Should I dive or should I float? Behavioural plasticity of Aedes mariae pupae under predation threat.

IF 3 2区医学 Q1 PARASITOLOGY

Parasites & Vectors Pub Date : 2025-06-17 DOI:10.1186/s13071-025-06875-z

Giulia Cordeschi, Valentina Mastrantonio, Roberta Bisconti, Nicole Giardiello, Daniele Canestrelli, Daniele Porretta

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: The pupal stage in holometabolous insects is a critical transition between larval and adult forms, during which feeding ceases and survival depends on stored energy reserves. Mosquito pupae exhibit active diving behaviour in response to threats, which is energetically costly due to their positive buoyancy. Whether pupae are able to adjust diving behaviour according to environmental conditions, balancing predator avoidance and energy expenditure, remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated how water salinity affects the diving behaviour of Aedes mariae pupae, a species inhabiting Mediterranean rock pools characterised by highly variable salinity conditions.

Methods: Pupae were maintained and tested in two salinity conditions: low (50%) and high (150%). Diving behaviour was recorded following an automated mechanical stimulus, and we measured: (i) time spent underwater, (ii) pupal activity (i.e. the number of abdominal movements during the immersion and the ratio of movements to time spent underwater) and (iii) the proportion of time spent by a pupa at different depths along the height of the water column (space use).

Results: We found that pupae in high-salinity conditions spent 20.6% less time underwater than those in low salinity. They also performed fewer abdominal movements during dives but showed no significant differences in movements per unit time. Analysis of space use showed that pupae in high salinity spent more time in the upper part of the water column and less time in the middle and lower parts.

Conclusions: Ae. mariae pupae modify their diving behaviour in response to different salinity conditions, adopting energy-efficient responses to external stimuli that promote survival in variable habitats. These findings highlight the importance of pupal behavioural flexibility for overall fitness and underscore the need to investigate pupal behavioural plasticity, which remains largely unexplored.

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我应该潜水还是漂浮？捕食威胁下马里伊蚊蛹的行为可塑性。

背景：全变形昆虫的蛹阶段是幼虫和成虫之间的关键过渡阶段，在此期间停止摄食，依靠储存的能量储备生存。蚊子蛹表现出积极的潜水行为以应对威胁，由于它们的正浮力，这在能量上是昂贵的。蛹是否能够根据环境条件调整潜水行为，平衡捕食者和能量消耗，仍然知之甚少。在这里，我们研究了海水盐度如何影响玛丽亚伊蚊蛹的潜水行为，这是一种栖息在地中海岩石池中的物种，其特征是盐度条件高度变化。方法：将蛹保存在低（50%）和高（150%）盐度条件下进行实验。在自动机械刺激后，记录了潜水行为，我们测量了：(i)在水下度过的时间，（ii）蛹的活动（即浸泡期间腹部运动的次数以及运动与在水下度过的时间的比率）以及（iii）蛹在不同深度沿水柱高度（空间使用）所花费的时间比例。结果：高盐度条件下的蛹比低盐度条件下的蛹在水下停留的时间少20.6%。他们在潜水时的腹部动作也较少，但在单位时间内的动作没有显着差异。空间利用分析表明，高盐度环境下的蛹在水柱上部停留的时间较多，在中下部停留的时间较少。结论:Ae。蛹会根据不同的盐度条件改变它们的潜水行为，对外界刺激采取节能反应，以促进在不同栖息地的生存。这些发现强调了蛹行为灵活性对整体适应性的重要性，并强调了研究蛹行为可塑性的必要性，这在很大程度上仍未被探索。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Parasites & Vectors 医学-寄生虫学

CiteScore

6.30

自引率

9.40%

发文量

433

审稿时长

1.4 months

期刊介绍： Parasites & Vectors is an open access, peer-reviewed online journal dealing with the biology of parasites, parasitic diseases, intermediate hosts, vectors and vector-borne pathogens. Manuscripts published in this journal will be available to all worldwide, with no barriers to access, immediately following acceptance. However, authors retain the copyright of their material and may use it, or distribute it, as they wish. Manuscripts on all aspects of the basic and applied biology of parasites, intermediate hosts, vectors and vector-borne pathogens will be considered. In addition to the traditional and well-established areas of science in these fields, we also aim to provide a vehicle for publication of the rapidly developing resources and technology in parasite, intermediate host and vector genomics and their impacts on biological research. We are able to publish large datasets and extensive results, frequently associated with genomic and post-genomic technologies, which are not readily accommodated in traditional journals. Manuscripts addressing broader issues, for example economics, social sciences and global climate change in relation to parasites, vectors and disease control, are also welcomed.