Correction to: Multiple phenotypic traits as triggers of host attacks towards ant symbionts: body size, morphological gestalt, and chemical mimicry accuracy

Abstract Background Ant colonies are plagued by a diversity of arthropod guests, which adopt various strategies to avoid or to withstand host attacks. Chemical mimicry of host recognition cues is, for example, a common integration strategy of ant guests. The morphological gestalt and body size of ant guests have long been argued to also affect host hostility, but quantitative studies testing these predictions are largely missing. We here evaluated three guest traits as triggers of host aggression—body size, morphological gestalt, and accuracy in chemical mimicry—in a community of six Eciton army ant species and 29 guest species. We quantified ant aggression towards 314 guests in behavioral assays and, for the same individuals, determined their body size and their accuracy in mimicking ant cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles. We classified guests into the following gestalts: protective, myrmecoid, staphylinid-like, phorid-like, and larval-shaped. We expected that (1) guests with lower CHC mimicry accuracy are more frequently attacked; (2) larger guests are more frequently attacked; (3) guests of different morphological gestalt receive differing host aggression levels. Results Army ant species had distinct CHC profiles and accuracy of mimicking these profiles was variable among guests, with many species showing high mimicry accuracy. Unexpectedly, we did not find a clear relationship between chemical host similarity and host aggression, suggesting that other symbiont traits need to be considered. We detected a relationship between the guests’ body size and the received host aggression, in that diminutive forms were rarely attacked. Our data also indicated that morphological gestalt might be a valuable predictor of host aggression. While most ant-guest encounters remained peaceful, host behavior still differed towards guests in that ant aggression was primarily directed towards those guests possessing a protective or a staphylinid-like gestalt. Conclusion We demonstrate that CHC mimicry accuracy does not necessarily predict host aggression towards ant symbionts. Exploitation mechanisms are diverse, and we conclude that, besides chemical mimicry, other factors such as the guests’ morphological gestalt and especially their body size might be important, yet underrated traits shaping the level of host hostility against social insect symbionts.

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Independent evolution towards larger body size in the distinctive Faroe Island mice

G3 Genes|Genome|Genetics ◽

10.1093/g3journal/jkaa051 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ricardo Wilches ◽

William H Beluch ◽

Ellen McConnell ◽

Diethard Tautz ◽

Yingguang Frank Chan

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Small Body ◽

Laboratory Mouse ◽

Large Body ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Size Variation ◽

Phenotypic Traits ◽

Island Population ◽

Multiple Loci

Abstract Most phenotypic traits in nature involve the collective action of many genes. Traits that evolve repeatedly are particularly useful for understanding how selection may act on changing trait values. In mice, large body size has evolved repeatedly on islands and under artificial selection in the laboratory. Identifying the loci and genes involved in this process may shed light on the evolution of complex, polygenic traits. Here, we have mapped the genetic basis of body size variation by making a genetic cross between mice from the Faroe Islands, which are among the largest and most distinctive natural populations of mice in the world, and a laboratory mouse strain selected for small body size, SM/J. Using this F2 intercross of 841 animals, we have identified 111 loci controlling various aspects of body size, weight and growth hormone levels. By comparing against other studies, including the use of a joint meta-analysis, we found that the loci involved in the evolution of large size in the Faroese mice were largely independent from those of a different island population or other laboratory strains. We hypothesize that colonization bottleneck, historical hybridization, or the redundancy between multiple loci have resulted in the Faroese mice achieving an outwardly similar phenotype through a distinct evolutionary path.

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Linking individual phenotype to density-dependent population growth: the influence of body size on the population dynamics of malaria vectors

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2011.0153 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 278 (1721) ◽

pp. 3142-3151 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

Tanya L. Russell ◽

Dickson W. Lwetoijera ◽

Bart G. J. Knols ◽

Willem Takken ◽

Gerry F. Killeen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Body Size ◽

Population Growth ◽

Vector Control ◽

Anopheles Gambiae ◽

Phenotypic Expression ◽

Phenotypic Traits ◽

Density Dependent ◽

Individual Fitness ◽

The Impact

Understanding the endogenous factors that drive the population dynamics of malaria mosquitoes will facilitate more accurate predictions about vector control effectiveness and our ability to destabilize the growth of either low- or high-density insect populations. We assessed whether variation in phenotypic traits predict the dynamics of Anopheles gambiae sensu lato mosquitoes, the most important vectors of human malaria. Anopheles gambiae dynamics were monitored over a six-month period of seasonal growth and decline. The population exhibited density-dependent feedback, with the carrying capacity being modified by rainfall (97% w AIC c support). The individual phenotypic expression of the maternal ( p = 0.0001) and current ( p = 0.040) body size positively influenced population growth. Our field-based evidence uniquely demonstrates that individual fitness can have population-level impacts and, furthermore, can mitigate the impact of exogenous drivers (e.g. rainfall) in species whose reproduction depends upon it. Once frontline interventions have suppressed mosquito densities, attempts to eliminate malaria with supplementary vector control tools may be attenuated by increased population growth and individual fitness.

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Call rate in Common Cuckoos does not predict body size and responses to conspecific playbacks

Journal of Ornithology ◽

10.1007/s10336-021-01909-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Zoltán Elek ◽

Miklós Bán ◽

Attila Fülöp ◽

Attila Marton ◽

Márk E. Hauber ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

The Body ◽

Phenotypic Traits ◽

Call Rate ◽

Cuculus Canorus ◽

Common Cuckoo ◽

Natural Rate ◽

Free Living ◽

Territorial Conflicts ◽

Call Characteristic

AbstractThe brood parasitic Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus is best known for its two-note “cu-coo” call which is almost continuously uttered by male during the breeding season and can be heard across long distances in the field. Although the informative value of the cuckoo call was intensively investigated recently, it is still not clear whether call characteristic(s) indicate any of the phenotypic traits of the respective vocalising individuals. To fill this gap, we studied whether the call rate of male cuckoos (i.e., the number of calls uttered per unit of time) provides information on their body size, which might be a relevant trait during intrasexual territorial conflicts. We captured free-living male cuckoos and measured their body size parameters (mass, wing, tail and tarsus lengths). Each subject was then radio-tagged, released, and its individual “cu-coo” calls were recorded soon after that in the field. The results showed that none of the body size parameters covaried statistically with the call rates of individual male Common Cuckoos. In addition, we experimentally tested whether the “cu-coo” call rates affect behavioural responses of cuckoos using playbacks of either a quicker or a slower paced call than the calls with natural rates. Cuckoos responded similarly to both types of experimental playback treatments by approaching the speaker with statistically similar levels of responses as when presented with calls at the natural rate. We conclude that male Common Cuckoos do not advertise reliable information acoustically regarding their body size, and so, cuckoo calls are neither useful to characterize cuckoos’ phenotypic traits directly nor to indicate environmental quality indirectly.

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Big City Living: A Global Meta-Analysis Reveals Positive Impact of Urbanization on Body Size in Lizards

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution ◽

10.3389/fevo.2020.580745 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Breanna J. Putman ◽

Zachary A. Tippie

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Urban Environments ◽

Phenotypic Traits ◽

Ecological Communities ◽

Qualitative Synthesis ◽

Big City ◽

Impact Of Urbanization ◽

Taxonomic Groups

Urban environments pose different selective pressures than natural ones, leading to changes in animal behavior, physiology, and morphology. Understanding how animals respond to urbanization could inform the management of urban habitats. Non-avian reptiles have important roles in ecosystems worldwide, yet their responses to urbanization have not been as comprehensively studied as those of mammals and birds. However, unlike mammals and birds, most reptiles cannot easily move away from disturbances, making the selective pressure to adapt to urban environments especially strong. In recent years, there has been a surge in research on the responses of lizards to urbanization, yet no formal synthesis has determined what makes an urban lizard, in other words, which phenotypic traits are most likely to change with urbanization and in which direction? Here, we present a qualitative synthesis of the literature and a quantitative phylogenetic meta-analysis comparing phenotypic traits between urban and non-urban lizard populations. The most robust finding from our analysis is that urban lizards are larger than their non-urban counterparts. This result remained consistent between sexes and taxonomic groups. Hence, lizards that pass through the urban filter have access to better resources, more time for foraging, and/or there is selection on attaining a larger body size. Other results included an increase in the diameters of perches used and longer limb and digit lengths, although this may be a result of increased body size. Urban lizards were not bolder, more active or exploratory, and did not differ in immune responses than non-urban populations. Overall, studies are biased to a few geographic regions and taxa. More than 70% of all data came from three species of anoles in the family Dactyloidae, making it difficult to generalize patterns to other clades. Thus, more studies are needed across multiple taxa and habitats to produce meaningful predictions that could help inform conservation and management of urban ecological communities.

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Brain evolution and development: adaptation, allometry and constraint

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2016.0433 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 283 (1838) ◽

pp. 20160433 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Stephen H. Montgomery ◽

Nicholas I. Mundy ◽

Robert A. Barton

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Natural Selection ◽

Comparative Studies ◽

Brain Evolution ◽

Phenotypic Traits ◽

Functional Constraints ◽

Developmental Constraints ◽

Functional Systems ◽

Evolution And Development ◽

Developmental Mechanisms

Phenotypic traits are products of two processes: evolution and development. But how do these processes combine to produce integrated phenotypes? Comparative studies identify consistent patterns of covariation, or allometries, between brain and body size, and between brain components, indicating the presence of significant constraints limiting independent evolution of separate parts. These constraints are poorly understood, but in principle could be either developmental or functional. The developmental constraints hypothesis suggests that individual components (brain and body size, or individual brain components) tend to evolve together because natural selection operates on relatively simple developmental mechanisms that affect the growth of all parts in a concerted manner. The functional constraints hypothesis suggests that correlated change reflects the action of selection on distributed functional systems connecting the different sub-components, predicting more complex patterns of mosaic change at the level of the functional systems and more complex genetic and developmental mechanisms. These hypotheses are not mutually exclusive but make different predictions. We review recent genetic and neurodevelopmental evidence, concluding that functional rather than developmental constraints are the main cause of the observed patterns.

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Influences of individual phenotypic traits on the habitat preferences of the sand fiddler crab, Uca pugilator

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/1568539x-00003442 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 154 (7-8) ◽

pp. 741-764 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Eilea R. Knotts

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Habitat Preference ◽

Fiddler Crab ◽

Carapace Width ◽

Habitat Preferences ◽

Activity Level ◽

Risk Level ◽

Phenotypic Traits ◽

Uca Pugilator ◽

Significant Difference

Recognizing which phenotypic traits are predictors for habitat choice can have important implications for understanding population dynamics. This study determined whether body size, sex, activity level, or origin habitat affected the preference of the fiddler crab,Uca pugilator, in selecting either a marsh or open mudflat, two habitats differing in risk level and food availability. Combining field and laboratory experiments, this study indicated a significant difference in body size and activity level of crabs between habitats. Further investigation of phenotypic dependency on habitat preference resulted in interactions between origin habitat and carapace width and activity level. When split by origin habitat, habitat preference for the open mudflat was predicted by body size for crabs originating from the open mudflat and by activity level for the crabs originating from theSpartinamarsh. These results suggest that, forU. pugilator, body size plays a large role in the preference for exposed habitat.

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Interactive effects of sex and body size on the movement ecology of adfluvial bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus)

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/cjz-2015-0104 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 94 (1) ◽

pp. 31-40 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

L.F.G. Gutowsky ◽

P.M. Harrison ◽

E.G. Martins ◽

A. Leake ◽

D.A. Patterson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Home Range ◽

Spatial Ecology ◽

Animal Movement ◽

Home Range Size ◽

Range Size ◽

Phenotypic Traits ◽

Bull Trout ◽

Lateral Movement ◽

Salvelinus Confluentus

Animal movement occurs as a function of many factors including changing environmental conditions (e.g., seasonality) and the internal state (e.g., phenotypic traits) of the focal organism. Identifying how these factors interact can reveal behavioral patterns that would otherwise go undiscovered. Given a large sample size of individuals (n = 187), we used acoustic biotelemetry to examine the spatial ecology of adfluvial bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus (Suckley, 1859)) in a large hydropower reservoir in British Columbia, Canada. Dependent variables, including home-range size and lateral movement, were analysed as a function of interactive relationships among seasons (over a 2-year period) and phenotypic traits. Mixed models indicated relationships between home-range size and season, whereas variation in lateral movement was explained by month and a two-way interaction between sex and body size. Large females (765 mm total length) were estimated to move laterally up to five times greater than females half their length, whereas movements between large and small males were not significantly different. This study shows how body size and sex can have a profound and possible interactive effect on animal movement. In addition, the results offer new information on the spatial ecology and conservation of adfluvial bull trout.

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Novel InDels of GHR, GHRH, GHRHR and Their Association with Growth Traits in Seven Chinese Sheep Breeds

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10101883 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 1883

Author(s):

Mingli Wu ◽

Haidong Zhao ◽

Xiaoqin Tang ◽

Qi Li ◽

Xiaohua Yi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Body Size ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Growth Traits ◽

Body Height ◽

The Body ◽

Phenotypic Traits ◽

Mutation Site ◽

Indel Mutation ◽

Genotype Frequencies

The GH growth axis plays an important role in the growth and development of animals and runs through the whole life of animals. Many studies have shown that molecular mutations in key genes of the GH axis will affect the growth and development of animals. The purpose of this study was to explore the distribution characteristics of InDels of GHR, GHRH, and GHRHR in seven Chinese sheep populations, and to further explore the relationship between InDels and sheep growth traits. GHR showed high variation in Chinese sheep, and GHR-53 showed the highest minimum allele frequency (MAF). There was only one InDel mutation site in both GHRH and GHRHR. The genotype frequencies of Hu sheep (HS), Tong sheep (TS), and Lanzhou fat-tail sheep (LFTS) were quite different from other breeds. The association between GHR, GHRH, and GHRHR InDels and body size traits in seven varieties were analyzed. The results showed that there was no significant relationship between GHRH and body size traits in the seven sheep populations. There was a positive association between GHR-21 and hip height of LFSH (p < 0.05). GHR-43 reduced body height and chest depth of Small tail han sheep (STHS) and hip width of TS. GHR-44 significantly affected the body weight of HS, the body height of STHS and the head depth of TS. GHR-53 significantly reduced cannon girth of HS, chest of STHS and forehead width of TS. GHRHR-2 significantly reduced the body weight of LFHS. To sum up, this study revealed the effects of GHR, GHRH, and GHRHR InDels on sheep phenotypic traits, which indicated their potential application prospects in the genetic improvement of mutton sheep.

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Evolutionary shifts in extant mustelid (Mustelidae: Carnivora) cranial shape, body size and body shape coincide with the Mid-Miocene Climate Transition

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2019.0155 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (5) ◽

pp. 20190155 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Chris J. Law

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Body Shape ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Phenotypic Traits ◽

Adaptive Landscapes ◽

Global Cooling ◽

Body Sizes ◽

Climate Transition ◽

Lineage Diversification ◽

Cranial Shape

Environmental changes can lead to evolutionary shifts in phenotypic traits, which in turn facilitate the exploitation of novel adaptive landscapes and lineage diversification. The global cooling, increased aridity and expansion of open grasslands during the past 50 Myr are prime examples of new adaptive landscapes that spurred lineage and ecomorphological diversity of several mammalian lineages such as rodents and large herbivorous megafauna. However, whether these environmental changes facilitated evolutionary shifts in small- to mid-sized predator morphology is unknown. Here, I used a complete cranial and body morphological dataset to examine the timing of evolutionary shifts in cranial shape, body size and body shape within extant mustelids (martens, otters, polecats and weasels) during the climatic and environmental changes of the Cenozoic. I found that evolutionary shifts in all three traits occurred within extant mustelid subclades just after the onset of the Mid-Miocene Climate Transition. These mustelid subclades first shifted towards more elongate body plans followed by concurrent shifts towards smaller body sizes and more robust crania. I hypothesize that these cranial and body morphological shifts enabled mustelids to exploit novel adaptive zones associated with the climatic and environmental changes of the Mid to Late Miocene, which facilitated significant increases in clade carrying capacity.

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