Exotic predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic non-coevolved prey
Defensive chemicals of prey can be sequestered by some coevolved predators, which take advantage of prey toxins for their own defence. The increase in the number of invasive species in the Anthropocene has resulted in new interactions among non-coevolved predator and prey species. While novelty in c...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Artículo |
| Language: | Inglés |
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The Royal Society
2024
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11939/8823 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2023.2478?af=R |
| _version_ | 1855492566658580480 |
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| author | Plata, Ángel Züst, Tobias Bermejo, Almudena Beitia, Francisco J. Tena, Alejandro |
| author_browse | Beitia, Francisco J. Bermejo, Almudena Plata, Ángel Tena, Alejandro Züst, Tobias |
| author_facet | Plata, Ángel Züst, Tobias Bermejo, Almudena Beitia, Francisco J. Tena, Alejandro |
| author_sort | Plata, Ángel |
| collection | ReDivia |
| description | Defensive chemicals of prey can be sequestered by some coevolved predators, which take advantage of prey toxins for their own defence. The increase in the number of invasive species in the Anthropocene has resulted in new interactions among non-coevolved predator and prey species. While novelty in chemical defence may provide a benefit for invasive prey against non-coevolved predators, resident predators with the right evolutionary pre-adaptations might benefit from sequestering these novel defences. Here, we chose a well-known system of invasive species to test whether non-coevolved predators can sequester and use toxins from exotic prey. Together with the invasive prickly pear plants, cochineal bugs (Dactylopius spp.) are spreading worldwide from their native range in the Americas. These insects produce carminic acid, a defensive anthraquinone that some specialized predators sequester for their own defence. Using this system, we first determined whether coccinellids that prey on cochineal bugs in the Mediterranean region tolerated, sequestered, and released carminic acid in reflex bleeding. Then, we quantified the deterrent effect of carminic acid against antagonistic ants. Our results demonstrate that the Australian coccinellid Cryptolaemus montrouzieri sequestered carminic acid, a substance absent in its coevolved prey, from exotic cochineal bugs. When attacked, the predator released this substance through reflex bleeding at concentrations that were deterrent against antagonistic ants. These findings reveal that non-coevolved predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic prey and highlights the surprising outcomes of novel interactions that arise from species invasions. |
| format | Artículo |
| id | ReDivia8823 |
| institution | Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA) |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publishDateRange | 2024 |
| publishDateSort | 2024 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| publisherStr | The Royal Society |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ReDivia88232025-04-25T14:49:30Z Exotic predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic non-coevolved prey Plata, Ángel Züst, Tobias Bermejo, Almudena Beitia, Francisco J. Tena, Alejandro Chemical defense Carminic acid H10 Pests of plants U30 Research methods P01 Nature conservation and land resources L50 Animal physiology and biochemistry Predators Prey Defensive secretions invasive species Biological control Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Dactylopius Toxins Defensive chemicals of prey can be sequestered by some coevolved predators, which take advantage of prey toxins for their own defence. The increase in the number of invasive species in the Anthropocene has resulted in new interactions among non-coevolved predator and prey species. While novelty in chemical defence may provide a benefit for invasive prey against non-coevolved predators, resident predators with the right evolutionary pre-adaptations might benefit from sequestering these novel defences. Here, we chose a well-known system of invasive species to test whether non-coevolved predators can sequester and use toxins from exotic prey. Together with the invasive prickly pear plants, cochineal bugs (Dactylopius spp.) are spreading worldwide from their native range in the Americas. These insects produce carminic acid, a defensive anthraquinone that some specialized predators sequester for their own defence. Using this system, we first determined whether coccinellids that prey on cochineal bugs in the Mediterranean region tolerated, sequestered, and released carminic acid in reflex bleeding. Then, we quantified the deterrent effect of carminic acid against antagonistic ants. Our results demonstrate that the Australian coccinellid Cryptolaemus montrouzieri sequestered carminic acid, a substance absent in its coevolved prey, from exotic cochineal bugs. When attacked, the predator released this substance through reflex bleeding at concentrations that were deterrent against antagonistic ants. These findings reveal that non-coevolved predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic prey and highlights the surprising outcomes of novel interactions that arise from species invasions. 2024-03-14T12:54:27Z 2024-03-14T12:54:27Z 2024 article acceptedVersion Plata, Á., Zust, T., Bermejo, A., Beitia, F. J. & Tena A. (2024). Exotic predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic non-coevolved prey. Proceedings of The Royal Society B, 291, 2018, 20232478. 0962-8452 (Print) 1471-2954 (Electronic) https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11939/8823 10.1098/rspb.2023.2478 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2023.2478?af=R en This research was supported by the national project RTA2017-00095 from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and Á. P. received the predoctoral grant PRE2018-083714 from Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. T. Z. was supported by a Swiss National Science Foundation grant (PCEFP3-194590). Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacional http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ openAccess The Royal Society electronico |
| spellingShingle | Chemical defense Carminic acid H10 Pests of plants U30 Research methods P01 Nature conservation and land resources L50 Animal physiology and biochemistry Predators Prey Defensive secretions invasive species Biological control Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Dactylopius Toxins Plata, Ángel Züst, Tobias Bermejo, Almudena Beitia, Francisco J. Tena, Alejandro Exotic predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic non-coevolved prey |
| title | Exotic predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic non-coevolved prey |
| title_full | Exotic predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic non-coevolved prey |
| title_fullStr | Exotic predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic non-coevolved prey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exotic predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic non-coevolved prey |
| title_short | Exotic predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic non-coevolved prey |
| title_sort | exotic predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic non coevolved prey |
| topic | Chemical defense Carminic acid H10 Pests of plants U30 Research methods P01 Nature conservation and land resources L50 Animal physiology and biochemistry Predators Prey Defensive secretions invasive species Biological control Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Dactylopius Toxins |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11939/8823 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2023.2478?af=R |
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