Do courtship flashes of fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) serve as aposematic signals to insectivorous bats?

Moosman, Paul R.; Cratsley, Christopher K.; Lehto, Scott D.; Thomas, Howard H.

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.07.028

Cited by 19 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…), the complete loss of flashes (facilitated by reproductive character displacement) could also be the ultimate escape from both hawking predators and mimics of light signals (Lloyd ). Reduced exposure may also aid against other predators, including bats (Lloyd ; Moosman et al ) and spiders (Lloyd ; Long et al ). Predation has been shown to reduce the singing behavior of katydids (Belwood and Morris ), and contributed to the loss of singing in some groups (Otte ; Zuk and Kolluru ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flash signal evolution inPhotinusfireflies: Character displacement and signal exploitation in a visual communication system

Stanger‐Hall

Lloyd

2015

Evolution

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Animal communication is an intriguing topic in evolutionary biology. In this comprehensive study of visual signal evolution, we used a phylogenetic approach to study the evolution of the flash communication system of North American fireflies. The North American firefly genus Photinus contains 35 described species with simple ON-OFF visual signals, and information on habitat types, sympatric congeners, and predators. This makes them an ideal study system to test hypotheses on the evolution of male and female visual signal traits. Our analysis of 34 Photinus species suggests two temporal pattern generators: one for flash duration and one for flash intervals. Reproductive character displacement was a main factor for signal divergence in male flash duration among sympatric Photinus species. Male flash pattern intervals (i.e., the duration of the dark periods between signals) were positively correlated with the number of sympatric Photuris fireflies, which include predators of Photinus. Females of different Photinus species differ in their response preferences to male traits. As in other communication systems, firefly male sexual signals seem to be a compromise between optimizing mating success (sexual selection) and minimizing predation risk (natural selection). An integrative model for Photinus signal evolution is proposed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flash signal evolution inPhotinusfireflies: Character displacement and signal exploitation in a visual communication system

Stanger‐Hall

Lloyd

2015

Evolution

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“…When warning signals also serve as sexual signals it can potentially set the stage for diversification. Such a scenario was first suggested for the interspecific diversification of firefly warning signals (Branham & Wenzel 2003), where selection by predators and mate choice are thought to impact the evolution of firefly flashes (Moosman et al 2009). Sexual selection is also thought to play a role in the intra-specific diversification of warning signals in the strawberry poison frog (Oophaga pumilio) (Rudh et al 2011, Cummings & Crothers 2013.…”

Section: Trait Trade-offs and Interactionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influences of geographic differentiation in the forewing warning signal of the wood tiger moth in Alaska

Hegna

Mappes

2014

Evol Ecol

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Geographic Variation in the WarningSignals of the Wood Tiger Moth (Parasemia plantaginis; Arctiidae)Esitetään Jyväskylän yliopiston matemaattis-luonnontieteellisen tiedekunnan suostumuksella julkisesti tarkastettavaksi yliopiston Ylistönrinteellä, salissa YAA303 marraskuun 8. päivänä 2013 kello 12.Academic dissertation to be publicly discussed, Warning signals are not expected to be diverse because they are under stabilizing selection. This dissertation aims to study historic and contemporary selection mechanisms underlying the geographic warning signal diversity in the wood tiger moth (Parasemia plantaginis). In the first study, I explored the variation in hindwing warning color frequencies across the distribution of P. plantaginis and the phylogeography of the species. Males have polymorphic hindwing color (yellow or white) across much of their distribution but turn reddish in the Caucasus and mostly white in Japan, which coincide with mitogenetic divergence. Females vary continuously in hindwing warning color between yellow and red, becoming yellow east of the Ural mountain range, but does not correspond to mitogenetic divergence. Post-glacial isolation may be one contributing factor to the genetic divergence and the hindwing warning signal differences in the Caucasus region. In the second study, I found that thermoregulation benefits of melanin can trade-off with a larger more effective warning signal, which contributes to variation in melanization within Europe. In the third study, I found that forewing patterns function as warning signals and that generalization by predators might play an important role in warning signal diversity along with frequency dependent selection. In the fourth chapter, I found three populations in Japan differing in warning signal traits with some gene flow suggesting both selection and isolation may be underlying causes. Overall, my results suggest that historical and abiotic factors contribute to the observed warning signal diversity in P. plantaginis, rather than predation alone. This adds to our understanding of how historical factors along with environmental heterogeneity in biotic and abiotic factors can promote warning signal diversity. My results highlight the need to take an integrated approach to studying geographic diversity in warning signals.

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“…For example, the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, is reluctant to attack flashing aerial lures (Vernon ), but the little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus, preferentially attacks flashing over non‐flashing lures (Moosman et al . ). Long et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Pyrazine emission by a tropical firefly: An example of chemical aposematism?

et al. 2016

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Although famous for photic courtship displays, fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) are also notable for emitting strong odors when molested. The identity of volatile emissions and their possible role, along with photic signals, as aposematic warnings of unpalatability have been little explored, especially in tropical species. Pursuant to the observation that the widespread Neotropical fireflies, Photuris trivittata and Bicellonycha amoena, emit pungent odors, glows, and flashes when handled, we investigated their cuticular and headspace chemistry. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses revealed that both fireflies have species-specific cuticular hydrocarbon profiles. Photuris trivittata headspace was dominated by 2-methoxy-3-(1-methylpropyl) pyrazine (hereafter, pyrazine), on the order of 1.59 ng/individual and a suite of sesquiterpenes, while B. amoena emitted 3-methoxy-2-butenoic acid methyl ester and a few ketones. This is the first report of such compounds in fireflies. We investigated the role of pyrazine in P. trivittata's interactions with potential predators: sympatric ants, toads, and bats. Solvent-washed P. trivittata painted with pyrazine incurred lower ant predation than did their solvent-washed counterparts. Pyrazine significantly repelled ants at baits in concentrations as low as 9.8 9 10 À4 ng/ll. The toad, Rhinella marina, readily accepted intact fireflies, pyrazine-coated and uncoated mealworms. Both Myotis nigricans and Molossus molossus bats rejected fireflies, but accepted both pyrazine-coated and uncoated mealworms. While pyrazine repels ants, its role as an aposematic signal warning other potential predators of firefly distastefulness requires further investigation. Our results underscore the idea that multiple enemies exert conflicting selection on firefly defenses. Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.

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Do courtship flashes of fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) serve as aposematic signals to insectivorous bats?

Cited by 19 publications

References 61 publications

Flash signal evolution inPhotinusfireflies: Character displacement and signal exploitation in a visual communication system

Flash signal evolution inPhotinusfireflies: Character displacement and signal exploitation in a visual communication system

Influences of geographic differentiation in the forewing warning signal of the wood tiger moth in Alaska

Pyrazine emission by a tropical firefly: An example of chemical aposematism?

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