Journal article
Neuroanatomical differentiation associated with alternative reproductive tactics in male arid land bees, Centris pallida and Amegilla dawsoni
Journal of comparative physiology. A, Neuroethology, sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology, v 207(4), pp 497-504
01 Jul 2021
PMID: 34091709
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) occur when there is categorical variation in the reproductive strategies of a sex within a population. These different behavioral phenotypes can expose animals to distinct cognitive challenges, which may be addressed through neuroanatomical differentiation. The dramatic phenotypic plasticity underlying ARTs provides a powerful opportunity to study how intraspecific nervous system variation can support distinct cognitive abilities. We hypothesized that conspecific animals pursuing ARTs would exhibit dissimilar brain architecture. Dimorphic males of the bee species Centris pallida and Amegilla dawsoni use alternative mate location strategies that rely primarily on either olfaction (large-morph) or vision (small-morph) to find females. This variation in behavior led us to predict increased volumes of the brain regions supporting their primarily chemosensory or visual mate location strategies. Large-morph males relying mainly on olfaction had relatively larger antennal lobes and relatively smaller optic lobes than small-morph males relying primarily on visual cues. In both species, as relative volumes of the optic lobe increased, the relative volume of the antennal lobe decreased. In addition, A. dawsoni large males had relatively larger mushroom body lips, which process olfactory inputs. Our results suggest that the divergent behavioral strategies in ART systems can be associated with neuroanatomical differentiation.
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Details
- Title
- Neuroanatomical differentiation associated with alternative reproductive tactics in male arid land bees, Centris pallida and Amegilla dawsoni
- Creators
- Meghan Barrett - Drexel UniversitySophi Schneider - , Upper Dublin, PA, USAPurnima Sachdeva - Drexel UniversityAngelina Gomez - Drexel UniversityStephen Buchmann - University of ArizonaSean O'Donnell - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Journal of comparative physiology. A, Neuroethology, sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology, v 207(4), pp 497-504
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science (BEES)
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000658266100001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85107463033
- Other Identifier
- 991020950488004721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Behavioral Sciences
- Neurosciences
- Physiology
- Zoology