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Phenotypic senescence in a natural insect population
Kata Pásztor1, Ádám Kőrösi2,3, Ádám Gór4
1Doctoral School of Biological Sciences Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences Gödöllő Hungary.
Ecology and Evolution
|January 9, 2023
Summary
This study reveals that the Clouded Apollo butterfly (Parnassius mnemosyne) exhibits phenotypic senescence, with body mass and thorax width declining with age in natural populations. Sexual differences in senescence rates were observed.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Entomology
Background:
- Senescence, the decline in physiological function with age, is universal but understudied in natural insect populations.
- Understanding insect aging is crucial for life-history strategies and ecological dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related changes in body mass and thorax width in a natural Clouded Apollo butterfly (Parnassius mnemosyne) population.
- To determine how these changes relate to sex and wing length.
- To assess phenotypic senescence in a wild butterfly species.
Main Methods:
- Mark-recapture study of Parnassius mnemosyne from 2014-2020.
- Repeated in vivo measurements of body mass and thorax width, and single wing length measurements.
- Analysis of age-related changes, considering sex, wing length, and capture date.
Main Results:
- Both body mass and thorax width showed a nonlinear decline with increasing age.
- Butterflies emerging earlier in the flight season had higher initial body size but faster senescence.
- Females had higher initial body size, while males exhibited slower senescence rates.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first evidence of phenotypic senescence in a natural butterfly population using in vivo measurements.
- Significant sexual differences in the rate of phenotypic senescence were identified.
- While initial body size varied annually, the rate of senescence remained relatively consistent across years.
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