Abstract
Reliable cues of increased predation risk can induce phenotypic changes in an organism's offspring (i.e. transgenerational phenotypic plasticity). While induction of defensive morphologies in naïve offspring in response to maternal predation risk is widespread, little is known about transgenerational changes in offspring behavior. Here we provide evidence for transgenerational behavioral plasticity in the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum. When pre-reproductive individuals of two genotypes ("pink" and "green") were exposed to the alarm pheromone (E)-β-Farnesene (EBF), a reliable cue of increased predation risk, next-generation offspring altered their feeding site choices relative to the location of the maternal aphids. Offspring of EBF-treated aphids occupied "safer" feeding sites: green offspring occupied "safer" feeding sites in the natal colony, while pink offspring dispersed to occupy sites on neighboring plant leaves.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 603-613 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Journal of Insect Behavior |
Volume | 26 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 2013 |
Scopus Subject Areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Insect Science
Keywords
- Acyrthosiphon pisum
- alarm pheromone
- inducible defense
- maternal effects
- predation risk
- transgenerational phenotypic plasticity