Abstract
While the diversity of sex pheromone communication systems across insects is well documented, the mechanisms that lead to such diversity are not well understood. Sex pheromones constitute a species-specific system of sexual communication that reinforces interspecific reproductive isolation. When odor blends evolve, the efficacy of male-female communication becomes compromised, unless preference for novel blends also evolves. We explore odor learning as a possible mechanism leading to changes in sex pheromone preferences in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. Our experiments reveal mating patterns suggesting that mating bias for new blends can develop following a short learning experience, and that this maternal experience impacts the mating outcome of offspring without further exposure. We propose that odor learning can be a key factor in the evolution of sex pheromone blend recognition and in chemosensory speciation.
Highlights
While the diversity of sex pheromone communication systems across insects is well documented, the mechanisms that lead to such diversity are not well understood
Total amounts of MSP1 and MSP3 were reduced by an average of 70% and 60% respectively in NB1 males compared to Wt1 males (Fig. 1b)
Naïve females mated more frequently with Wt-blend males over males with either of the mutant blends tested. These results demonstrate the ability of the olfactory circuitry to distinguish the different blends and confirm that specific male sex pheromone components (MSP) are important factors determining B. anynana mating outcomes[27,28,33]
Summary
While the diversity of sex pheromone communication systems across insects is well documented, the mechanisms that lead to such diversity are not well understood. We propose that odor learning can be a key factor in the evolution of sex pheromone blend recognition and in chemosensory speciation. 1234567890():,; The evolution of olfactory sexual communication is a fascinating area of evolutionary biology because changes in pheromones or their perception may lead to assortative mating, reproductive isolation, and eventually speciation. Learning to prefer a novel mate signal early in life could be a mechanism driving the evolution of new pheromone communication systems. Exposure to new ornamentations in spiders[10], fruit flies[11], or butterflies[12] led to shifts in mate preferences in sexually mature older individuals. These premating experiences were proposed to play a significant role in reproductive isolation[13,14].
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