scholarly journals Eggs of the Blind Snake,Liotyphlops albirostris, Are Incubated in a Nest of the Lower Fungus-Growing Ant,  Apterostigmacf.goniodes

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaspar Bruner ◽  
Hermógenes Fernández-Marín ◽  
Justin C. Touchon ◽  
William T. Wcislo
Keyword(s):  
Parental Care ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Lower Fungus ◽  
Lower Vertebrates ◽  
Optimal Oviposition ◽  
Small Colony ◽  
Laboratory Colonies ◽  
Fungus Growing Ants ◽  
Central Panama ◽  
Oviposition Sites

Parental care is rare in most lower vertebrates. By selecting optimal oviposition sites, however, mothers can realize some benefits often associated with parental care. We found three ovoid reptilian eggs within a mature nest of a relatively basal fungus-growing ant,Apterostigmacf.goniodes(Attini), in central Panama. In laboratory colonies,A.cf.goniodesworkers attended and cared for the eggs. Two blind snakes,Liotyphlops albirostris(Anomalepididae), successfully hatched, which is the first rearing record for this species. The ants did not disturb the snakes, and the snakes did not eat the ants; we found no ants in the dissected stomachs of the snakes. We review other associations between nesting fungus-growing ants and egg-laying vertebrates, which together suggest that attine nests may provide a safe, environmentally buffered location for oviposition, even in basal attine taxa with relatively small colony sizes.

scholarly journals Structural comparison of the rostra of two species of weevils coexisting on Ailanthus altissima: the response to ecological demands of egg deposition

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ganyu Zhang ◽  
Wenjuan Guo ◽  
Xiaoyi Wang ◽  
Qian Wang ◽  
Jin Cui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Radiation ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Ailanthus Altissima ◽  
Structural Comparison ◽  
Structural Differentiation ◽  
Functional Potential ◽  
Egg Deposition ◽  
Adductor Muscles ◽  
Structural Differences ◽  
Oviposition Sites

Abstract Background Elongated rostra play an important role in the egg-laying of weevils, and its emergence plays a key role in the adaptive radiation of weevils. Eucryptorrhynchus scrobiculatus Motschulsky and E. brandti Harold co-occur on the same only host Ailanthus altissima, while their oviposition sites are different. In order to understand the adaptation between the rostra of the two weevils and their oviposition sites, the structural differentiation of the rostra in E. scrobiculatus and E. brandti was compared. Results The present study reveals that: (1) The rostra length of E. scrobiculatus and E. brandti was found to be correlated with body size, larger weevils have a correspondingly longer rostrum. The increase of rostra length may be a byproduct of larger weevils. (2) There were significant differences in the external shape of the two rostra, especially the shape of the mandibles of the mouthparts at the apex of the rostra used to excavate an oviposition cavity. (3) There was no difference in the size of the abductor muscles that control the extension of the mandibles, but there were significant differences in the size of the adductor muscles that control the contraction of the mandibles. Conclusions These structural differences reflect the functional potential ovipositional tactics of rostra, which is considered to be a response to the ecological demands of egg deposition, and also provide new insights into the coexistence of two weevil species in the same host A. altissima.

scholarly journals Causes of embryonic mortality in Espadarana prosoblepon (Anura: Centrolenidae) from Costa Rica

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-92
Author(s):  
Johana Goyes Vallejos ◽  
Karim Ramirez-Soto
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Parental Care ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Embryonic Mortality ◽  
The Family ◽  
History Of ◽  
Causes Of Mortality ◽  
Mortality Causes

Causes of embryonic mortality in Espadarana prosoblepon (Anura: Centrolenidae) from Costa Rica. Members of the family Centrolenidae—commonly known as “glass frogs”—exhibit arboreal egg-laying behavior, depositing their clutches on riparian vegetation. Few studies have investigated specific causes of mortality during embryonic stages, perhaps the most vulnerable stage during the anuran life cycle. The Emerald Glass Frog, Espadarana prosoblepon, was used as a case study to investigate the causes of embryonic mortality in a species with short-term (i.e., less than 1 day) parental care. The specific sources of mortality of eggs of E. prosoblepon were quantified and overall rates of survival (hatching success) were estimated. Nineteen egg clutches were transferred from permanent outside enclosures to the wild. Clutch development was monitored daily until hatching; five mortality causes were quantified: desiccation, failure to develop, fungal infection, predation, and “rain-stripped.” The main causes of mortality were predation (often by katydids and wasps) and embryos stripped from the leaf during heavy rains. The results were compared to those of previous studies of centrolenids exhibiting parental care, and discussed in the context of the importance of the natural history data for these frogs with regard to understanding the evolutionary history of parental care in glass frogs.

scholarly journals The Rolling of Food by Dung Beetles Affects the Oviposition of Competing Flies

Insects ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
Manuel Ix-Balam ◽  
Maria A. Oliveira ◽  
Júlio Louzada ◽  
Jeremy McNeil ◽  
Eraldo Lima
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Parental Care ◽  
Interspecific Competition ◽  
Direct Effect ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Blow Fly ◽  
Chemical Substances ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Oviposition Sites

Flies are the main competitors of dung beetles for oviposition sites and rolling dung beetles relocate their food to reduce interspecific competition. Furthermore, dung beetles deposit chemical substances on the food ball that may repel fly larvae and certain predators. In the present study, using Deltochilum furcatum, a dung beetle that does not exhibit parental care and the blow-fly, Lucilia cuprina, we tested the hypothesis that pygidial secretions deposited on the food ball could also make it less attractive as an oviposition site for flies. Food balls rolled by either D. furcatum males or females received significantly fewer eggs that balls that had not been rolled by beetles. Also, flies laid significantly fewer eggs on food balls treated with secretions collected from male pygidial glands. Reduced fly oviposition may be a direct effect of compounds the beetles deposited, acting as an allomone, and/or an indirect negative effect on the microbial community that stimulates fly oviposition. A model of the reproductive biology of this species is proposed.

FECUNDITY OF LYGUS LINEOLARIS (HETEROPTERA: MIRIDAE)

1995 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.H. Gerber
Keyword(s):  
First Generation ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Lygus Lineolaris ◽  
Laboratory Colonies

Egg-laying data are available for laboratory colonies of Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) (Bariola 1969; Khattat and Stewart 1977; Fleischer and Gaylor 1988), but there is no information on egg-laying for females from field populations in Canada. This paper presents egg-laying data for field-collected, overwintered and first-generation females of L. lineolaris from southern Manitoba in 1990 through 1992.

scholarly journals A moth odorant receptor highly expressed in the ovipositor is involved in detecting host-plant volatiles

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui-Ting Li ◽  
Ling-Qiao Huang ◽  
Jun-Feng Dong ◽  
Chen-Zhu Wang
Keyword(s):  
Plant Volatiles ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Odorant Receptor ◽  
Oviposition Preference ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Host Plant Volatiles ◽  
Helicoverpa Assulta ◽  
Electrophysiological Responses ◽  
Or Gene ◽  
Oviposition Sites

Antennae are often considered to be the nostrils of insects. Here, we sequenced the transcriptome of the pheromone gland-ovipositor complex of Helicoverpa assulta and discovered that an odorant receptor (OR) gene, HassOR31, had much higher expression in the ovipositor than in antennae or other tissues. To determine whether the ovipositor was involved in odorant detection, we co-expressed HassOR31 and its co-receptor, HassORco, in a Xenopus oocyte model system, and demonstrated that the OR was responsive to 12 plant odorants, especially Z-3-hexenyl butyrate. These odorants elicited electrophysiological responses of some sensilla in the ovipositor, and HassOR31 and HassORco were co-expressed within ovipositor sensilla. Two oviposition preference experiments showed that female moths lacking antennae still preferentially selected oviposition sites containing plant volatiles. We suggest that the expression of HassOR31 in the ovipositor of H. assulta helps females to determine precise egg-laying sites in host plants.

Egg-laying site, fecundity and degree of sexual size dimorphism in frogs

2020 ◽  
Vol 131 (3) ◽  
pp. 600-610
Author(s):  
Nelson Rodrigues Silva ◽  
Bianca V M Berneck ◽  
Helio R da Silva ◽  
Célio F B Haddad ◽  
Kelly R Zamudio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Size Dimorphism ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Female Size ◽  
Selective Force ◽  
Size Dimorphism ◽  
Body Sizes ◽  
Space Limitation ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Similar Body ◽  
Oviposition Sites

Abstract Female fecundity is an important selective force leading to female-biased sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in frogs. Because anurans exhibit diverse reproductive modes, we investigated whether variation in SSD and fecundity are related with oviposition site. We asked whether arboreal breeding species show pronounced female-biased SSD and if, paradoxically, females have lower fecundity because of the costs of carrying oocytes and amplectant males. Conversely, we tested whether species that deposit eggs in concealed sites show less pronounced SSD, because females do not carry males and space limitation may reduce female size and fecundity. Our results showed that, in general, males were approximately 20% smaller than females. However, for species with hidden oviposition sites, males and females exhibited more similar body sizes and arboreal hylids showed more pronounced female-biased SSD. Overall, fecundity was higher in aquatic breeders, as expected, but in hylids, fecundity was smaller in arboreal breeders, which suggests that arboreality may impose restrictions on fecundity. By analysing SSD in a broader and more specific lineage (Hylidae), we found that reproductive microhabitat may also influence female size and fecundity, playing an important role in the evolution of SSD in frogs at different evolutionary scales.

Bird-like complex nesting behaviour by the Brazilian-endemic reef fish Gramma brasiliensis

2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 982
Author(s):  
Jonas R. Leite ◽  
Pedro H. C. Pereira ◽  
Eduardo G. Sanches ◽  
Rodrigo L. Moura ◽  
Mauricio Hostim-Silva
Keyword(s):  
Parental Care ◽  
Reef Fish ◽  
Reproductive Strategy ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Nest Entrance ◽  
Critical Aspect ◽  
Management Measures ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Nesting Behaviour ◽  
Common Behaviour

Nesting is a common behaviour associated with reproduction in several taxa. Nevertheless, this important parental care behaviour is rarely reported for reef-associated fish. The present study provides the first description of bird-like complex nesting behaviour of the endangered basslet (Gramma brasiliensis). Males were observed building nests using macroalgae thalli around holes and depressions, in coralline substrate. Algae were used to camouflage the nest entrance and to form a cushioned bed for egg laying. Nesting is a critical aspect of the reproductive strategy of G. brasiliensis, so, this behaviour is a key factor for the management measures implications on the conservation of the species.

scholarly journals Drosophila suzukii avoidance of microbes in oviposition choice

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 201601
Author(s):  
Airi Sato ◽  
Kentaro M. Tanaka ◽  
Joanne Y. Yew ◽  
Aya Takahashi
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Microbial Growth ◽  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Site Preference ◽  
Drosophila Suzukii ◽  
Oviposition Choice ◽  
Oviposition Site Preference ◽  
Oviposition Substrate ◽  
Oviposition Sites

While the majority of Drosophila species lays eggs onto fermented fruits, females of Drosophila suzukii pierce the skin and lay eggs into ripening fruits using their serrated ovipositors. The changes of oviposition site preference must have accompanied this niche exploitation. In this study, we established an oviposition assay to investigate the effects of commensal microbes deposited by conspecific and heterospecific individuals and showed that the presence of microbes on the oviposition substrate enhances egg laying of Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila biarmipes , but discourages that of D. suzukii . This result suggests that a drastic change has taken place in the lineage leading to D. suzukii in how females respond to chemical cues produced by microbes. We also found that hardness of the substrate, resembling that of either ripening or damaged and fermenting fruits, affects the response to microbial growth, indicating that mechanosensory stimuli interact with chemosensory-guided decisions to select or avoid oviposition sites.

scholarly journals Quality versus quantity: The balance between egg and clutch size among Australian amphibians is related to life history and environmental conditions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Gould ◽  
Chad Beranek ◽  
Jose Valdez ◽  
Michael Mahony
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Parental Care ◽  
Clutch Size ◽  
Female Body ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Breeding Habitat ◽  
Female Body Size

AbstractAn inverse relationship between egg and clutch size has been found repeatedly across animal groups, including birds, reptiles and amphibians, and is considered to be a result of resource limitations and physical constraints on the reproducing female. However, few studies have contextualised this relationship with respect to various environmental selecting pressures and life history traits that have also likely influenced the selection of an optimal egg/clutch size combination, while even fewer have tested these interrelationships using robust natural history datasets. In this study, we aimed to test current hypothesises regarding these relationships on both egg and clutch sizes among the Australian Anurans, which to date have not received this kind of investigation. Specifically, we looked at the influence of environmental selecting pressures (egg laying location, environment persistence and bioregion) and life history traits (adult female body size, egg development type, parental care level, breeding period and temporal breeding pattern). As expected, a clear inverse relationship was found between egg and clutch size, while female body size was positively related to both. Generally speaking, smaller clutches of larger eggs tended to be produced by species that i) oviposit terrestrially, ii) showcase direct development and iii) possess high levels of parental care. Temporal breeding pattern was strongly related to clutch size only, with large clutches occurring in explosive breeding species, while breeding habitat was strongly related to egg size only, with large eggs sizes occurring in terrestrial species. Altogether, these findings indicate that numerous factors have likely influenced the evolution of an optimal clutch type in this group, highlighting the importance of incorporating such variables into animal studies on egg and clutch sizes.

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