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

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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.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS)
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE)
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE) > Behavioural Ecology
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS) > Biotic Interactions

UniBE Contributor:

Sharda, Sakshi, Züst, Tobias, Erb, Matthias, Taborsky, Barbara

Subjects:

500 Science > 580 Plants (Botany)
500 Science > 590 Animals (Zoology)

ISSN:

0027-8424

Publisher:

National Academy of Sciences NAS

Language:

English

Submitter:

Peter Alfred von Ballmoos-Haas

Date Deposited:

09 Nov 2021 09:26

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:53

Publisher DOI:

10.1073/pnas.2017063118

PubMed ID:

34507981

BORIS DOI:

10.48350/160037

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/160037

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