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Sex and lifestyle dictate learning performance in a neotropical wasp

Texto completo
Autor(es):
da Silva, Rafael Carvalho ; Aguiar, Joao Marcelo Robazzi Bignelli Valente ; Oi, Cintia Akemi ; Batista, Jaqueline Eterna ; Gurfa, Martin ; do Nascimento, Fabio Santos
Número total de Autores: 6
Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
Fonte: ISCIENCE; v. 26, n. 4, p. 16-pg., 2023-04-21.
Resumo

In contrast to extensive investigations on bee cognition, the cognitive capacities of wasps remain largely unexplored despite their key role as pollinators and predators of insect pests. Here we studied learning and memory in the neotropical wasp Mischocyttarus cerberus using a Pavlovian conditioning in which harnessed wasps respond with conditioned movements of their mouthparts to a learned odorant. We focused on the different castes, sexes, and ages coexisting within a nest and found that adults of M. cerberus learned and memorized efficiently the odor-sugar associations. In contrast, newly emerged females, but not males, were unable to learn odorants. This difference concurs with their different life-style as young males perform regular excursions outside the nest while young females remain in it until older age. Our results thus highlight the importance of socioecological constraints on wasp cognition and set the basis for mechanistic studies on learning differences across ages and castes. (AU)

Processo FAPESP: 18/22461-3 - A busca pelo elo perdido: Os ovos atuam como veículo alternativo de comunicação em sistemas sociais?
Beneficiário:Rafael Carvalho da Silva
Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado
Processo FAPESP: 21/05598-8 - A evolução da plasticidade e o dimorfismo entre as castas em sociedades de insetos
Beneficiário:Fábio Santos do Nascimento
Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
Processo FAPESP: 18/10996-0 - Evo-Devo perspectiva sobre a divisão reprodutiva do trabalho em vespas
Beneficiário:Fábio Santos do Nascimento
Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular