A reversible color polyphenism in American peppered moth (Biston betularia cognataria) caterpillars.

Insect body color polyphenisms enhance survival by producing crypsis in diverse backgrounds. While color polyphenisms are often indirectly induced by temperature, rearing density, or diet, insects can benefit from immediate crypsis if they evolve polyphenisms directly induced by exposure to the back...

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Autores principales:	Mohamed A F Noor, Robin S Parnell, Bruce S Grant
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2008
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/3e5dc92db4f74800ae633cf1e65f2e34
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:3e5dc92db4f74800ae633cf1e65f2e342021-11-25T06:18:44ZA reversible color polyphenism in American peppered moth (Biston betularia cognataria) caterpillars.1932-620310.1371/journal.pone.0003142https://doaj.org/article/3e5dc92db4f74800ae633cf1e65f2e342008-09-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/18769543/pdf/?tool=EBIhttps://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203Insect body color polyphenisms enhance survival by producing crypsis in diverse backgrounds. While color polyphenisms are often indirectly induced by temperature, rearing density, or diet, insects can benefit from immediate crypsis if they evolve polyphenisms directly induced by exposure to the background color, hence immediately deriving protection from predation. Here, we examine such a directly induced color polyphenism in caterpillars of the geometrid peppered moth (Biston betularia). This larval color polyphenism is unrelated to the genetic polymorphism for melanic phenotypes in adult moths. B. betularia caterpillars are generalist feeders and develop body colors that closely match the brown or green twigs of their host plant. We expand on previous studies examining the proximal cues that stimulate color development. Under controlled rearing conditions, we manipulated diets and background reflectance, using both natural and artificial twigs, and show that visual experience has a much stronger effect than does diet in promoting precise color matching. Their induced body color was not a simple response to reflectance or light intensity but instead specifically matched the wavelength of light to which they were exposed. We also show that the potential to change color is retained until the final (sixth) larval instar. Given their broad host range, this directly induced color polyphenism likely provides the caterpillars with strong protection from bird predation.Mohamed A F NoorRobin S ParnellBruce S GrantPublic Library of Science (PLoS)articleMedicineRScienceQENPLoS ONE, Vol 3, Iss 9, p e3142 (2008)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Mohamed A F Noor Robin S Parnell Bruce S Grant A reversible color polyphenism in American peppered moth (Biston betularia cognataria) caterpillars.
description	Insect body color polyphenisms enhance survival by producing crypsis in diverse backgrounds. While color polyphenisms are often indirectly induced by temperature, rearing density, or diet, insects can benefit from immediate crypsis if they evolve polyphenisms directly induced by exposure to the background color, hence immediately deriving protection from predation. Here, we examine such a directly induced color polyphenism in caterpillars of the geometrid peppered moth (Biston betularia). This larval color polyphenism is unrelated to the genetic polymorphism for melanic phenotypes in adult moths. B. betularia caterpillars are generalist feeders and develop body colors that closely match the brown or green twigs of their host plant. We expand on previous studies examining the proximal cues that stimulate color development. Under controlled rearing conditions, we manipulated diets and background reflectance, using both natural and artificial twigs, and show that visual experience has a much stronger effect than does diet in promoting precise color matching. Their induced body color was not a simple response to reflectance or light intensity but instead specifically matched the wavelength of light to which they were exposed. We also show that the potential to change color is retained until the final (sixth) larval instar. Given their broad host range, this directly induced color polyphenism likely provides the caterpillars with strong protection from bird predation.
format	article
author	Mohamed A F Noor Robin S Parnell Bruce S Grant
author_facet	Mohamed A F Noor Robin S Parnell Bruce S Grant
author_sort	Mohamed A F Noor
title	A reversible color polyphenism in American peppered moth (Biston betularia cognataria) caterpillars.
title_short	A reversible color polyphenism in American peppered moth (Biston betularia cognataria) caterpillars.
title_full	A reversible color polyphenism in American peppered moth (Biston betularia cognataria) caterpillars.
title_fullStr	A reversible color polyphenism in American peppered moth (Biston betularia cognataria) caterpillars.
title_full_unstemmed	A reversible color polyphenism in American peppered moth (Biston betularia cognataria) caterpillars.
title_sort	reversible color polyphenism in american peppered moth (biston betularia cognataria) caterpillars.
publisher	Public Library of Science (PLoS)
publishDate	2008
url	https://doaj.org/article/3e5dc92db4f74800ae633cf1e65f2e34
work_keys_str_mv	AT mohamedafnoor areversiblecolorpolyphenisminamericanpepperedmothbistonbetulariacognatariacaterpillars AT robinsparnell areversiblecolorpolyphenisminamericanpepperedmothbistonbetulariacognatariacaterpillars AT brucesgrant areversiblecolorpolyphenisminamericanpepperedmothbistonbetulariacognatariacaterpillars AT mohamedafnoor reversiblecolorpolyphenisminamericanpepperedmothbistonbetulariacognatariacaterpillars AT robinsparnell reversiblecolorpolyphenisminamericanpepperedmothbistonbetulariacognatariacaterpillars AT brucesgrant reversiblecolorpolyphenisminamericanpepperedmothbistonbetulariacognatariacaterpillars
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A reversible color polyphenism in American peppered moth (Biston betularia cognataria) caterpillars.

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