita with common ancestral origin [Current Zoology 60 （4）： 460--471, 2014].     

Male size does not correlate with fertilization success in two bufonid toads that show size-assortative mating

We examined sexual size dimorphism （SSD）, mating pattem, fertilization efficiency and female reproductive traits in two bufonid toads （Bufo gargarizans and Duttaphrynus melanostictus） to test the idea that importance of male body size for egg fertilization success depends on the mating pattern. Female-biased SSD was evident only in D. melanostictus. Female B. gar- garizans laid fewer larger eggs nearly three months earlier than did female D. melanostictus. Fertilization efficieneies on average were higher in B. gargarizans （95%） than in D. melanostictus （91%）. Though differing in the degree of SSD, body size, breeding season, clutch size, egg size and fertilization efficiency, the two toads were similar in four aspects： （1） both showed size-assortative mating; （2） females did not tradeoff egg size against egg number; （3） male size, clutch size and clutch dry mass were greater in male-larger than in female-larger pairs after accounting for female snout-vent length （SVL）; and （4） the ratio of male to female SVL did not affect fertilization efficiency. Our data show that： （1） a female preference for large males is likely not important in terms of egg fertilization success; （2） a male preference for large females is likely important because larger females are more fecund; and （3） size-assortative mating arises from a male preference for large females. Our study demonstrates that male size is not always important for egg fertilization success in anurans that show size-assortative mating.     

Antipredator deception in terrestrial vertebrates

Abstract Deceptive antipredator defense mechanisms fall into three categories： depriving predators of knowledge of prey＇s presence, providing cues that deceive predators about prey handling, and dishonest signaling. Deceptive defenses in terrestrial vertebrates include aspects of crypsis such as background matching and countershading, visual and acoustic Batesian mimicry, active defenses that make animals seem more difficult to handle such as increase in apparent size and threats, feigning injury and death, distractive behaviours, and aspects of flight. After reviewing these defenses, I attempt a preliminary evaluation of which aspects of antipredator deception are most widespread in amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds     

Identification and characterization of genes involved in the jasmonate biosynthetic and signaling pathways in mulberry （Morus notabilis）

Jasmonate （JA） is an important phytohormone regulating growth, development, and environmental response in plants, particularly defense response against herbivorous insects. Recently, completion of the draft genome of the mulberry （Morus notabilis） in conjunction with genome sequencing of silkworm （Bombyx mori） provides an opportuni-ty to study this unique plant-herbivore interaction. Here, we identified genes involved in JA biosynthetic and signaling pathways in the genome of mulberry for the first time, with the majority of samples showing a tissue-biased expression pattern. The analysis of the representative genes 12-oxophy-todienoic acid reductase （OPRs） and jasmonate ZIM-domain （JAZs） was performed and the results indicated that the mulberry genome contains a relatively smal number of JA biosynthetic and signaling pathway genes. A gene encoding an＆amp;nbsp;important repressor, MnNINJA, was identified as an alternative splicing variant lacking an ethylene-responsive element binding factor-associated amphiphilic repression motif. Having this fundamental information wil facilitate future functional study of JA-related genes pertaining to mulberry-silkworm interactions.     

Evolution of deceit by worthless donations in a nuptial gift-giving spider

Males of the nursery web spider Pisaura mirabil usually offer an insect prey wrapped in white silk as a nuptial gift to facilitate copulation. Males exploit female foraging preferences in a sexual context as females feed on the gift during copula- tion. It is possible for males to copulate without a gift, however strong female preference for the gift leads to dramatically higher mating success for gift-giving males. Females are polyandrous, and gift-giving males achieve higher mating success, longer copulations, and increased sperm transfer that confer advantages in sperm competition. Intriguingly, field studies show that ap- proximately one third of males carry a worthless gift consisting of dry and empty insect exoskeletons or plant fragments wrapped in white silk. Silk wrapping disguises gift content and females are able to disclose gift content only after accepting and feeding on the gift, meanwhile males succeed in transferring sperm. The evolution of deceit by worthless gift donation may be favoured by strong intra-sexual competition and costs of gift-construction including prey capture, lost foraging opportunities and investment in silk wrapping. Females that receive empty worthless gifts terminate copulation sooner, which reduces sperm transfer and likely disadvantages males in sperm competition. The gift-giving trait may thus become a target of sexually antagonistic co-evolution, where deceit by worthless gifts leads to female resistance to the trait. We discuss factors such as female mating rate and intensity of sperm competition that may shape the evolution of male deception, and how ecological factors may influence the evolution and maintenance of worthless gifts as an evolutionarily stable alternative mating strategy by frequency dependent selection     

Uropygial gland volatiles may code for olfactory information about sex,individual, and species in Bengalese finches Lonchura striata

Over-shadowed by eye-catching vocal and visual signals, chemical communication has long been overlooked in birds. This study aimed at exploring whether volatile composition of the uropygial gland secretion （UGS） of birds was associated with the information about sex, individual and species. By using dichloromethane extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS）, we analyzed the UGS volatiles of domesticated Bengalese finches （ Lonchura striata, Estrildiea） which is also known as white-rumped munias. We characterized 16 volatile molecules from the UGS, including eight n-alkanols, five diesters, an ester, an aldehyde and a fatty acid, and quantified them in terms of GC peak area percentages （relative abundances） . Among these compounds, hexadecanol and octadecanol were major components in both sexes. The former was richer in males than in females and the latter richer in females than in males, suggesting that they might be male and female pheromone candidates, respectively. The high inter-individual variations, in relative abundance, of the UGS volatiles implied that these compounds might carry information about individuality. The similarity between GC profiles of the UGS and wing feather from same individuals indicates that the birds might preen the secretion to their feathers to transmit chemical cues. Additionally, by comparing with three sympatric passerine species, i. e., zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata, yellow-bowed buntings Emberiza chrysophrys and rooks Corvus frugilegus, we found that the composition of C13 - C18 alkanols in the UGS might code for information about species. Our study also showed that quantitative differences （degree） of same UGS volatiles might be the key for the Bengalese finch to code for information about sex and individuality whereas both the kind and degree of UGS constituents could be utilized to code for information about species [ Current Zoology 55 （5）： 357-365, 2009].     

New Replacement Name for Rana paradoxa Mocquard, 1890 with Designations of Lectotypes for Rana paradoxa and Rana conspicil- lata Giinther, 1872： Both Synonymized with Limnonectes kuhlii （Tschudi, 1838） （Dicroglossidae： Dicroglossinae）

Fanged frogs, now called Limnonectes kuhlii, from Borneo are remotely related to true Javanese L. kuhliL For future taxonomy of Bornean fanged frogs, we fix the nomenclatural status of two existing names, Rana conspicillata Giunther, 1872 and Rana paradoxa Mocquard, 1890. Morphological comparison of the type-series revealed heterospecific relationships of the two species. For R. conspicillata, we designate BMNH 1947.2.29.20 as the lectotype, and for R. para doxa, we also designate MNHN 1889.222 as the lectotype and propose a replacement name Limnonectes mocquardi, in order to stabilize their nomenclature.     

Olfactory sensitivity to conspecific bile fluid and skin mucus in the European eel Anguilla anguilla (L.)

The present study assessed the olfactory potency of conspecific bile fluid and skin mucus in the European eel Anguilla anguilla by the electro-olfactogram. Immature males showed high olfactory sensitivity to conspecific bile, giving large amplitude responses in a concentration-dependent manner with estimated thresholds of detection of <1:10⁷ ( n = 6). Mucus also proved to contain highly potent odorants with thresholds of detection of c . 1:10⁶ ( n = 6). Crude solid-phase extraction of bile fluid (C-18 and C-2/ENV+ cartridges) showed that the majority of olfactory activity in bile fluid was contained in the eluate of C-18 cartridges ( n = 6). There were quantitative differences, however, between the sexes; female bile fluid had a higher proportion of activity in this fraction. Similar solid-phase extraction of mucus showed that it contains a higher proportion of odorants in the C-18 filtrate than bile fluid. Mucus from mature eels, however, had a higher proportion of olfactory activity in the eluate than immature fish ( n = 6). Cross-adaptation experiments suggest that there are qualitative differences in the odorants contained in bile and mucus depending on both the sex and state of sexual maturation of the donor ( n = 6). These results are consistent with a role for chemical communication in the reproduction of the European eel and suggest that both bile and mucus are potential sources of the odorants involved.     

Mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 of Nosema bombycis： A marker in Microsporidian evolution

Microsporidia are a group of intracelluar eukaryotic parasites, which can infected almost all animals, including human beings. Till now, no mitochodria but mitosome, a remnant of mitochondria was discovered in this phylum. We present here the mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase El （PDH, including PDHα and PDHβ） of the microsporidian Nosema bombycis, the pathogen of silkworm pebrine. Compared with PDH of microsporidian Encephalitozoon cuniculi and Antonospora locustae, both subunits are eonscrced. The phylogeny indicated that both subunits are mitochondrial. The syntenic maps revealed the subunits organization of NbPDH is distributed in different scaffolds, similar to that of EcPDH but different with AIPDH, and the relationship between phylogeny tree and organization of PDH suggest that the AlPDH subunits organization is the ancestral style of microsporidia, and through the genome evolution, the reshuffling of the chromosome of microsporidia occurred, the adjacent style of ALPDHE1 organization changed, and the two subunits separated and located to different chromosomes in E. cuniculi. For N. bombycis and N. ceranae, they locate to different scaffolds. In order to determine NbPDH subcellular localizations, we prepared the polyclonal antibodies against NbPDH prokaryotic fusion proteins, and adopted the colloidal gold immunological electron microscopy, the expression signals of NbPDH were observed in spores however, the subcellular localization were not definited. In general, through comparison of three mierosporidian PDH molecular phylogeny, subunits organization in chromosomes, localization indicated that PDH is an interesting marker in microsporidia evolution     

Molecular mechanisms of insect adaptation to plant defense： Lessons learned from a Bruchid beetle

Plants can accumulate, constitutively and/or after induction, a wide variety of defense compounds in their tissues that confer resistance to herbivorous insects. The naturally occurring plant resistance gene pool can serve as an arsenal in pest management via transgenic approaches. As insect-plant interaction research rapidly advances, it has gradually become clear that the effects of plant defense compounds are determined not only by their toxicity toward target sites, but also by how insects respond to the challenge. Insect digestive tracts are not passive targets of plant defense, but often can adapt to dietary challenge and successfully deal with various plant toxins and anti-metabolites. This adaptive response has posed an obstacle to biotechnology-based pest control approaches, which underscores the importance of understanding insect adaptive mechanisms. Molecular studies on the impact of protease inhibitors on insect digestion have contributed significantly to our understanding of insect adaptation to plant defense. This review will focus on exposing how the insect responds to protease inhibitors by both qualitative and quantitative remodeling of their digestive proteases using the cowpea bruchid-soybean cysteine protease inhibitor N system.     

The impact of attractants on pocket gopher trapping

Pocket gophers （Geomyidae） have an extensive impact on both natural and agricultural systems. Trapping is a tech- nique often used to sample and manage these populations. The identification of an attractant that increases capture rates of pocket gophers would greatly assist researchers and pest management professionals alike. Therefore, we tested the attractiveness of four attractants （peanut butter, anise, grapefruit attractant, and carrot） plus a control （no attractant） using uncovered and covered trap sets to determine what impact they have on visitation and capture rates of pocket gophers. We also determined how the impact of cover status and attractants differ across varying weights and gender of pocket gophers. We found no direct effect of any attracrant on visitation and capture rates of pocket gophers, nor on the gender of captured individuals. However, when no attractant was used, the mtmber of pocket gophers captured per 100 trap nights was greater when trap sets were uncovered vs. when covered, and capture rates were generally high and consistent when using peanut butter as an attractant. Additionally, we noted that covered trap sets that were baited with peanut butter yielded heavier pocket gopher captures than uncovered trap sets using this same attractant. This is key, given the difficulty associated with capturing older, more experienced individuals. Combined with data from a previous investigation, this suggests that there is no advantage to using any attractant when utilizing uncovered trap sets, but there is likely some benefit to using peanut butter in covered trap sets [Current Zoology 60 （4）： 472-478, 2014].