scholarly journals Lines selected for different durations of tonic immobility have different leg lengths in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum

Behaviour ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 157 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kentarou Matsumura ◽  
Takahisa Miyatake
Keyword(s):  
Tribolium Castaneum ◽  
Selection Pressure ◽  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Tonic Immobility ◽  
Red Flour Beetle ◽  
Leg Length ◽  
Flour Beetle ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Species Movement ◽  
Predator Behaviour

Abstract Tonic immobility is an adaptive anti-predator behaviour observed in many species. This anti-predator behaviour is often correlated with a species’ movement motivation, so a relationship between the duration of tonic immobility and morphological traits supporting movement would be expected. Using the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, we carried out two-way artificial selection for the duration of tonic immobility over more than 43 generations, establishing populations with longer (L) and shorter (S) tonic immobility durations compared to those of a non-selected control (C) population. Here, we investigated differences in walking motivation and leg length between the selected populations. Walking motivation was significantly higher in beetles from the S population than that in those from the L population. Moreover, S-population beetles of both sexes had significantly longer legs than those from L and C populations. The present results suggest the evolution of longer legs in response to selection pressure for a shorter duration of tonic immobility in T. castaneum.

scholarly journals Responses to relaxed and reverse selection in strains artificially selected for duration of death-feigning behavior in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kentarou Matsumura ◽  
Takahisa Miyatake
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Tribolium Castaneum ◽  
Red Flour Beetle ◽  
Term Selection ◽  
Flour Beetle ◽  
Death Feigning ◽  
Selection Experiments ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Predator Behavior

Abstract Divergent lines selected artificially for many generations make it possible to answer two questions: (1) whether genetic variation still exists within the selected population; and (2) whether the selection itself is costly for the selected strain. In previous studies, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum was divergently selected artificially for duration of death-feigning, and strains selected for longer (L-strain) and shorter (S-strain) durations of death-feigning have been established (Miyatake et al. 2004, 2008). Because the selection experiments have been conducted for more than 27 generations, genetic variation may be eroded. Furthermore, because another previous study reported physiological costs to L-strains, the L-strains selected artificially for longer duration of death-feigning may have suffered more costs than the S-strains. In the present study, therefore, we relaxed the selection pressure after the 27th or 30th generation of S- and L-strains. We also carried out reverse selection during the most recent eight generations of S- and L-strains. The results showed that each strain clearly responded to relaxation of selection and reverse selection, suggesting that (1) additive genetic variation still existed in both strains after long-term selection, and (2) selection for shorter and longer duration of death-feigning was costly. These results suggest that anti-predator behavior is controlled by many loci, and longer or shorter duration of death-feigning is costly in a laboratory without predators.

A Novel Method for the Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from Red Flour Beetle Tribolium castaneum (H.) using Headspace-SPME Technology

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 404-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ihab Alnajim ◽  
Manjree Agarwal ◽  
Tao Liu ◽  
YongLin Ren
Keyword(s):  
Volatile Organic Compounds ◽  
Organic Compounds ◽  
Tribolium Castaneum ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Chemical Signals ◽  
Red Flour Beetle ◽  
Specific Chemical ◽  
Flour Beetle ◽  
Volatile Organic ◽  
Spme Fibre

Background: The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is one of the world’s most serious stored grain insect pests. A method of early and rapid identification of red flour beetle in stored products is urgently required to improve control options. Specific chemical signals identified as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that are released by the beetle can serve as biomarkers. Methods: The Headspace Solid Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME) technique and the analytical conditions with GC and GCMS were optimised and validated for the determination of VOCs released from T. castaneum. Results: The 50/30 μm DVB/CAR/PDMS SPME fibre was selected for extraction of VOCs from T. castaneum. The efficiency of extraction of VOCs was significantly affected by the extraction time, temperature, insect density and type of SPME fibre. Twenty-three VOCs were extracted from insects in 4 mL flask at 35 ± 1°C for four hours of extraction and separated and identified with gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The major VOCs or chemical signals from T. castaneum were 1-pentadecene, p-Benzoquinone, 2-methyl- and p-Benzoquinone, 2-ethyl. Conclusion: This study showed that HS-SPME GC technology is a robust and cost-effective method for extraction and identification of the unique VOCs produced by T. castaneum. Therefore, this technology could lead to a new approach in the timely detection of T. castaneum and its subsequent treatment.

scholarly journals Woot, an Active Gypsy-Class Retrotransposon in the Flour Beetle, Tribolium castaneum, is Associated With a Recent Mutation

Genetics ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 143 (1) ◽  
pp. 417-426
Author(s):  
Richard W Beeman ◽  
M Scott Thomson ◽  
John M Clark ◽  
Marco A DeCamillis ◽  
Susan J Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Analysis ◽  
Tribolium Castaneum ◽  
Frameshift Mutation ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Red Flour Beetle ◽  
Intron Sequence ◽  
Coding Region ◽  
Long Terminal Repeats ◽  
Flour Beetle ◽  
Reading Frames

Abstract A recently isolated, lethal mutation of the homeotic Abdominal gene of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum is associated with an insertion of a novel retrotransposon into an intron. Sequence analysis indicates that this retrotransposon, named Woot, is a member of the gypsy family of mobile elements. Most strains of T. castaneum appear to harbor ~25-35 copies of Woot per genome. Woot is composed of long terminal repeats of unprecedented length (3.6 kb each), flanking an internal coding region 5.0 kb in length. For most copies of Woot, the internal region includes two open reading frames (ORFs) that correspond to the gag and pol genes of previously described retrotransposons and retroviruses. The copy of Woot inserted into Abdominal bears an apparent single frameshift mutation that separates the normal second ORF into two. Woot does not appear to generate infectious virions by the criterion that no envelop gene is discernible. The association of Woot with a recent mutation suggests that this retroelement is currently transpositionally active in at least some strains.

scholarly journals Rating knockdown of flour beetles after exposure to two insecticides as an indicator of mortality

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christos G. Athanassiou ◽  
Nickolas G. Kavallieratos ◽  
Frank H. Arthur ◽  
Christos T. Nakas
Keyword(s):  
Tribolium Castaneum ◽  
Concrete Surface ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Red Flour Beetle ◽  
Flour Beetle ◽  
Insecticidal Effect ◽  
Testing Period ◽  
Flour Beetles ◽  
Confused Flour Beetle ◽  
Contact Insecticides

AbstractKnockdown and mortality of adults of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val, were assessed after exposure to two contact insecticides, chlorfenapyr and cyfluthrin, on a concrete surface. Individuals were rated on a scale for knockdown of exposed adults according to their mobility from 1, representing immobilized adults to 5, representing normally moving (similar to the controls). Only cyfluthrin gave immediate knockdown. Adults were rated at 1, 3 and 7 days post-exposure. After the final assessment, adults were discarded and the same procedure was repeated for 5 consecutive weeks with new adults exposed on the same treated surfaces. Despite initial knockdown, many individuals did not eventually die after exposure to cyfluthrin. In contrast, adults exposed to chlorfenapyr were not initially knocked down after exposure but most died after 7 days. These trends were similar during the entire 5-week residual testing period. The storage of the treated dishes in illuminated or non-illuminated conditions did not affect the insecticidal effect of either insecticide. The results of the present study can be further implemented towards the design of a “lethality index” that can serve as a quick indicator of knockdown and mortality rates caused after exposure to insecticides.

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