Social interaction facilitates reproduction in male German cockroaches, Blattella germanica

Uzsák, Adrienn; Schal, Coby

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.04.004

Cited by 17 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…The logs inhabited by Cryptocercus degrade relatively slowly, conferring a degree of nest stability that allows for the lengthy brood care, frequent physical contact, and behavioural interactions that characterise its social environment (Klass et al, ). The social environment, in turn, is known to affect reproduction and development in all cockroaches in which it has been studied (Bell et al, : Table 8.3; Willis et al, ; Holbrook & Schal, ; Uzsak & Schal, ). Tactile stimulation and short‐range and contact pheromones within cockroach social groups not only serve as behavioural releasers, but also regulate physiological processes (Lihoreau & Rivault, ; Uzsak et al, ).…”

Section: Ecological Environment Of the Ancestormentioning

confidence: 99%

Origin of termite eusociality: trophallaxis integrates the social, nutritional, and microbial environments

Nalepa

2015

Ecological Entomology

138

163

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Abstract. 1. Numerous cladistic analyses have converged: termites are a monophyletic clade embedded within the paraphyletic cockroaches, and sister group to the biparental, wood-feeding cockroach Cryptocercus. The latter is, therefore, an appropriate model for testing assumptions regarding early termite evolution.2. The ground plan of the termite ancestor is reviewed based on shared characters of ecology, life history, and behaviour in Cryptocercus and incipient termite colonies, and includes two levels of dependence: a reliance of all individuals on gut microbiota, and dependence of early instars on parental care. Both these conditions co-evolved with parent-to-offspring proctodeal trophallaxis.3. The termite ancestor lived in a single log serving as food and nest. This 'one-piece' nesting ecology prioritises nitrogen conservation and strongly influences interacting social, nutritional, and microbial environments. Each of these environments individually and in combination profoundly affect cockroach development.4. Proctodeal trophallaxis integrates the social, nutritional, and microbial environments. A change in trophallactic behaviour, from parental to alloparental, can, therefore, shift developmental trajectories, ultimately adding a third level of dependence. The death of gut protists during the host molting period and consequent interdependence of family members shifted the hierarchical level at which selection acted; fixation of eusociality quickly followed.5. The basic nesting ecology did not change when termites evolved eusociality, the change occurred in the allocation and use of existing resources within the social group, driven by nitrogen scarcity, mediated by trophallaxis, and made possible by a strongly lineage-specific set of life history characteristics.

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Section: Ecological Environment Of the Ancestormentioning

confidence: 99%

Origin of termite eusociality: trophallaxis integrates the social, nutritional, and microbial environments

Nalepa

2015

Ecological Entomology

138

163

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“…The German cockroach lives in aggregations (20), and contact with conspecifics accelerates nymphal development (21) and reproductive maturation in both sexes (22,23). Younger nymphs benefit from coprophagy in aggregations (24), and gregarious behavior may also facilitate mate location, predator avoidance, thermoregulation, and prevention of water loss.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Gut bacteria mediate aggregation in the German cockroach

Wada‐Katsumata

Zurek

Nalyanya

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

Self Cite

166

105

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Aggregation of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, is regulated by fecal aggregation agents (pheromones), including volatile carboxylic acids (VCAs). We demonstrate that the gut microbial community contributes to production of these semiochemicals. Chemical analysis of the fecal extract of B. germanica revealed 40 VCAs. Feces from axenic cockroaches (no microorganisms in the alimentary tract) lacked 12 major fecal VCAs, and 24 of the remaining compounds were represented at extremely low amounts. Olfactory and aggregation bioassays demonstrated that nymphs strongly preferred the extract of control feces over the fecal extract of axenic cockroaches. Additionally, nymphs preferred a synthetic blend of 6 fecal VCAs over a solvent control or a previously identified VCA blend. To test whether gut bacteria contribute to the production of fecal aggregation agents, fecal aerobic bacteria were cultured, isolated, and identified. Inoculation of axenic cockroaches with individual bacterial taxa significantly rescued the aggregation response to the fecal extract, and inoculation with a mix of six bacterial isolates was more effective than with single isolates. The results indicate that the commensal gut microbiota contributes to production of VCAs that act as fecal aggregation agents and that cockroaches discriminate among the complex odors that emanate from a diverse microbial community. Our results highlight the pivotal role of gut bacteria in mediating insect-insect communication. Moreover, because the gut microbial community reflects the local environment, local plasticity in fecal aggregation pheromones enables colony-specific odors and fidelity to persistent aggregation sites.gut bacteria | aggregation | pheromone | cockroach | communication

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“…Before they can court females and mate, males must undergo a period of sexual maturation (Uzsák & Schal, ). A sexually mature male responds to a contact sex pheromone on the female or on the female antennae with a species‐typical rotation of the body through approximately 180° at the same time as raising his wings (Roth & Willis, ; Eliyahu et al ., ), thus exposing glands with nuptial secretions on tergal abdominal segments (Nojima et al ., ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gustatory adaptation affects sexual maturation in male German cockroaches, Blattella germanica

2015

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Adaptations to hazardous environmental factors are essential for survival, although they may be maladaptive in conditions where the hazard is absent. In German cockroach (Blattella germanica L.) populations, glucose aversion has evolved rapidly in response to glucose-containing insecticidal baits, but little is known about the consequences of this behaviour in the absence of bait. In the present study, glucose-averse (GA) and wild-type (WT) male German cockroaches are restricted to a range of nutritionally defined diets containing either glucose or fructose as the sole carbohydrate source, and time to first expression of courtship is measured by stimulating the male antennae daily with isolated antennae from receptive, 6-day-old females. Glucose-averse males that are restricted to glucose-containing diets mature their courtship responses significantly later than GA males restricted to fructose-containing diets, whereas there is no difference in maturation of courtship responses between GA males restricted to fructose-containing diets and WT males restricted to diets containing either sugar type. Glucose-averse males furthermore respond later to GA female antennae than to WT female antennae, all from 6-day-old females. This suggests that GA females are less sexually stimulating, and the results are also consistent with earlier findings showing that GA females contain less developed oocytes than WT females at this age. These findings demonstrate that an adaptive gustatory mutation conferring protection from a toxin may have comparatively detrimental effects under conditions where the toxin has vanished, both by delaying female sexual maturation and signalling and by delaying male sexual maturation and courtship under conditions where glucose is a major energy source.

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Social interaction facilitates reproduction in male German cockroaches, Blattella germanica

Cited by 17 publications

References 49 publications

Origin of termite eusociality: trophallaxis integrates the social, nutritional, and microbial environments

Origin of termite eusociality: trophallaxis integrates the social, nutritional, and microbial environments

Gut bacteria mediate aggregation in the German cockroach

Gustatory adaptation affects sexual maturation in male German cockroaches, Blattella germanica

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