scholarly journals Male field crickets infested by parasitoid flies express phenotypes that may benefit the parasitoids

2011 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 1151-1157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver M. Beckers ◽  
William E. Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Field Crickets

scholarly journals Balancing Selection on Electrophoretic Variation of Phosphoglucose Isomerase in Two Species of Field Cricket: Gryllus veletis and G. pennsylvanicus

Genetics ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 147 (2) ◽  
pp. 609-621
Author(s):  
Laura A Katz ◽  
Richard G Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Balancing Selection ◽  
Emergent Property ◽  
Phosphoglucose Isomerase ◽  
Field Cricket ◽  
Nucleotide Variation ◽  
Eastern United States ◽  
Electrophoretic Variation ◽  
Sympatric Populations ◽  
Field Crickets ◽  
Gryllus Veletis

Two species of crickets, Gryllus veletis and G. pennsylvanicus, share six electrophoretic mobility classes for the enzyme phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI), despite evidence from other genetic markers that the two species are not closely related within eastern North American field crickets. Moreover, the frequencies of the two most common PGI electrophoretic classes (PGI-100 and PGI-65) covary in sympatric populations of these species in the eastern United States, suggesting that PGI may be subject to trans-specific balancing selection. To determine the molecular basis of the electrophoretic variation, we characterized the DNA sequence of the Pgi gene from 29 crickets (15 G. veletis and 14 G. pennsylvanicus). Amino acid substitutions that distinguish the electrophoretic classes are not the same in the two species, and there is no evidence that specific replacement substitutions represent trans-specific polymorphism. In particular, the amino acids that diagnose the PGI-65 allele relative to the PGI-100 allele differ both between G. veletis and G. pennsylvanicus and within G. pennsylvanicus. The heterogeneity among electrophoretic classes that covary in sympatric populations coupled with analysis of patterns of nucleotide variation suggest that Pgi is not evolving neutrally. Instead, the data are consistent with balancing selection operating on an emergent property of the PGI protein.

EVOLUTION IN THE FIELD CRICKET, ACHETA ASSIMILIS FAB.

1958 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Bigelow
Keyword(s):  
Sympatric Speciation ◽  
Developmental Differences ◽  
Field Cricket ◽  
Temporal Difference ◽  
Laboratory Rearing ◽  
Field Crickets ◽  
Developmental Rates ◽  
Breeding Seasons ◽  
Incomplete Reproductive Isolation ◽  
Two Populations

Progeny of northern spring field cricket adults lay non-diapause eggs, undergo nymphal diapause, and overwinter as nymphs. Progeny of northern fall adults lay diapause eggs, do not undergo nymphal diapause, and overwinter as eggs. The two populations cannot interbreed freely in the field owing to a temporal difference in breeding seasons; they did not interbreed in the laboratory. Rearing experiments show that the developmental differences are genetically based rather than environmentally conditioned, and it is, therefore, unlikely that hybrids would be viable even if they were produced in the field. Consequently these two populations behave as good species. Field crickets from Virginia developed much more rapidly than did spring crickets from Quebec. Quebec spring males and Virginia females produced hybrids with developmental rates intermediate between those of their parents. More female than male hybrids were produced, and the females developed more rapidly than did male hybrids. Offspring were produced by hybrid females and Quebec spring males, but not by hybrid females and Virginia males. Partial, but incomplete reproductive isolation exists between Quebec and Virginia field crickets. A possible mechanism of sympatric speciation in insects is discussed.

scholarly journals Juvenile pathogen exposure affects the presence of personality in adult field crickets

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas DiRienzo ◽  
Petri T. Niemelä ◽  
Anu Skog ◽  
Anssi Vainikka ◽  
Raine Kortet
Keyword(s):  
Field Crickets ◽  
Pathogen Exposure

scholarly journals Octopamine and occupancy: an aminergic mechanism for intruder–resident aggression in crickets

2010 ◽  
Vol 278 (1713) ◽  
pp. 1873-1880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Rillich ◽  
Klaus Schildberger ◽  
Paul A. Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Adrenergic Receptor ◽  
Receptor Blocker ◽  
Field Crickets ◽  
Behavioural Strategy ◽  
Neuronal Mechanisms ◽  
Selective Depletion ◽  
Octopamine Receptor ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Aggressive Motivation

Aggression is a behavioural strategy for securing resources (food, mates and territory) and its expression is strongly influenced by their presence and value. While it is known that resource holders are generally highly aggressive towards intruding consexuals and usually defeat them, the underlying neuronal mechanisms are not known. In a novel intruder–resident paradigm for field crickets ( Gryllus bimaculatus ), we show that otherwise submissive losers of a preceding aggressive encounter readily fight and often defeat aggressive winners after occupying an artificial shelter. This aggression enhancing effect first became evident after 2 min residency, and was maximal after 15 min, but absent 15 min after shelter removal. The residency effect was abolished following non-selective depletion of biogenic amines from the central nervous system using reserpine, or semi-selective depletion of octopamine and dopamine using α-methyl-tyrosine, but not following serotonin depletion using α-methyl-tryptophan. The residency effect was also abolished by the treatment with phentolamine, an α-adrenergic receptor antagonist, or epinastine, a highly selective octopamine receptor blocker, but not by propranolol, a ß-adrenergic receptor antagonist, or by yohimbine, an insect tyramine receptor blocker. We conclude that crickets evaluate residency as a rewarding experience that promotes aggressive motivation via a mechanism involving octopamine, the invertebrate analogue of noradrenaline.

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