Developmental changes in cellular and humoral responses of the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides (Coleoptera, Silphidae)

Abstract

Necrophagous beetles of the genus Nicrophorus have developed various defence mechanisms that reduce the negative effects of adverse environmental conditions. However, many physiological and ecological aspects, including the functioning of the immune system in burying beetles, are still unknown. In this study, we show developmental changes in cellular and humoral responses of larvae, pupae, and adults of Nicrophorus vespilloides. We assessed changes in total haemocyte count, phenoloxidase activity, and phagocytic ability of haemocytes. We found that during larval development there is a progressive increase in humoral and cellular activities, and these responses are correlated with alterations of total haemocyte counts in the haemolymph. In the pupal stage, a sharp drop in the number of phagocytic haemocytes and an increase in phenoloxidase activity were observed. In adults, cellular and humoral responses remained at a lower level. It is probable that high lytic activity of anal and oral secretions produced by parents supports a lower response of the immune system in the initial phase of larval development. In the studied stages, we also observed differences in polymerisation of F-actin cytoskeleton of haemocytes, number of haemocytes forming filopodia, and filopodia length. These results suggest that the differences in immune responses during various stages of development of N. vespilloides are associated with a dynamically changing environment and different risks of infection. For the first time a detailed analysis of stage-specific alterations in immune system activity during development of the burying beetle is presented.