Predator-induced maternal effects determine adaptive antipredator behaviors via egg composition

Sharda, Sakshi; Züst, Tobias; Erb, Matthias; Taborsky, Barbara (2021). Predator-induced maternal effects determine adaptive antipredator behaviors via egg composition. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America - PNAS, 118(37), e2017063118. National Academy of Sciences NAS 10.1073/pnas.2017063118

Text 2021_PNAS_118_e2017063118.pdf - Published Version Restricted to registered users only Available under License Publisher holds Copyright. Download (876kB)

In high-risk environments with frequent predator encounters, efficient antipredator behavior is key to survival. Parental effects are a powerful mechanism to prepare offspring for coping with such environments, yet clear evidence for adaptive parental effects on offspring antipredator behaviors is missing. Rapid escape reflexes, or "C-start reflexes," are a key adaptation in fish and amphibians to escape predator strikes. We hypothesized that mothers living in high-risk environments might induce faster C-start reflexes in offspring by modifying egg composition. Here, we show that offspring of the cichlid fish Neolamprologus pulcher developed faster C-start reflexes and were more risk averse if their parents had been exposed to cues of their most dangerous natural predator during egg production. This effect was mediated by differences in egg composition. Eggs of predator-exposed mothers were heavier with higher net protein content, and the resulting offspring were heavier and had lower igf-1 gene expression than control offspring shortly after hatching. Thus, changes in egg composition can relay multiple putative pathways by which mothers can influence adaptive antipredator behaviors such as faster escape reflexes.

Interest & Impact

Downloads

2 since deposited on 09 Nov 2021
0 in the past 12 months

Citations

5 Citations in Web of Science ®
6 Citations in Scopus

Search

in Google Scholar™

Services

Actions (login required)

Edit item

Actions (login required)

Edit item