scholarly journals Egg rejection and egg recognition mechanisms in Oriental Reed Warblers

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laikun Ma ◽  
Wei Liang
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Difference ◽  
Soft Clay ◽  
Egg Rejection ◽  
Egg Recognition ◽  
Cuculus Canorus ◽  
Host Nest ◽  
Recognition Mechanism ◽  
Egg Incubation ◽  
Sexual Conflicts ◽  
Recognition Ability

Abstract Background Nest parasitism by cuckoos (Cuculus spp.) results in enormous reproductive failure and forces hosts to evolve antiparasitic strategies, i.e., recognition of own eggs and rejection of cuckoo eggs. There are often sexual conflicts between male and female individuals in the expression of antiparasitic behavior due to the differences in reproductive inputs and division of labor. Methods By adding a foreign egg made of blue soft clay to the host nest during early incubation period in the field, and by removing several host eggs and adding experimental eggs to control the proportion of two egg types in the nest, we examined egg rejection ability, egg recognition mechanism and sexual difference in egg rejection of the Oriental Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus orientalis), one of the major hosts of Common Cuckoos (Cuculus canorus). Results Our results indicated that Oriental Reed Warblers can recognize and reject nearly 100% (73/75) of the non-mimetic eggs made of blue soft clay, and they could reject foreign eggs with 100% accuracy, regardless of the ratio of experimental eggs and its own eggs in the nest. Furthermore, all cases of egg rejections recorded by videos were only carried out by females. Conclusions Oriental Reed Warblers have a high egg recognition ability and show a true recognition mechanism. Only female warblers perform egg rejection, suggesting that the sex for host egg incubation seems to play an important role in the evolution of egg recognition mechanisms.

scholarly journals Egg Rejection in Marsh Warblers (Acrocephalus Palustris) Heavily Parasitized by Common Cuckoos (Cuculus Canorus)

The Auk ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 123 (2) ◽  
pp. 419-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Antonov ◽  
Bård G. Stokke ◽  
Arne Moksnes ◽  
Eivin Røskaft
Keyword(s):  
Rejection Rate ◽  
Host Population ◽  
Arms Race ◽  
Egg Rejection ◽  
Cuculus Canorus ◽  
Common Cuckoo ◽  
Recognition Ability ◽  
Acrocephalus Palustris ◽  
High Rejection Rate ◽  
Host Parasite

Abstract In the coevolutionary “arms race” between Common Cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) and their hosts, several adaptations and counter-adaptations have evolved. Here, we investigated natural parasitism and host sensitivity to egg rejection in Marsh Warblers (Acrocephalus palustris) in Bulgaria. The level of Common Cuckoo parasitism was high (28%), and average mimicry of Common Cuckoo eggs was good. Experimental parasitism with four egg-types that showed various degrees of mimicry of the host eggs revealed a generally high rejection rate of foreign eggs (37.5–100%). In addition, naturally laid Common Cuckoo eggs were rejected at a moderate rate (50%). The Marsh Warbler's ability to reject foreign eggs was strongly dependent on the degree of mimicry of the parasite egg but apparently not on differences in size between host and foreign eggs. Furthermore, intraclutch variation in host egg appearance was not related to the probability of egg rejection. The Marsh Warbler's highly developed egg-recognition ability and the good mimicry of Common Cuckoo eggs suggests that this poorly known host-parasite arms race has reached an advanced stage. The present study provides new insight into variables that are important for egg rejection in a heavily parasitized host population. Rechazo de Huevos en Nidos de Acrocephalus palustris Fuertemente Parasitados por Cuculus canorus

scholarly journals Egg recognition in Cinereous Tits (Parus cinereus): eggshell spots matter

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianping Liu ◽  
Canchao Yang ◽  
Jiangping Yu ◽  
Haitao Wang ◽  
Wei Liang
Keyword(s):  
Selection Pressure ◽  
Rejection Rate ◽  
Egg Rejection ◽  
Egg Recognition ◽  
Good Ability ◽  
Signaling Function ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Recognition Ability ◽  
Pure White

Abstract Background Brood parasitic birds such as cuckoos (Cuculus spp.) can reduce their host’s reproductive success. Such selection pressure on the hosts has driven the evolution of defense behaviors such as egg rejection against cuckoo parasitism. Studies have shown that Cinereous Tits (Parus cinereus) in China have a good ability for recognizing foreign eggs. However, it is unclear whether egg spots play a role in egg recognition. The aims of our study were to investigate the egg recognition ability of two Cinereous Tit populations in China and to explore the role of spots in egg recognition. Methods To test the effect of eggshell spots on egg recognition, pure white eggs of the White-rumped Munia (Lonchura striata) and eggs of White-rumped Munia painted with red brown spots were used to simulate experimental parasitism. Results Egg experiments showed that Cinereous Tits rejected 51.5% of pure white eggs of the White-rumped Munia, but only 14.3% of spotted eggs of the White-rumped Munia. There was a significant difference in egg recognition and rejection rate between the two egg types. Conclusions We conclude that eggshell spots on Cinereous Tit eggs had a signaling function and may be essential to tits for recognizing and rejecting parasitic eggs.

scholarly journals Does experimentally simulated presence of a common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) affect egg rejection and breeding success in the red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio)?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Tryjanowski ◽  
Artur Golawski ◽  
Mariusz Janowski ◽  
Tim H. Sparks
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Success ◽  
Brood Parasitism ◽  
Interaction Analysis ◽  
Egg Rejection ◽  
Cuculus Canorus ◽  
Common Cuckoo ◽  
Host Nest ◽  
Lanius Collurio ◽  
The Common ◽  
Experimental Treatments

AbstractProviding artificial eggs is a commonly used technique to understand brood parasitism, mainly by the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). However, the presence of a cuckoo egg in the host nest would also require an earlier physical presence of the common cuckoo within the host territory. During our study of the red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), we tested two experimental approaches: (1) providing an artificial “cuckoo” egg in shrike nests and (2) additionally placing a stuffed common cuckoo with a male call close to the shrike nest. We expected that the shrikes subject to the additional common cuckoo call stimuli would be more sensitive to brood parasitism and demonstrate a higher egg rejection rate. In the years 2017–2018,  in two locations in Poland, a total of 130 red-backed shrike nests were divided into two categories: in 66 we added only an artificial egg, and in the remaining 64 we added not only the egg, but also presented a stuffed, calling common cuckoo. Shrikes reacted more strongly if the stuffed common cuckoo was present. However, only 13 incidences of egg acceptance were noted, with no significant differences between the locations, experimental treatments or their interaction. Analysis of breeding success revealed significant differences between the locations, between experimental treatments and their interaction, which suggests a strong location effect. The red-backed shrike is an efficient rejector of foreign eggs. It would be interesting to see how similar tests affect hosts that have much higher rates of brood parasitism and egg acceptance.

scholarly journals The Perceptual and Cognitive Processes That Govern Egg Rejection in Hosts of Avian Brood Parasites

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Hanley ◽  
Samantha L. Rutledge ◽  
Juliana Villa
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Selective Pressure ◽  
Null Model ◽  
Egg Rejection ◽  
Egg Recognition ◽  
Brood Parasites ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Receptor Noise

Hosts of avian brood parasites are under intense selective pressure to prevent or reduce the cost of parasitism. Many have evolved refined egg discrimination abilities, which can select for eggshell mimicry in their parasite. A classic assumption underlying these coevolutionary dynamics is that host egg recognition depends on the perceivable difference between their own eggs and those of their parasite. Over the past two decades, the receptor noise-limited (RNL) model has contributed to our understanding of these coevolutionary interactions by providing researchers a method to predict a host’s ability to discriminate a parasite’s egg from its own. Recent research has shown that some hosts are more likely to reject brown eggs than blue eggs, regardless of the perceived differences to their own. Such responses suggest that host egg recognition may be due to perceptual or cognitive processes not currently predictable by the RNL model. In this perspective, we discuss the potential value of using the RNL model as a null model to explore alternative perceptual processes and higher-order cognitive processes that could explain how and why some hosts make seemingly counter-intuitive decisions. Further, we outline experiments that should be fruitful for determining the perceptual and cognitive processing used by hosts for egg recognition tasks.

scholarly journals A Meta-Analysis of Avian Egg Traits Cueing Egg-Rejection Defenses Against Brood Parasitism

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Samaš ◽  
Mark E. Hauber ◽  
Marcel Honza
Keyword(s):  
Brood Parasitism ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Egg Rejection ◽  
Egg Recognition ◽  
Avian Brood Parasitism ◽  
Egg Traits ◽  
New Research

The capability of hosts to reject the odd egg from their nest is one of the key defenses against avian brood parasitism. Considerable research effort has been devoted to exploring which phenotypic traits of eggshells facilitate to cue the recognition of the parasitic egg. Here we have reviewed studies addressing salient egg traits involved in the rejection of foreign eggs and used a formal meta-analysis to quantify their relative importance. Hosts appear to rely to a large extent on eggshell color traits, followed by maculation patterns. Hosts respond with similar rates of egg rejection to natural vs. model eggs and when breeding in both closed and open nests. Analyses of experiments on hosts of Cuculus and Molothrus parasites, the two best studied brood parasitic lineages with different co-evolutionary histories, yield similar conclusions. We also identify several poorly studied potential egg recognition cues, such as odor or weight, and recommend exploring even the visual traits in more detail, including chromatic and achromatic contrasts or experimentally manipulated egg maculation characteristics. Recent technological and sensory ecological advances open many new research avenues to experimentally examine the role of diverse egg characteristics in antiparasite defenses.

scholarly journals Studies on Preparation of Cd2+Ion Surface-Imprinted Material with High Ion Recognition Ability and Its Ion Recognition Mechanism

2013 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaolin Fang ◽  
Baojiao Gao ◽  
Xiaowei Huang ◽  
Yongqi Zhang ◽  
Laiyuan Gu
Keyword(s):  
Ion Recognition ◽  
Recognition Mechanism ◽  
Recognition Ability

Dynamics of chemical mimicry in the social parasite wasp Polistes semenowi (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Parasitology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 129 (5) ◽  
pp. 643-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. LORENZI ◽  
R. CERVO ◽  
F. ZACCHI ◽  
S. TURILLAZZI ◽  
A.-G. BAGNÈRES
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Social Parasite ◽  
Polistes Dominulus ◽  
Lipid Layer ◽  
Social Parasites ◽  
Host Nest ◽  
Recognition Mechanism ◽  
The Social ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Nest Usurpation

Chemical cues are so important in the recognition mechanism of social insects that most social parasites (which rely on hosts to rear their brood) have been documented as overcoming the mechanism by which colony residents recognize non-nestmates, by mimicking the odour of the usurped colony. We simulated in the laboratory the process by which the obligate social parasite, Polistes semenowi, invades nests of the host species, Polistes dominulus, in the field and analysed the epicuticular lipid layer before and after host nest usurpation. The experiment documents that P. semenowi social parasites have an epicuticular hydrocarbon pattern which is very similar to that of their host but, after entering host colonies, parasites mimic the odour of the colonies they invade, to the point that they perfectly match the hydrocarbon profile peculiar to the colony they entered. However, both before and after host nest invasion, parasites show a tendency to possess diluted recognition cues with respect to their hosts.

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