Host specificity pattern and chemical deception in a social parasite of ants
Host specificity pattern and chemical deception in a social parasite of ants
复制标题
DOI：
10.1038/s41598-018-38172-4
复制
发表时间：
2019-02-07
影响因子：
4.6
通讯作者：
Barbero, Francesca
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Casacci, Luca Pietro;Schonrogge, Karsten;Barbero, Francesca
在自然生态系统中，生物体之间的关系往往具有高度复杂性的特点，在这种情况下，很难确定多营养系统的脆弱性，但可以追踪特定群落模块的变化。在复杂的社区互动中，我们可以揭示共同进化结果可以为科学主导的保护提供信息的动态。在这里，我们评估了宿主蚂蚁使用的蝴蝶Phengaris（=斑）rebeli，专性的社会寄生虫Myrmica蚂蚁和模型系统的进化和保护生态学的六个群体。从卵的初始分布开始，我们估计了寄生虫在7种Myrmica蚂蚁的巢穴中的生存情况，并分析了寄生虫破坏宿主防御的化学线索。我们发现，在主机的特异性，是一致的相似性，发现在不同的网站上的主机和寄生虫的化学配置文件的地方变化。在某些地点，只有一种蚂蚁物种被成功利用;在其他地方，使用多宿主种群。了解这些协会的稳定性或适应性是制定保护措施以维持蚂蚁的关键物种和当地适应的Phengaris蝴蝶物种种群时必不可少的知识，这些物种是稀有的，受到威胁的，并且是全球保护的高度优先事项。
In natural ecosystems, relationships between organisms are often characterised by high levels of complexity, where vulnerabilities in multi-trophic systems are difficult to identify, yet variation in specific community modules can be traceable. Within the complex community interactions, we can shed new light on dynamics by which co-evolutionary outcomes can inform science-led conservation. Here we assessed host-ant use in six populations of the butterfly Phengaris (=Maculinea) rebeli, an obligate social parasite of Myrmica ants and a model system in evolutionary and conservation ecology. Starting from the initial distribution of eggs, we estimated the survival of the parasite in the wild in nests of seven Myrmica ant species, and analysed the chemical cues evolved by the parasites to subvert its host defences. We found local variations in host specificity that are consistent with similarities found in the chemical profiles of hosts and parasites on different sites. At some sites, only one ant species is successfully exploited; at others, multiple-host populations are used. Understanding how stable or adaptable these associations are is essential knowledge when devising conservation measures to maintain keystone species of ant and locally adapted populations of Phengaris butterfly species, which are rare, threatened and a high priority for conservation worldwide.