Behavioural phase polyphenism in the Australian plague locust (
            <i>Chortoicetes terminifera</i>
            )

Gray, Lindsey J.; Sword, Gregory A.; Anstey, Michael L.; Clissold, Fiona J.; Simpson, Stephen J.

doi:10.1098/rsbl.2008.0764

Cited by 47 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Our study suggested that the migratory locust displays a different time course of behavioral phase change as compared with the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria [44], and the Australian plague locust, Chortoicetes terminifera [45]. We identified several candidate gene categories involved in the fundamental phase-defining behavioral differences in locusts, and characterized the functions of CSP and takeout genes, which mediate the rapid switch of attraction/repulsion behaviors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

CSP and Takeout Genes Modulate the Switch between Attraction and Repulsion during Behavioral Phase Change in the Migratory Locust

et al. 2011

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Behavioral plasticity is the most striking trait in locust phase transition. However, the genetic basis for behavioral plasticity in locusts is largely unknown. To unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying the behavioral phase change in the migratory locust Locusta migratoria, the gene expression patterns over the time courses of solitarization and gregarization were compared by oligonucleotide microarray analysis. Data analysis revealed that several gene categories relevant to peripheral olfactory perception are strongly regulated in a total of 1,444 differentially expressed genes during both time courses. Among these candidate genes, several CSP (chemosensory protein) genes and one takeout gene, LmigTO1, showed higher expression in gregarious and solitarious locusts, respectively, and displayed opposite expression trends during solitarization and gregarization. qRT-PCR experiments revealed that most CSP members and LmigTO1 exhibited antenna-rich expressions. RNA interference combined with olfactory behavioral experiments confirmed that the CSP gene family and one takeout gene, LmigTO1, are involved in the shift from repulsion to attraction between individuals during gregarization and in the reverse transition during solitarization. These findings suggest that the response to locust-emitted olfactory cues regulated by CSP and takeout genes is involved in the behavioral phase change in the migratory locust and provide a previously undescribed molecular mechanism linked to the formation of locust aggregations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

CSP and Takeout Genes Modulate the Switch between Attraction and Repulsion during Behavioral Phase Change in the Migratory Locust

et al. 2011

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“…Chortoicetes terminifera is an endemic species that can experience huge increases in local population density, with individuals actively aggregating and forming migratory bands and swarms that can damage pastures and crops [22]. Given its broad geographical range and potential to mass migrate, an improved understanding of its movement patterns and population dynamics is of critical importance to its management.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges to assessing connectivity between massive populations of the Australian plague locust

et al. 2011

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Linking demographic and genetic dispersal measures is of fundamental importance for movement ecology and evolution. However, such integration can be difficult, particularly for highly fecund species that are often the target of management decisions guided by an understanding of population movement. Here, we present an example of how the influence of large population sizes can preclude genetic approaches from assessing demographic population structuring, even at a continental scale. The Australian plague locust, Chortoicetes terminifera, is a significant pest, with populations on the eastern and western sides of Australia having been monitored and managed independently to date. We used microsatellites to assess genetic variation in 12 C. terminifera population samples separated by up to 3000 km. Traditional summary statistics indicated high levels of genetic diversity and a surprising lack of population structure across the entire range. An approximate Bayesian computation treatment indicated that levels of genetic diversity in C. terminifera corresponded to effective population sizes conservatively composed of tens of thousands to several million individuals. We used these estimates and computer simulations to estimate the minimum rate of dispersal, m, that could account for the observed range-wide genetic homogeneity. The rate of dispersal between both sides of the Australian continent could be several orders of magnitude lower than that typically considered as required for the demographic connectivity of populations. (Résumé d'auteur

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“…() demonstrated that longer assessment using this assay did not improve the method. To hasten the process of analysis and the time needed to assess a group of individuals, automated computer analyses were developed (Gray et al., ; Cullen et al., ). The rapid time course of behavioural gregarization has been reported (Rogers et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterizing phase‐related differences in behaviour of Schistocerca gregaria with spatial distribution analysis

Cissé

Ghaout²,

Mazih

et al. 2015

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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The behaviour of locusts has been studied extensively using two approaches: (1) analysing a single individual's response to a group stimulus or (2) using group conditions to look at aggregation patterns. The second approach has, in contrast with the first one, not been improved in terms of statistical analyses since the 1960s. In the present study, we propose a spatial statistics approach of point-pattern analysis to improve the group-based assessment of behavioural phase characterization. This diagnostic tool was developed and tested in the laboratory with comparative analysis of solitarious (isolation-reared) and gregarious (crowd-reared) desert locusts, Schistocerca gregaria (Forsk al) (Orthoptera: Acrididae). The spatial distribution patterns of 10 either solitarious or gregarious thirdinstar hoppers were characterized with nearest neighbour distance measurements in a circular arena. The temporal sequence of spatial disposition of locusts was recorded with a digital camera taking photographs at regular intervals. The approach of point-pattern analysis focused on the spatial distribution of observed events and allowed us to make inferences about the underlying process that generated them. The results confirmed that our diagnostic tool could identify that crowd-reared hoppers tended to aggregate more to conspecifics than isolation-reared ones. We could also verify that isolation-reared hoppers were less active than crowd-reared ones, but this was only true at the beginning of the experiments. The spatial statistics approach proposed in the present study could help with observations of phase-related differences in the behaviour of locusts.

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Behavioural phase polyphenism in the Australian plague locust ( Chortoicetes terminifera )

Cited by 47 publications

References 13 publications

CSP and Takeout Genes Modulate the Switch between Attraction and Repulsion during Behavioral Phase Change in the Migratory Locust

CSP and Takeout Genes Modulate the Switch between Attraction and Repulsion during Behavioral Phase Change in the Migratory Locust

Challenges to assessing connectivity between massive populations of the Australian plague locust

Characterizing phase‐related differences in behaviour of Schistocerca gregaria with spatial distribution analysis

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