Global phylogeography and geographical variation in warning coloration of the wood tiger moth (Parasemia plantaginis )

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (8) ◽  
pp. 1469-1481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert H. Hegna ◽  
Juan A. Galarza ◽  
Johanna Mappes
Keyword(s):  
Geographical Variation ◽  
Warning Coloration ◽  
Tiger Moth ◽  
Parasemia Plantaginis

First microsatellite panel for the Wood Tiger Moth (Parasemia plantaginis)

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan A. Galarza ◽  
Sari M. Viinikainen ◽  
Roghaieh Ashrafi ◽  
Johanna Mappes
Keyword(s):  
Tiger Moth ◽  
Parasemia Plantaginis

scholarly journals Out in the open: behavior’s effect on predation risk and thermoregulation by aposematic caterpillars

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 1031-1039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew E Nielsen ◽  
Johanna Mappes
Keyword(s):  
Predation Risk ◽  
Predator Avoidance ◽  
Parus Major ◽  
Black Body ◽  
Stabilizing Selection ◽  
Warning Coloration ◽  
Small Patch ◽  
Potential Explanation ◽  
Aposematic Coloration ◽  
Tiger Moth

Abstract Warning coloration should be under strong stabilizing selection but often displays considerable intraspecific variation. Opposing selection on color by predators and temperature is one potential explanation for this seeming paradox. Despite the importance of behavior for both predator avoidance and thermoregulation, its role in mediating selection by predators and temperature on warning coloration has received little attention. Wood tiger moth caterpillars, Arctia plantaginis, have aposematic coloration, an orange patch on the black body. The size of the orange patch varies considerably: individuals with larger patches are safer from predators, but having a small patch is beneficial in cool environments. We investigated microhabitat preference by these caterpillars and how it interacted with their coloration. We expected caterpillar behavior to reflect a balance between spending time exposed to maximize basking and spending time concealed to avoid detection by predators. Instead, we found that caterpillars preferred exposed locations regardless of their coloration. Whether caterpillars were exposed or concealed had a strong effect on both temperature and predation risk, but caterpillars in exposed locations were both much warmer and less likely to be attacked by a bird predator (great tits, Parus major). This shared optimum may explain why we observed so little variation in caterpillar behavior and demonstrates the important effects of behavior on multiple functions of coloration.

Temporal relationship between genetic and warning signal variation in the aposematic wood tiger moth (Parasemia plantaginis)

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (20) ◽  
pp. 4939-4957 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan A. Galarza ◽  
Ossi Nokelainen ◽  
Roghaeih Ashrafi ◽  
Robert H. Hegna ◽  
Johanna Mappes
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Relationship ◽  
Warning Signal ◽  
Signal Variation ◽  
Tiger Moth ◽  
Parasemia Plantaginis

scholarly journals Frequency-dependent flight activity in the colour polymorphic wood tiger moth

2015 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 765-772 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bibiana Rojas ◽  
Armando Luis-MartÍnez ◽  
Johanna Mappes
Keyword(s):  
Warning Signal ◽  
Flight Activity ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Frequency Dependent ◽  
Sustained Activity ◽  
White Males ◽  
Tiger Moth ◽  
Parasemia Plantaginis ◽  
Potential Frequency

Abstract Predators efficiently learn to avoid one type of warning signal rather than several, making colour polymorphisms unexpected. Aposematic wood tiger moth males Parasemia plantaginis have either white or yellow hindwing coloration across Europe. Previous studies indicate that yellow males are better defended from predators, while white males have a positively frequency-dependent mating advantage. However, the potential frequency-dependent behavioural differences in flight between the morphs, as well as the role of male-male interactions in inducing flying activity, have not been previously considered. We ran an outdoor cage experiment where proportions of both male morphs were manipulated to test whether flying activity was frequencydependent and differed between morphs. The white morph was significantly more active than the yellow one across all treatments, and sustained activity for longer. Overall activity for both morphs was considerably lower in the yellow-biased environment, suggesting that higher proportions of yellow males in a population may lead to overall reduced flying activity. The activity of the yellow morph also followed a steeper, narrower curve than that of the white morph during peak female calling activity. We suggest that white males, with their presumably less costly defences, have more resources to invest in flight for predator escape and finding mates. Yellow males, which are better protected but less sexually selected, may instead compensate their lower flight activity by ‘flying smart’ during the peak female-calling periods. Thus, both morphs may be able to behaviourally balance the trade-off between warning signal selection and sexual selection. Our results emphasize the greater need to investigate animal behaviour and colour polymorphisms in natural or semi-natural environments.

scholarly journals To quiver or to shiver: increased melanization benefits thermoregulation, but reduces warning signal efficacy in the wood tiger moth

2013 ◽  
Vol 280 (1755) ◽  
pp. 20122812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert H. Hegna ◽  
Ossi Nokelainen ◽  
Jonathan R. Hegna ◽  
Johanna Mappes
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Warning Signal ◽  
Cold Temperatures ◽  
Signal Efficacy ◽  
Extensive Field ◽  
Tiger Moth ◽  
Thermal Measurements ◽  
Selective Forces ◽  
Parasemia Plantaginis ◽  
Tiger Moths

Melanin production is often considered costly, yet beneficial for thermoregulation. Studies of variation in melanization and the opposing selective forces that underlie its variability contribute greatly to understanding natural selection. We investigated whether melanization benefits are traded off with predation risk to promote observed local and geographical variation in the warning signal of adult male wood tiger moths ( Parasemia plantaginis ). Warning signal variation is predicted to reduce survival in aposematic species. However, in P. plantaginis , male hindwings are either yellow or white in Europe, and show continuous variation in melanized markings that cover 20 to 90 per cent of the hindwing. We found that the amount of melanization increased from 40 to 59 per cent between Estonia (58° N) and north Finland (67° N), suggesting melanization carries thermoregulatory benefits. Our thermal measurements showed that more melanic individuals warmed up more quickly on average than less melanic individuals, which probably benefits flight in cold temperatures. With extensive field experiments in central Finland and the Alpine region, we found that more melanic individuals suffered increased predation. Together, our data suggest that warning signal efficiency is constrained by thermoregulatory benefits. Differences in relative costs and benefits of melanin probably help to maintain the geographical warning signal differences.

scholarly journals Warning coloration can be disruptive: aposematic marginal wing patterning in the wood tiger moth

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (21) ◽  
pp. 4863-4874 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atsushi Honma ◽  
Johanna Mappes ◽  
Janne K. Valkonen
Keyword(s):  
Warning Coloration ◽  
Tiger Moth
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