Phylogeny of Tiger Moths (Arctiidae) and Evolution of Courtship & Defense Behaviors

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The moth family Arctiidae represents a model system for investigating the relative roles of natural and sexual selection in molding courtship and defensive behaviors. During their evolution, two different defense signals (aposematism, ultrasound) have been incorporated independently into courtship behaviors. Plant derived chemicals are sequestered and used for defense in larvae and adults, and one class of these, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, have been incorporated into male courtship pheromones in many species. Another defense signal, ultrasound, is used by adults to deter bat predation. The second defense mode is then incorporated into courtship behaviors of some arctiid species. To date, our ability to study the evolution of tiger moth defense and mating signals has been hampered by the lack of modern systematic studies at all taxonomic levels of the family. The proposed work will comprise revisionary systematic and comparative biology components. Precise descriptions of arctiid male courtship and ultrasound producing structures will be obtained, and systematic tree derived using these and other data.