001_Abstracts final Linie - Deutsche Zoologische Gesellschaft eV

Transcrição

Deutsche Zoologische Gesellschaft
– German Zoological Society –
104th Annual Meeting
in Saarbrücken
09. – 12. September 2011
Abstracts
Deutsche Zoologische Gesellschaft
104th Annual Meeting Saarbrücken
09. – 12 September 2011
ABSTRACTS
Tabel of Contents
General Lectures .................................................................................................................
Walther-Arndt- and Horst-Wiehe-Award ...........................................................................
1
15
Behavioural Biology …………………...…………………………………………………………
BB Talks …………………..…………………………………………………………………………
BB Poster ……….….………………………………………………………………..……………...
17
18
27
Developmental Biology …………………………………………………….……......................
DB Talks ………………………………………..…..……………………………..……………......
DB Poster ……………………………………………………………………..……..……………...
41
42
47
Evolutionary Biology …………………………………………….............................................
EB Talks …………………………………….……………………...............................................
EB Poster ………………………………………………...…………………………………..……..
53
54
69
Ecology ……………………………………………...................................................................
EC Talks ………………………………………………………………………………...…………..
EC Poster ………………………………………………….........................................................
81
82
91
Morphology …………………………………………................................................................
MO Talks …………………………………………………………………………...………..……...
MO Poster ……………………………………………................................................................
97
98
103
Neurobiology ……………………………………………………………………..………………..
NB Talks ………………………………………………………………………...…….………….....
NB Poster ……………………………………………………………………..…….……………....
113
114
122
Physiology ………………………………………..………………………….………………...…..
PH Talk ……………………………………………………………………..…………………........
PH Poster ………………..………………………………………………..…………………….…..
137
138
150
Zoological Systematics ………………………………………...……………………………..…
ZS Talk ………………………………………………………………………………………..……..
ZS Poster …………………………………………………………..…………………………..…...
163
164
166
List of Participants ………………………………………………………………….………..…..
169
List of Autors ……………………………………...………………………..………..……………
181
General Lectures
1
Public lecture 1, Auditorium Maximum, B4 1
Im Cockpit der Fliege.
ALEXANDER BORST
1
Abt. Neuronale Informationsverarbeitung, Max-Planck-Institut für Neurobiologie, Martinsried
Flies are known for their aerobatic flight maneuvers. Two sensory systems enable them to perform this way: their halteres - small body appendages acting like a gyroscope - and their big
facet eyes. This talk will focus on their visual capabilities with a particular emphasis on how flies
process visual motion information.
As the fly moves through space, the images of environment are permanently drifting across their
eyes. This so-called 'optic flow' is characteristic for each particular flight maneuver - whether the
fly flies straight, rolls around its longitudinal body axis or makes a turn - and, thus, can be used
for visual course control. The specialization for visual cues is expressed by the fact that the fly
dedicates more than half of its roughly 100 000 nerve cells to image processing. In particular,
there is a center for optic flow processing, the 'cockpit of the fly' or, in scientific terms, the socalled 'lobula plate', where a set of about 50 large neurons is found. Each of these lobula plate
neurons responds maximally to a particular optic flow. Together, these neurons are thought to
provide the fly's motor centers with visual feed-back about its own flight maneuver.
Recent work has discovered parts of the neural circuits responsible for the amazing response
properties of the lobula plate neurons. It starts with splitting the signal of the photoreceptors into
two parallel pathways: one being sensitive for an increase of luminance, the so-called ONpathway, the other being sensitive for decrease of luminance, the so-called OFF-pathway. Both
pathways feed into separate arrays for local motion detection that finally converge onto the dendrites of the large lobula plate neurons. The final tuning to particular optic flow stimuli is achieved
by complex synaptic interactions between the various lobula plate neurons.
Plenary talk, Auditorium Maximum, B4 1
Natural and sexual selection in a wild insect population.
TOM TREGENZA1, ROLANDO RODRÍGUEZ-MUÑOZ1, AMANDA BRETMAN1,2, JON SLATE 3
1
Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, UK
School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, UK
3
Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, UK
2
Understanding natural and sexual selection requires both field and laboratory studies to exploit
the advantages and avoid the disadvantages of each approach. However studies have tended to
be polarized among types of organism, with vertebrates studied in the field and invertebrates in
the lab. I will describe attempts to bridge this divide, beginning with laboratory experiments that
revealed that female crickets benefit from mating with several males because they can avoid
using sperm from their relatives. This discovery led us to consider how important this might be in
the natural environment, bringing into focus the fact that we know very little about what insects
really get up to in the wild. We have tackled this problem by establishing a network of >100 infrared video cameras monitoring an entire population of tagged and DNA profiled crickets in a
Spanish meadow over several years. Because we can assign parentage to offspring, we can
examine the different factors that predict the reproductive success of males and females, and
determine whether promiscuous females leave more offspring. We can also determine the extent
to which there is a risk of inbreeding and whether it is actively avoided. Our video footage provides all sorts of insights into the lives of these animals from how males move around fighting for
burrows, to how females avoid being eaten by allowing their mates to distract predators.
2
Evolutionary Genetics
Escaping the mouse trap: The virtues and sins of comparative (gen-, transcript-, prote-)
omics in new model amniotes.
MICHEL C. MILINKOVITCH1
1
Department of Genetics & Evolution, University of Geneva, CH
I will discuss the current practicability and limitations in comparative -omics in new model species, especially reptiles. I will show that next-generation sequencing (NGS) allows for the identification of the majority of genes of a species but does not generate yet the data quality required
for an extensive and accurate analysis of gene gains and losses along the species phylogenies.
On the other hand, NGS allows for building massively-large new datasets for investigating phylogenetic relationships among major reptilian lineages.
Control of morphogenesis by FGFRs - cell migration, branching morphogenesis and
boundary formation
MONIKA, HASSEL1
1
Spezielle Zoologie, Morphology and Evolution of Invertebrates, Philipps University Marburg
Fibroblast growth factor receptors and their ligands are indispensable signaling elements in animal development and organogenesis. They function in as diverse processes as cell migration,
branching morphogenesis and boundary formation, and control e.g. neurogenesis as well as the
development of endocrine organs like the neuroendocrine hypothalamus. Certain FGFs have
recently even been identified as endocrine regulators of lipid metabolism and as activators of
insulin-dependent glycogen synthesis.
FGFRs belong to the superfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases, which has evolved in the common
ancestor of Metazoa and Choanoflagellata. Their domain structure was modified only moderately
in the last 550 Mio years - mostly to optimize ligand binding by addition of small sequence cassettes. While in many Proto- and Deuterostomia, the function of FGFR is well-characterized,
data are just emerging for FGFR in the Cnidaria.
Common to all known FGFRs is that they act in complex signaling networks. Their ligands, the
FGFs, are optimized to act within the cell, or in a hormone-like fashion or as morphogens, which
form and act in gradients mostly dependent on glycoproteins of the the extracellular matrix.
This multitude of functions renders them important and very interesting players in the establishment of complex body plans as well as physiological functions. The plenary lecture will give an
overview including evolutionary, developmental and physiological aspects of FGFR signaling.
3
Neuronal Mechanisms of Olfactory Sensing: Genes – Cells – Circuits – Behaviour.
TRESE LEINDERS-ZUFALL
University of Saarland, School of Medicine, Department of Physiology
A major question in neuroscience is to understand how the brain processes social information. A
predominant source of information necessary for social recognition is encoded by olfactory or
pheromonal signals. The detection of these signals by neuronal populations in the nose and the
recognition of the signals in the brain play a key role in many social processes and influence
hormones and other neuroendocrine factors. Genes residing in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) influence body odor and reproductive decisions in many vertebrate species. In mice,
the olfactory sensory neurons respond to small peptides that also serve as ligands of MHC
molecules. The MHC peptide ligands can mediate olfactory imprinting in adult mice, as observed
by the induction of selective pregnancy failure, a paradigm that is indicative of the formation of a
social memory. Socially important chemosensory cues converge onto a small subset of hypothalamic neurons that produce gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). This pathway has been
implicated in mediating neuroendocrine alterations triggered by pheromones.
To investigate how social perception occurs and how it leads to behavioral and physiological
changes required for social behaviors, we use a highly interdisciplinary approach involving genetargeting methodology, electrophysiological and functional imaging methods, combined with behavioral analyses. In this presentation I will examine the organizational principles underlying the
recognition of olfactory stimuli, discuss its transmission to the hypothalamus and its consequences for olfactory-encoded behaviors.
Supported by Sonderforschungsbereich 894 and Schwerpunktprogramm 1392 of the Deutsche
Forschungsgemeinschaft and by the VolkswagenStiftung.
Understanding coral reef resilience: Lessons from genomic approaches.
MÓNICA MEDINA1
1
School of Natural Sciences, University of California Merced, USA
In recent decades coral reefs worldwide, have experienced major environmental stressors ranging from increasing sea surface temperatures to multiple disease outbreaks. Thus, coral reefs
provide an ideal system to examine subcellular to organismal level responses under the increasing threats of unidirectional climate change. We are examining the role of microbial symbionts in
coral host robustness under a systems biology framework. To this end, my laboratory has been
using a range of genomic tools from gene expression profiling to microbial diversity surveys to
study coral reef health. We have developed new ways to look at the coral-Symbiodiniummicrobial interactions by uncovering not only some of the cellular pathways involved in the host
and algal response, but also the shifts in microbial communities as health state deteriorates.
4
What animals do when they think we can't see; logging sensor technology comes of age.
RORY W ILSON1
1
SMART, Biosciences, Swansea University, Wales; UK
Logging devices attached to free-living animals are transforming our understanding of animal
behavioural ecology. New, miniature devices now record parameters such as acceleration,
speed, geomagnetism, altitude/depth, temperature and light at infra-second rates on aquatic,
volant and terrestrial animals. Data from these tags can be used to construct animal routes (via
dead-reckoning), behaviour (from accelerometry signals), energy expenditure (using dynamic
acceleration signals as a proxy for oxygen consumption) and to monitor the environmental conditions to which the animals are exposed. This talk details some of the advances in this logging
technology, discusses some of the surprising things we have learnt about animals using it and
attempts to speculate on where we can go next with it.
5
Section speakers:
S BB.1
Adaptation and plasticity of acoustic communication in fluctuating environments.
HENRIK BRUMM
Forschungsgruppe Kommunikation und Sozialverhalten, Max-Planck-Institute für Ornithologie, Seewiesen
I will review recent advances in the behavioural ecology of acoustic signalling. Many insect and
vertebrate species use acoustic signals to attract mates and to defend territories against rivals.
This close relationship between acoustic signalling and sexual selection means that variation in
signalling efficiency is likely to have major fitness consequences. In bird song, the structure and
performance of vocal signals can be flexible and birds adapt their signalling behaviour in relation
to the biotic as well as the abiotic environment. However, both social interactions as well as environmental constraints on sound transmission may vary in space and in time, and I will highlight
how birds respond to these fluctuations by individual short-term plasticity of their signals.
S BB.2
Determinants of male reproductive skew in primates: sexual coercion, signals and sperm
competition.
ANTJE ENGELHARDT1, 2
1
2
Jr. Research Group “Primat Sexual Selection”, Biology, Unit, German Primate Centre, Göttingen
Courant Research Centre “Evolution of Social Behaviour”, Georg-August-University Göttingen
Primates are special among the mammals because in most multi-male primate groups, more
than one male is able to reproduce and male reproductive skew varies tremendously between
species. Variation in male reproductive skew at the same time leads to variation in the degree to
which individuals share paternal genes and thus in the pattern of kin relationships among group
members. Given that kin relationships are thought to shape social relationships within groups,
understanding the determinants of male reproductive skew is important for our comprehension of
the evolution of primate social systems. These determinants however still remain mainly unclear
and have recently been the focus of a number of comparative studies. Female signaling of the
period in which mating can lead to conception plays a crucial role in this regard, since nonprocreative mating is common among most primates, and inter-specific variation in traits with
which females signal the probability of conception is high. This may lead to differences in the
perception of information between males of different species but even within those of the same
species and group. I will report on recent studies investigating the variation of female signaling in
primate multi-male groups and how female signals seem to influence male ability to acquire and
monopolize access to fertile females, opportunities for female mate choice and degree of sperm
competition. Results will be discussed on the background of sexual selection theory.
6
S DB.1
From early patterning to neural stem cell clones: Generation of cell diversity in the Drosophila brain.
JANINA SEIBERT, THOMAS KUNZ, KAROLINE KRAFT, DAGMAR VOLLAND, DAVID JUSSEN, ROLF URBACH
Institut für Genetik, Universität Mainz
Genetic and molecular mechanisms that lead to the generation of cell diversity are poorly understood in the brain. In Drosophila, we showed that the precise spatial patterning of the brain neuroectoderm is critical for the formation and specification of neural stem cells (neuroblasts) that
produce different cell types. We recently uncovered a novel regulatory network of evolutionarily
conserved homeobox genes underlying dorsoventral (DV) patterning in the brain. DV and anteroposterior patterning genes closely cooperate to establish and maintain discrete DV gene expression domains, basically by cross-repressive genetic interactions, thus not supporting the
model of "ventral dominance" according to which ventral genes repress more dorsal ones, as
proposed for the truncal neuroectoderm.
We started to analyze the cell lineages produced by the embryonic brain neuroblasts, focusing
firstly on those that generate the mushroom body (MB), an important centre for olfactory learning
and memory. We disclosed the origin of these neuroblasts (MBNB), and that each one generates
an individual lineage consisting of neurons that are intrinsic (Kenyon cells) and non-intrinsic to the
MB which develop in a fixed temporal order. Since the embryonic MBNB lineages also show differences in the spatiotemporal innervation of the MB lobes, our data suggest a lineage-specific regulation of the embryonic, opposite to the postembryonic, development of the MB.
S DB.2
Acrobatic epithelia: comparative morphogenesis of insect extraembryonic membranes.
KRISTEN PANFILIO1
1
Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Cologne
Morphogenesis, the creation of form, involves precise organization of tissues to successfully construct
the embryonic body. However, morphogenesis has only been studied in detail in a few systems, and it
is unclear how conserved it is at the level of cell and tissue architectures or at the molecular level. To
expand the comparison from vertebrates and the fruit fly, my research uses two insect species, the
milkweed bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus) and the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum). The tissues under investigation are the extraembryonic membranes (amnion and serosa), which perform a variety of
movements as epithelial cell sheets – such as folding, fusion, and rupture – that are essential for successful embryogenesis. Although both the bug and the beetle exhibit the same overall sequence of
movements, they represent the two main modes of insect extraembryonic morphogenesis and differ in
relative tissue topography. I am investigating how the membranes form and later withdraw from the
embryo. This involves quantitative analysis of live imaging (time-lapse movie) data to characterize the
mechanics of tissue reorganization and functional investigation of key genes in the molecular control of
these processes. In this talk I will focus on the later events pertaining to organized membrane rupture
and withdrawal, culminating in embryonic dorsal closure at the end of the extra-embryonic membrane’s lives. Overall, the aim is to distinguish specific features from commonalities, thereby addressing the degree of conservation of morphogenetic processes.
7
S EB.1
Testosterone in conflict and cooperation: behavioural activation and long-term coordination between partners.
KATHARINA, HIRSCHENHAUSER1
1
Department for Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, A
Testosterone, the major sex steroid of male vertebrates, regulates gonad activity, as well as sexual and agonistic behaviour. It is particularly involved in affective behaviours, such as courtship
and aggression. Testosterone mirrors the excitement and vigour of a social interaction at the
cost of increased injury and predation risk. Therefore, individual behaviour and testosterone responsiveness needs some fine-tuning to the physical and social environment. I will present examples for the social modulation of testosterone at two levels: (a) based on seasonal changes,
pair partners with synchronized testosterone patterns had higher reproductive output than less
compatible partners. Long-term data from geese (Anser anser) and rock partridge (Alectoris
graeca) underline a role for testosterone as coordinator of social behaviour, pair bond maintenance and reproductive success. (b) On top of seasonal baseline levels, immediate testosterone
changes may occur after sexual or fighting experiences. This suggests that testosterone also
may act as facilitator of (future) behaviour. However, in contrast to the notion that testosterone is
high in winners and low in losers, cock-fights with Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) revealed a
pertinent audience effect on testosterone responsiveness. Losers without audience had increased testosterone just as winners, whereas “public losers” had no testosterone response.
Experimentally adding post-conflict testosterone increased aggressiveness but was not sufficient
to supersede the effect of an informed audience on the loser’s future success.
S EB.2
Life between land and water – the diverse facets of the evolutionary ecology of reed beetles (Donaciinae).
GREGOR KÖLSCH1
1
Zoological Institute, Molecular Evolutionary Biology, University of Hamburg
Evolutionary ecology is the explicit synthesis of two disciplines - ecology and evolutionary biology. While the latter aims at a description and analysis of evolution and biodiversity, it is inevitably connected to ecology, because adaptation and selection are to be seen in the environmental
context, which forms the basis of ecology. My investigations of reed beetles exemplify this, covering various aspects from molecular systematics, respiration physiology, host plant preference,
and eye morphology, to population genetics and the association with bacterial symbionts. The
Holarctic reed beetles comprise about 165 species that are each specialized on one or few host
plants in wetlands. A reconstruction of their phylogeny based on DNA data revealed a dominant
role of ecological factors driving diversification (major clades are defined by the host plant preference of the species), while the separation of continents later led to a superimposed geographical pattern. The phylogenies of the beetles and their symbiotic bacteria are highly congruent
(vertical transmission). - The fully aquatic genus Macroplea is of particular interest. Its respiration
via a plastron is sufficiently effective due to an exceptionally low metabolic rate and behavioural
adaptations (usage of gas bubbles). Species differences with respect to salinity preference and
host plant use are discussed. The population genetics of Macroplea mutica in Europe reveal a
mixed pattern of isolated and admixed populations that is interpreted in terms of the range expansion after the ice age and dispersal mechanisms.
8
S EC.1
Sexual Ecology - The significance of sexual reproduction for ecological patterns and
processes.
AXEL, HOCHKIRCH1
1
Department of Biogeography, Trier University
The importance of sexual reproduction has long been recognized in evolutionary and behavioural biology, but has received less attention in ecology. However, the existence of two different
reproductive strategies is associated with different niche optima leading to sexual conflict. It is
widely accepted that intersexual niche dimorphism is mainly driven by different niche optima of
the sexes. Many taxa exhibit intersexual differences in habitat utilization, leading to partial habitat
segregation. The need of the sexes to meet in order to reproduce has certainly played a prominent role in the evolution of communication signals. Specific signals are of high significance for
successful reproduction as errors in mate choice (“reproductive interference”) has negative fitness effects. There is an overall belief in the specificity of mate finding signals (“specific mate
recognition signals”), but our studies have shown that there is a high potential for erroneous
mate choice, which may reduce the fitness of an individual. The strength of reproductive interference as an ecological factor determining species communities is often underestimated. Sexual
interactions can drive species invasions and displacements. Our recent studies suggest that local parapatry and interspecific habitat segregation might be caused by reproductive interference.
We also found that hybridization between different lineages may promote the invasion success.
On the other hand, hybridization between domestic animals with their wild relatives may severely
question the sense of captive breeding programmes.
S EC.2
Cues and the optimal timing of migration.
SILKE BAUER1, 2
1
Dept. Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 2 Swiss Ornithological Institute
The timing of life-history activities has major fitness consequences – particularly in seasonal environments where windows of opportunity may be narrow. Ideally, organisms time activities in a
fitness-maximizing manner by using environmental cues to forecast the future availability of important resources. Presently, our understanding of the relationships between cues and optimal
timing is limited, and there is even more uncertainty about how this relationship will be affected
by environmental changes.
Here, I present a general model to explore the relation between a cue and the optimal timing of
an important life-history activity. The model describes the fitness loss for organisms failing to
time behaviours optimally and predicts the immediate consequences of environmental changes
that affect either cue, optimal timing or their correlation. These consequences need not always
be negative but are highly dependent how these quantities are affected.
I exemplarily apply this model to migration and specifically show whether and how birds can optimally time migration – one of the most challenging activities in their life-cycles. Finally, I review
the cues identified for the timing of migration in all major animal taxa and discuss how they might
be affected by global environmental changes.
9
S MO.1
Aplacophoran mollusk body plans – primitively simple or simply derived?
CHRISTIANE TODT1
1
Bergen Museum – The Natural History Collections, University of Bergen
Amongst Mollusca – the second most diverse animal phylum – the aplacophoran Solenogastres
and Caudofoveata appear strangely uniform and simple. Neither do these vermiform shell-less
animals fit the so-called generalized body plan of Mollusca (head – muscular foot – visceral body
covered by shell), which at best reflects the morphology of the Conchifera (the shelled molluscs).
Taking this into account and especially connected to hypotheses on molluscan ancestry, the importance of considering aplacophoran body plans has been repeatedly emphasized. Analyses
based on maximum parsimony approaches thereby favour solenogasters, the aplacophoran
taxon with the “most simple” body plan, as the best model for a hypothetical ancestral mollusc.
Central in such considerations is the transformation of one body plan into another. Recent phylogenomics studies, in contrast, propose a basal dichotomy within the molluscan tree, separating
the Conchifera from a clade Aculifera that contains Polyplacophora and monophyletic Aplacophora (Solenogastres and Caudofoveata). This hypothesis has two major consequences:
shell-bearing conchiferans and sclerite-bearing aculiferans are equally “derived” (or “primitive”)
and aplacophorans appear derived in relation to polyplacophorans (chitons). How can accepting
such a notion change our attitude towards thinking in terms of “body plans” and their more or
less linear transformation in the course of evolutionary development? Focusing on three major
mollusk characters – epidermal hard parts (shell, sclerites), radula, and foot – I discuss how integrating new molecular and developmental data with well-known morphological characters in
the light of modern evolutionary developmental biology may lead to a differentiated view on mollusc character evolution.
S MO.2
Something to chew on: Insights from form and function studies of mammalian teeth.
KORNELIUS KUPCZIK1
1
Abteilung für Humanevolution, Max-Planck-Institut für evolutionäre Anthropologie, Leipzig
Teeth are one of the most informative sources for zoologists and palaeontologists because their
morphology holds clues about the diet, life history and phylogenetic relationships of living and
fossil mammalian species. Here I will present some of the latest research into the comparative
morphology of dental structures in two ecologically diverse mammalian groups, the primates and
the carnivores. With the advancement of state of the art imaging technology such as highresolution micro-computed tomography, we can non-destructively analyse the external and internal morphology of teeth and their constituent tissues (enamel, dentine, cementum and pulp). I
will focus in particular on the question as to whether the observed variability in crown and tooth
root form constitute adaptations to specific feeding functions. By using combined morphometric,
experimental-biomechanical and numerical simulation approaches we can investigate for example how variations in enamel thickness or in tooth supporting structures are related to a species’
feeding ecology. These form-function studies reveal that enamel cap morphology plays a crucial
role in controlling the mechanical behaviour of teeth under load, but also that tooth root form is
closely linked to dietary differences and the control of chewing forces. This integrated approach
offers new insights into how teeth work in living mammals and also allows us to make inferences
about dietary ecology in fossil species.
10
S NB.1
Extraction of behaviorally relevant motion information in the fly visual system.
RAFAEL KURTZ1
1
Neurobiology, Bielefeld University
Motion detection is of utmost importance for organisms that rely on their visual sense for behavioral control. During locomotion continually changing global motion patterns are generated on the
eyes. These panoramic motion patterns, called optic flow, are essential for optomotor course
control. In addition to information about self motion, optic flow contains information about the 3Dlayout of the environment, resulting from relative motion between objects at different distance to
the moving observer. Essential tasks, such as object detection and responses to conspecifics or
predators are therefore largely based on the computation of optic flow.
The lobula plate tangential cells (LPTCs) of flies are a class of individually identifiable neurons,
which process global visual motion. However, rather than providing an accurate representation
of motion velocity, it appears to be more relevant that certain behaviorally relevant cues are extracted by these neurons. This is a difficult task in the presence of the rapidly changing visual
input encountered during locomotion in heterogeneous environments.
This talk outlines how local inputs from neuropils upstream of the global motion processing layers are integrated on the dendrites of LPTCs, making them sensitive to distinct types of optic
flow. How the neuronal representation of optic flow is shaped by adaptation and graded signal
transfer is considered in the context of feature extraction from complex dynamic stimuli.
S NB.2
Quadrupedal gaits in hexapod animals - Stepping patterns in free-walking adult stick insects.
SILVIA DAUN-GRUHN1, MARTYNA GRABOWSKA1, ELZBIETA GODLEWSKA1, JOACHIM SCHMIDT1
1
Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne
Considerations of mechanisms that coordinate legs in biological six-legged walking systems and
their soft- or hardware models have always viewed each of the six legs as largely equivalent locomotor organs.
This view, however, does not hold when it comes to the stick insect Carausius morosus, one of
the important model systems in the field. Besides ideal tri- and tetrapod gaits, and gradual transitions between them, we frequently observed 'irregular' walking patterns, that were exclusively
due to out-of-phase stepping of the front legs. At the same time middle and hind legs, produced
stereotypic movements comparable to quadruped 'walk' and 'trot'.
This functional difference between the legs is surprising, because the front legs show no pronounced anatomical difference from the other legs, as is present in other insects in which the
front legs have clearly evolved to serve other functions than locomotion. Decoupling of the front
legs from the locomotor system without affecting the coordination between middle and hind legs
during locomotion in insects has not yet been described and requires re-thinking of the neural
control in insect walking. Including this property into a controller of hexapod robots might improve
their performance particularly on rough terrains or during climbing.
11
S PH.1
Adjustments of mitochondrial function in response to physiological and environmental
challenge.
MARTIN JASTROCH
Buck Institute for Age Research, Lambertville
The energy metabolism of animals is shaped by the ecological niche. Mitochondria are central to
the conversion of nutrient to cellular energy. The energy of substrates is harvested as electrons
are transported along the respiratory chain. This energy is used to pump protons out of the mitochondrial matrix generating a proton motive force that is coupled to the synthesis of ATP. Interestingly, two processes result in an inefficient energy transfer: protons also leak back to the matrix without the generation of ATP, and single electrons abortively exit during transport (electron
leak), resulting in superoxide and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation.
We performed measurements of proton and electron leak in a variety of species in response to
physiological and environmental challenge. We demonstrate in ectothermic and endothermic
vertebrates how mitochondrial bioenergetics is adjusted during adaptation and at the evolutionary scale. Environmental factors such as temperature and nutritional status impact proton and
electron leak. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of proton leak adjustments, we studied the
evolution and regulation of uncoupling proteins (UCPs) in evolutionary distant species. Our experiments on mammalian UCP1 demonstrate an interrelationship of proton and electron leak in a
physiologically relevant manner, possibly preventing oxidative stress.
In the endangered Devil’s hole pupfish, we exemplified how mitochondrial proton and electron
leak can be used to determine limitations of thermal adaptation, restricted by genetic and possibly biophysical constraints.
S PH.2
Proteomic Approaches to Understanding Cellular Proteolysis.
OLIVER SCHILLING1
1
Institute for Molecular Medicine and Cell Research, University of Freiburg
Proteolysis is an irreversible post-translational modification that affects every protein. The large
number of genetically encoded proteases in man (> 560) and even higher numbers in other vertebrates illustrate the biological importance of proteolysis. In humans, more than 160 genetically
encoded protease inhibitors tightly control protease activity. Established functions of proteolysis
include its central role in the coagulation and complement system as well as prohormone and
proenzyme activation. Generally, proteolysis shapes cellular and pericellular proteomes by (a)
protein degradation or (b) generation of stable cleavage products with altered functionality or
cellular localization (“cell surface shedding”). Altered proteolysis is a hallmark of many diseases,
most notably cancer. While the biomedical relevance of proteolysis is increasingly being recognized, most cell-contextual protease substrates and cleavage events have remained unknown.
The resulting lack of knowledge prevents a molecular understanding of proteolysis in vivo and
therapeutical protease inhibition.
Recent proteomic inventions now offer unprecedented possibilities for a molecular understanding
of cellular proteolysis. Specificity profiling with proteome-derived peptide libraries rapidly determines specificity determinants N- and C-terminal to the scissile peptide and highlights potential
subsite cooperativity. Cell-contextual proteolysis is investigated by techniques for the proteomewide analysis of protein N- and C-termini. In combination with stable isotope labeling for quantitative comparison of different samples, these approaches distinguish background proteolysis
from cleavage events that are affected by altered protease activity. Lastly, comparative metabolic label-chase experiments determine the implication of individual proteases in degradation
and turn-over processes.
12
S ZS.1
Current advances in studies of onychophorans (velvet worms) and tardigrades (water
bears).
GEORG, MAYER1
1
Animal Evolution & Development, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, D-04103
Leipzig, Germany
Onychophorans and tardigrades are key groups for understanding the evolution and phylogeny
of arthropods – one of the most speciose and diverse animal groups on Earth. Representatives
of these two groups share some ancestral features with the Cambrian fossils called lobopodians,
e.g., the presence of unjointed limbs and the lack of an exoskeleton. Notably, segmentation and
regionalisation of the body is less advanced in these animals as compared to the extant arthropods. Hence, analysing these aspects in onychophorans and tardigrades will play a key role for
understanding the evolution of arthropods. In this talk, I provide an overview of our current advances in studies of Onychophora and Tardigrada and discuss their implications on the phylogenetic position of tardigrades, which is still under debate.
S ZS.2
Zoological Systematics
Stick insects on an evolutionary tree – progress and enigmas in phasmid research.
SVEN BRADLER1
1
Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institut für Zoologie und Anthropologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
The phasmatodeans or stick and leaf insects comprise approximately 3200 described herbivorous arthropods mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. Considered to be a mesodiverse insect order, the group has thus far received relatively little phylogenetic attention. According to very recent morphological and molecular studies, many of the currently recognized
suborders, families, subfamilies and tribes are not monophyletic, with few exceptions. The Necrosciinae, the most species-rich traditional subfamily of stick insects, appears to be broadly monophyletic, with only a few species ‘misplaced’. In contrast, the tree lobsters or Eurycanthinae,
which comprise a small number of specialized ground-dwellers on Pacific islands, are polyphyletic, exhibiting a high degree of convergent evolution. In general, molecular analyses have
demonstrated that phylogeny correlates better with geographic distribution than with morphological similarities. Since stick insects possess only limited dispersal capabilities, they are ideal
model organisms for biogeographic research. Numerous previously unexpected lineages of stick
insects have been repeatedly recovered now. However, the relationships among these major
clades are contentious. For instance, the leaf insects (Phylliinae) frequently change their supposed phylogenetic position among Phasmatodea across different data matrices and methodologies. This problem might reflect a rapid ancient radiation of stick insects that gave rise to the
diversity of extant forms and highlights the need for exploring further sources of evidence.
13
14
Walther-Arndt- and
Horst-Wiehe-Award:
15
Walther-Arndt-Award
Evolution in Darwin's Dreamponds: The explosive radiation of cichlid fishes in the East
African Great Lakes.
WALTER SALZBURGER1
1
Zoological Institute, University of Basel
More than 150 years after the publication of Charles R. Darwin’s The Origin of Species, the identification of the processes governing the emergence of novel species remains a fundamental
question to biology. Why is it that some groups have diversified in a seemingly explosive manner, while other lineages have remained unvaried over millions of years? And what are the external factors and environmental conditions that promote diversification? A key to these and related questions is the comparative study of exceptionally diverse yet relatively young species
assemblages that have radiated in geographically well-defined areas, such as the Darwin’s
finches on the Galapagos archipelago, the Caribbean Anoles lizards or the cichlid fishes in the
Great Lakes of East Africa. Lakes Tanganyika, Malawi, and Victoria are each teeming with a
unique set of hundreds of endemic cichlid species, which are likely to have evolved in the last
few millions to several thousands of years only. East Africa’s cichlid species differ greatly in
ecologically relevant, hence naturally selected, characters such as mouth morphology and body
shape, but also in sexually selected traits such as coloration. One of the most fascinating aspects of cichlid evolution is the frequent occurrence of evolutionary parallelisms, which has led to
the question whether selection alone is sufficient to produce these parallel morphologies, or
whether a developmental or genetic bias has influenced the direction of diversification.
Horst-Wiehe-Award
Arthropod ontogeny – fossil record and use in phylogenetic analyses.
JOACHIM HAUG1
1
Department of Geology and Geophysics, Kline Geology Laboratory, Yale University
Knowledge of developmental processes has played an important role in enlightening the evolution of Arthropoda, as has the investigation of exquisitely preserved fossil representatives of this
taxon. The here presented approach is called Palaeo-Evo-Devo and combines these two important sources for understanding the evolution of Arthropoda. For this purpose, exceptionally preserved fossil arthropods have been investigated, which allow the reconstruction of more or less
complete ontogenetic sequences. The most important source for such data are the threedimensional and half a billion years old fossils in 'Orsten'-type preservation. Here smallest details
down to below one micrometre can be observed with the aid of scanning electron microscopy.
Based on detailed investigations, three-dimensional models of different developmental stages of
a species can be produced, resulting in a four-dimensional model of a species. Such 4D models
of several species were the basis for phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses that revealed several heterochronic events, i.e., evolutionary shifts in developmental timing, along the evolutionary
lineage towards modern Crustacea. Other fossil deposits that have already provided comparable
information are the lithographic limestones of southern Germany and the Rhynie Chert from
Scotland. Newer investigations hint to the presence of much more ontogenetic information of
fossil arthropods in various other types of preservation.
16
Behavioural Biology
17
Talk BB.1
Early environmental influences on behavioural development and plasticity in a precocial
rodent (Cavia aperea).
ANJA GUENTHER & FRITZ TRILLMICH
Behavioural Biology, Bielefeld University
Behavioural phenotypes are often considered fixed, heritable traits, but may be influenced by early
experience. Recent theory suggests that individuals within a species display different behavioural
phenotypes when life histories differ predictably. A model (Wolf et al. 2007, 2008) predicts the evolution of distinct behavioural phenotypes within a population associated with fast and slow life histories: bold and short-lived versus shy and long-lived. We began to test these predictions using a medium-sized rodent, the wild cavy (Cavia aperea). By dynamically changing photoperiod during gestation we tested how behavioural phenotypes and physiology of juveniles adjust to seasonality.
Cavies allocate available resources to growth and reproduction when born into spring, but delay
reproduction until the next year and are thereby forced to maximize survival probability over winter
when born in autumn. In response to these predictable life-cycle differences different behavioural
phenotypes should be advantageous for animals born into spring versus autumn: spring-born animals are expected to be competitive and risk-prone to succeed with immediate reproduction, while
autumn-born animals should be risk-averse to ensure survival until the next breeding season. To
determine behavioural phenotypes we measured exploratory behaviour in two different open field
tests, boldness in a novel object test, resting metabolic rate (RMR) and stress response (cortisol) to
an unknown environment. Effects on behaviour were detected in juveniles but vanished by the time
of maturation while physiological traits remained more stable over time. No distinct seasonal differences in behavioural phenotypes persisted, but we detected significant effects of siblings on behavioural phenotype within a litter.
Talk BB.2
Influence of food quality on host plant fixation and personality of a leaf beetle.
MARTIN TREMMEL1, CAROLINE MÜLLER1
1
Chemical Ecology, Bielefeld University
Experiences and environmental conditions during ontogeny can have a strong influence on an
animal’s behaviour and overall phenotype. In this study we investigated, whether different food
qualities experienced during larval development have an influence on adult food preferences and
behavioural strategies in the leaf beetle Phaedon cochleariae. For that purpose larvae were
reared individually either on high or low quality food. Measurements of performance parameters
showed that larvae performed better (developed faster and gained higher body masses) when
reared on high quality food compared to larvae reared on low quality food. Hence, as different
food qualities lead to different performance they may also result in different behavioural phenotypes of the adult beetles. Food choice tests demonstrated that adult beetles preferred high quality food when reared on high quality food as larvae, whereas beetles did not show such a strong
fixation when reared on low quality food. Furthermore, tests of different behavioural traits
showed that individual animals behaved consistently over context and time, which is defined as
behavioural syndrome or personality. A comparison of personality traits provided indication that
beetles are bolder when they are expected to have lower future perspectives compared to beetles that have “more to lose”. Personality thus depends on environmental conditions in this species and is therefore assumed to be of adaptive value.
18
Talk BB.3
The relevance of behavioural categories in the laboratory for behaviour in the wild.
ANTJE HERDE1 THILO LIESENJOHANN 1 TATJANA KNOPP1 JANA A. ECCARD1
1
Department for Animal Ecology, University of Potsdam
Behavioural syndromes are defined as behavioural differences between individuals that are consistent across time and situations. They cover several components such as boldness, activity
and aggressiveness and can affect the life-history and fitness of an animal. Heritability in personality traits and differences in fitness or survival between behavioural types suggests that behavioural syndromes may reflect ecologically significant variation between individuals.
Most of the recent studies were done either in captivity or in the wild. In our study we try to connect
these two settings. We live-trapped voles (Microtus arvalis) from the wild and measured their behavioural types in the laboratory. After quantifying these traits we select the extremes (e.g. most
active and inactive ones) and create artificial subpopulations in semi-natural enclosures. We recorded individual behaviour in the field as activity and risk-taking to investigate the relevance of
laboratory results and behavioural syndrome assignment for real life in natural settings.
Talk BB.4
The smell of competition - nest wax influences bumblebee worker reproduction.
ANN-MARIE ROTTLER; MANFRED AYASSE
Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm
In the primitively eusocial bumblebee Bombus terrestris, the annual colony life cycle is marked
by two distinct periods of reproductive division of labour. Though workers are capable of laying
unfertilized eggs, they refrain from own reproduction in favour of their mother’s progeny during
the social phase (sp) of colony development. However, at the end of the breeding season, workers start to compete for reproduction to enhance their individual fitness during the so called competition phase (cp). Timing the onset of worker reproduction is crucial as it is not in the workers’
kin-selected interest to decrease gyne production. In this study we tested if nest wax can provide
the information necessary for individual workers to decide whether to reproduce or not and if it
actually affects worker reproduction.
To determine the signalling means of nest wax, we collected and analyzed semiochemicals from
wax at different stages of colony development. In all wax samples we found a complex blend of
substances that are also displayed on the cuticle surface of female bumblebees and serve several inter-individual communication purposes, e.g. advertising fertility. The profile of these substances present in wax differed between sp and cp, enabling workers to discriminate between
the social stages of their nest at any time. When queenright groups of newly emerged workers
were presented with an artificial nest environment made from cp wax, they showed aggressive
interactions that are associated with worker reproduction and are usually displayed in cp colonies only. Despite the presence of a queen, the ovaries of these workers were further developed
than in worker groups that faced a sp wax environment. Effecting bumblebee worker reproduction, nest wax scent might be an important communication device in other areas of social insect
life as well. - We thank the Carl Zeiss Foundation and the DFG for financial support.
19
Talk BB.5
Evaluation of food sources in desert ants, Cataglyphis fortis.
SIEGFRIED BOLEK1; MATTHIAS W ITTLINGER1; HARALD W OLF1
1
Institute for Neurobiology, University of Ulm
North African desert ants of the Cataglyphis family have received much attention in the past decades. Most of this work has focussed on the homing ability of the ants after foraging excursions.
Since the ants live in a desert environment, however, remembering the position of valuable food
sites and returning to these sites may offer a crucial advantage in the struggle for survival in
such harsh conditions. I shall present some findings of my work with Cataglyphis fortis ants.
These illustrate the strategies used by the ants to return to familiar food sites.
It is known that ants tend to establish sector fidelity after several food encounters in the same
direction from the nest (1). Their ability to use their navigational tools to return to food sites has
been reported (2), although it remained unclear how systematic the ants’ searches for places of
former food encounters may be (3).
I will show, first, that desert ants do not only exhibit sector fidelity but are able to perform thorough searches of previously visited sites of food encounter – a phenomenon I shall term point
fidelity. Second, we identified two characteristics, food abundance and availability of food over
extended time periods, that qualify a food site as valuable (source). Finally, I show that the ants
average the distance information of outbound travel to the food site and inbound travel back to
the nest for distance estimation during return visits to a food site.
1) Wehner et al. Ecol. Entomol. 2004; 2) Merkle & Wehner J. Exp. Biol. 2008; 3) Knaden & Wehner J.
Exp. Biol. 2006
Talk BB.6
Who to trust and who not: How poison frogs choose larval rearing sites by means of
chemical cues.
LISA M. SCHULTE1, STEFAN LÖTTERS1 & MICHAEL VEITH1
1
Biogeography, Trier University
Many vertebrates have evolved parental care to assure successful reproduction. Anurans have
evolved a remarkable diversity of reproductive strategies including advanced levels of parental care
as in the brightly coloured neotropical poison frogs (Dendrobatidae). In these frogs parents deposit
tadpoles singly into different phytotelmata (small water bodies that form in plant leaf axils). The exploitation of these small pools is thought to be advantageous in that it reduces the risk of predation
associated with larger water bodies. However, the risk of encountering cannibalistic conspecifics is
high. Thus, mechanisms to avoid intraspecific predation would represent adaptive behaviours in
these amphibians.
We investigated how parental Ranitomeya variabilis frogs from the upper Amazon basin in Peru recognize whether pools are already occupied by a tadpole. We found that the frogs are able to recognize the presence of tadpoles in phytotelmata without invoking visual or physical stimuli, but are able
to accurately determine presence via chemical cues. Furthermore, it appears that these frogs can
distinguish between different kinds of cues, produced by tadpoles of different species. We tested the
response of the frogs to tadpoles cues of different poison and non-poison frog species, either predatory or non-predatory. While the conspecific cannibalistic tadpoles were strongly avoided by the
frogs, tadpoles of other species (except of one) were not avoided (or were even preferred) for tadpole depositions, but were avoided for egg depositions. Moreover, we found that visual cues may not
play a role in these decisions, as artificial tadpole models elicited no deposition preference.
20
Talk BB.7
Make assurance double sure – Early Learning and Hopkins-Host-Selection in N. vitripennis.
DOMINIC KUGEL1, DARIA SCHURMANN, JOHANNES L.M. STEIDLE1
1
Institut für Zoologie, Universität of Hohenheim
Learning of host-cues and host-related cues in the early development of parasitic wasps seems
to occur via three major alternative mechanisms. First, learning in larval stages and maintaning
learned cues until early adulthood (Hopkins-Host-Selection principle); second, learning of cues at
emergence of the adult insect (Neo-Hopkins hypothesis); third, carrying of external and/or internal cues from larval stages through pupal stages and learning at emergence (Chemical legacy
hypothesis). We studied early learning in the pteromalid wasp Nasonia vitripennis, a parasitoid of
fly pupae by observing adult females in the olfactometer. Various conditioning treatments prior to
emergence were used. When cuticles of wasp pupae were contaminated with cinnamon, adult
females emerging from these pupae responded positively to cinnamon in the olfactometer. This
response could be suppressed by washing contaminated pupae with 50% EtOH prior to emergence. This indicates that cues are learned at emergence, which tallies with the Neo-Hopkins
Hypothesis. Females that developped completely within fly pupae, which were contaminated with
cinnamon, responded positively, even if wasp pupae were washed prior to emergence. This
could be because cues, which were learned at emergence were transferred internally (Chemical
Legacy hypothesis) and therefore could not be removed by washing. However, we consider it
more likely that learning occured during larval stages (Hopkins-Host-Selection principle). In any
case, the study shows for the first time, that more than one learning event can occur during the
development of parasitic wasps.
Talk BB.8
Stingless bees learn their nest specific trail pheromone composition.
STEFAN JARAU1 & CHRISTIAN REICHLE 1
1
Institute for Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm
Foragers of some eusocial stingless bee species (Apidae, Meliponini) use pheromones to guide
nestmates to food sources. The pheromones originate from the bees’ labial glands and show
species- as well as nest specific compositions. Recruited workers are mainly attracted by their
nestmates’ pheromone in the field. An interesting question is how the bees recognize their colony specific pheromone. Recognition may be based on an innate mechanism, or the bees may
have to learn their nest specific pheromone blend.
We investigated this question by testing whether bees (Scaptotrigona pectoralis and S. subobscuripennis) taken from their mother colonies and bees that emerged from a comb we had transferred
to a foster colony of the respective congeneric species are attracted by the pheromone of their genetic
sisters (from their mother colony) or by the pheromone of workers from the foster colony they lived in.
In Y-tube tests, a significant majority of workers chose the arm with the pheromone collected
from bees of the nest they lived in, even if it was the pheromone of the other species. Chemical
analyses showed that the pheromone blend of bees that hatched in a foreign colony differed
from that of their congeneric nestmates. Thus, bees living in a foster colony were attracted by a
pheromone that differed from their own one rather than by the pheromone of their genetic sisters. We conclude that stingless bees do not innately recognize their nest specific pheromone
blend, but that they learn it within the colony. The underlying mechanisms may be similar to
learning of floral odors.
21
Talk BB.9
Hear ye! Which information is contained in the songs of grasshoppers.
NICOLE STANGE, BERNHARD RONACHER
1
Institut für Biologie, Abt. Verhaltensphysiologie, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin
Many insect species use acoustic communication signals ("songs") to attract mates. Usually, the
females are the more selective gender, because of their higher parental investment. A female
should be able to extract three types of information from a male’s song: i) whether the sender is
of the correct species, ii) whether its gender is matching, and iii) possibly also the quality of the
sender.
The grasshopper Chorthippus biguttulus is a species with a bidirectional communication system.
Males sing spontaneously and a female produces a reply song, if the song appears attractive to
her. During this duet the male approaches the female and the mating can occur. The songs are
produced by stridulation, i.e. by rubbing the hind legs against the forewings. The songs are species-specific (von Helversen, 1972) and gender-specific (Elsner 1974), and are a major barrier
against hybridization (von Helversen and von Helversen, 1975; Gottsberger and Mayer 2007). In
addition, songs of C. biguttulus males reveal cues about the intactness of the singer (von
Helversen, 1972; Kriegbaum, 1989).
We tested the hypotheses that males transmit information about their health, size, and their pattern generator as well as the intactness and that the females are able to extract this information
from the heard signals.
We recorded songs of males caught in the field. The recorded songs were used in playbackexperiments on females to assess their attractiveness. Size parameters and phase shifting of the
hind legs of males were correlated with their immunological competence and the attractiveness
of the produced songs.
Females preferred males, which produced higher onsets (Pearson: r=0.721, p=0.019) and had
heavier legs (Pearson: r=0.645, p=0.044) and less gaps in the syllable.
22
Talk BB.10
How parasitoids produce sexy sons – dietary lipids control mate choice and fertility in
Nasonia.
BIRGIT BLAUL, JOACHIM, RUTHER
Department of Zoology, Chemical Ecology Group, University of Regensburg
Males of the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis release a sex pheromone that is highly attractive
for virgin females. Preliminary data suggested that pheromone biosynthesis in Nasonia depends
on the limited nutritional resource linoleic acid (LA) and thus, should generate significant physiological costs. Since polyunsaturated fatty acids like LA are also important for the spermatogenesis in insects, the nutritional status of N. vitripennis males should not only determine their quality
as potential mates but also their ability to advertise this quality to females. The availability of nutritional resources in juvenile parasitoids is controlled by the oviposition behavior of the female.
However, a causal link between the oviposition decisions of parasitoid females and the mating
chances of her offspring has never been shown. We studied the influence of dietary lipids on
pheromone communication and fertility in N. vitripennis males. We demonstrate by 13C labling
experiments that LA is indeed a precursor of the male sex pheromone. We reared hosts of N.
vitripennis on two diets with comparable energetic values, but supplemented with different fats
rich in LA (LA+) and poor in LA (LA-), respectively. Our results demonstrate the connection between host quality, oviposition preference, and offspring mating success in N. vitripennis males.
Females lay more eggs in LA+ hosts than in LA- hosts. Males developing in LA+ hosts possess
a threefold number of spermatozoa, release higher amounts of the sex pheromone, and thus,
are able to attract more virgin females than males from LA- hosts. Hence, females enhance fertility and sexual attractiveness of their sons by making the right oviposition decisions. And for
males it applies: you are what you eat.
Talk BB.11
Sexy females: Biology and mate finding in an insect from ‘outer space’.
STEFAN DÖTTERL1; TILL TOLASCH2; SIEGFRIED KEHL3
1
Plant Systematics, University of Bayreuth
Animal Ecology II, University of Bayreuth
3
Animal Ecology, University of Hohenheim
2
The twisted wing parasites (Strepsiptera) are endoparasitoids in other insects and most aspects
of their morphology, life history and ecology are unusual in these bizarre animals from ‘outer
space’. They have an extreme sexual dimorphism with typically neotenic, permanently endoparasitic females and free-living, winged adult males. The adult males only live for 3-6 hours, and
once emerged, they begin flight in search of receptive females. The short life span of males
makes an effective communication system between the sexes necessary, and pheromones released from females were suggested to be responsible for mate location in males. However, the
chemical identity of these olfactory cues has not been characterized until now. We were able to
demonstrate in Stylops melittae, a species parasitizing bees (e.g. Andrena vaga), that males respond to receptive females when excluding visual but offering olfactory cues. We used electrophysiological and chemical analyses to isolate and characterize the pheromone. A synthetic
pheromone was highly attractive to males in field trapping tests demonstrating the function of the
identified compound as an effective sex pheromone in a twisted wing parasite.
23
Talk BB.12
State-dependent use of space and time of reproductive female voles.
TATJANA KNOPP1, Thilo Liesenjohann, Antje Herde, Jana A. Eccard
1
Department of Animal Ecology, University of Potsdam
Evolution has shaped the behaviour of potential prey species in a manner that individuals reduce
predation risk and optimize their individual decision making. For foraging individuals this is based
on several factors influencing their performance in survival and reproductive success. These factors include the internal state (e.g., reproductive state) and the perception of predation risks and
opportunities while active.
In outdoor enclosure studies we measured space use and locomotive activity of female common
voles (Microtus arvalis) in different reproductive states (pregnancy, early lactating and late lactating) with automatic radio telemetry. As a multivoltin and polygynous species, female voles are
either lactating or pregnant or both during the whole season. Most of the time females are usually engaged in no riskier behaviour than the search for food to cover the high metabolic costs of
lactation, nest guarding and foraging.
Our preliminary results show that reproductive female common voles change their activity pattern in dependence to their reproductive state. Indeed there are no significant differences in the
activity if the females are pregnant and in the early lactation state but the females increase their
activity significantly if they are in the late lactation period.
These findings indicate that covering the energetic costs seems to be more important than reducing the predation risk.
24
Talk BB.13
Stereoscopic motion analysis in densely packed clusters: 3D analysis of the shimmering
behavior in Giant honey bees.
FRANK W EIHMANN1, MICHAEL MAURER2, MATTHIAS RÜTHER2, HORST BISCHOF2, MADHUSUDAN MAN
SINGH3, THOMAS HÖTZL1, ILSE KRANNER4 , GERALD KASTBERGER1
1
Department of Zoology, University of Graz
Institute for Computer Graphics and Vision, Graz University of Technology
Research Centre for Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
4
Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew UK
2
3
The detailed interpretation of mass phenomena such as swarm behaviour in birds, fish and insects requires detailed analysis of the 3D movements of individual participants. Here, we describe the adaptation of a 3D stereoscopic imaging method to measure the positional coordinates of individual agents in densely packed clusters (Kastberger et al., Frontiers in Zoology
2011). The method was applied to study behavioural aspects of shimmering in Giant honeybees.
Stereoscopic imaging provided non-invasive, automated, simultaneous, in-situ 3D measurements of hundreds of bees on the nest surface regarding their thoracic position and orientation of
the body length axis. Segmentation was the basis for the stereo matching, which defined correspondences of individual bees in pairs of stereo images. Stereo-matched “agent bees” were reidentified in subsequent frames by the tracking procedure and triangulated into real-world coordinates. These algorithms were required to calculate the three spatial motion components (dx:
horizontal, dy: vertical and dz: towards and from the comb) of individual bees over time.
The method enables the assessment of the 3D positions of individual Giant honey bees and can
be applied to distinguish at the individual bee level active movements of the thoraces produced
by abdominal flipping from passive motions generated by the moving bee curtain. The data provide evidence that the z-deflections of thoraces are potential cues for colony-intrinsic communication. The method helps to understand the phenomenon of collective decision-making in Giant
honeybees through mechanoceptive synchronization and to associate shimmering with the principles of wave propagation.
We acknowledge funding by Austrian Science Fund FWF, Project P 20515-B16.
25
Talk BB.14
Why is the non-sticky spiral retained in some orb webs?
THOMAS HESSELBERG
Oxford Silk Group, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford
The orb web is one of the most recognisable traps in nature and its highly ordered twodimensional structure makes it ideal for studies on interactions of behaviour and biomechanics.
The web consists of a centrally located hub from which radii radiate outwards to the frame that
runs along the periphery of the entire web. Between the hub and the frame, and connected to the
radii, is the capture spiral. In addition, spiders build a non-sticky spiral that works as a scaffold to
support the weight of the spider during the subsequent building of the capture spiral. Most spiders remove the non-sticky spiral during this process, but Nephila spiders (family Nephilidae)
retain the non-sticky spiral in their completed webs. The presence of the non-sticky spiral was
previously shown to have negative consequences for the transmission of vibrations in the web,
so why is the non-sticky spiral retained in this family? Here I attempt to answer this by first presenting data on the structure of the non-sticky spiral and comparing its material properties with
that of other silk types from the web. I then investigate the function of the non-sticky spiral by
comparing displacements of Nephila edulis control webs with experimental webs with the nonsticky spiral removed in a wind-tunnel as well as the running speed of, and the web damage,
caused by the spider during predatory bouts in control and experimental webs. I found more severe displacements and slower running speed in webs the latter which suggests that the nonsticky spiral plays an important role in maintaining prey catching functionality in windy conditions
in the very dense Nephila webs as well as allowing the heavy spiders to move efficiently around
in the webs.
Talk BB.15
The Graphical Display of Animal Behaviour.
BARRETT ANTHONY KLEIN1 & THOMAS D. SEELEY2
1
2
Department of Biology, University of Konstanz
Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Cornell University
Scientific visualization is the practice of rendering scientific datasets, subjects, or concepts
graphically. Visualizing the science of animal behaviour presents special challenges and opportunities. Challenges include portraying complicated movements in three-dimensional space as
clear, static, two-dimensional images. Opportunities include displaying intuitive representations
of remarkable behavioural phenomena in unique, accessible, and stimulating ways. Including
images of study animals and their behaviour would appear to be beneficial – at times critical –
when reporting that animal’s behaviour. Nevertheless, we sensed that recent publications in the
field of animal behaviour include surprisingly few depictions of the reported subject matter. We
hypothesized that depictions of animals and behaviour have decreased in animal behaviour publications over time. By collecting data from >1000 articles published over the course of five journals’ histories, we assessed patterns of the use of different graphics in the field of animal behaviour. The presence of graphical representations of animals, of behaviour, and of experimental
design have all significantly decreased over time, while the presence of x-y plots and related
graphs have increased. These patterns hold true when controlling for page count, article, or journal. We will discuss the importance of visuals in the behavioural sciences, various ways of
achieving graphical excellence, whether or not supplementary materials compensate for the reported declines of published images, and we will forecast future changes in the depiction of animal behaviour.
26
Poster BB.1
Signal perception of a tropical katydid in a noisy environment.
SIEGERT M., RÖMER H., FERTSCHAI I. AND HARTBAUER M.
Institut für Zoologie, Karl-Franzens Universität, Graz
Ambient background noise can be a limiting factor for the acoustic communication of animals.
This is especially true for tropical insects where many simultaneously active signallers contribute
to a constant sonic noise band as well as transient ultrasonic noise. Males of the tropical katydid
Mecopoda elongata synchronize their chirps in acoustic interactions, an ability that allowed us to
investigate the influence of various levels of background noise at the behavioural level.
In a behavioural paradigm periodic conspecific signals were presented at a fixed SPL of 66 dB
together with increasing levels of rainforest noise, either presented as full-spectrum noise (FS) or
as sonic noise <10 kHz (LP). The ability to synchronise to a conspecific chirp dropped to 50 % at
a S/N ratio of -1 dB for FS noise and -7 dB for LP noise, respectively.
We also investigated the detection of conspecific signals in noise in a neurophysiological approach by
studying the response of the omega-neuron and by application of signal detection (ROC) analysis.
The presentation of conspecific signals resulted in bursts of APs of which 88 % could be successfully detected as hits at a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of -2 dB. However, under these conditions the false alarm rate increased to 0.24 Hz. By contrast, LP noise did not affect the detection
of conspecific signals up to a SPL of 76 dB. The noise-robustness of encoding conspecific signals was in part the consequence of spike rate adaptations, which maintained bursting fidelity
despite the presence of high levels of background noise.
Poster BB.2
Sensory ecology of temperature reception in ants.
MANUEL NAGEL, ANJA WEIDENMÜLLER, CHRISTOPH J. KLEINEIDAM
1
Department of Biology, University Konstanz
Social insects like ants, bees and wasps show brood-care behavior; and one especially important behavioral measure is to provide the brood with suitable microclimatic conditions to optimize
development. Ants do this by moving their brood around within the nest. Behavioral experiments
have shown an amazing precision (0.2°C) in the asse ssment of brood temperature (1). Additionally, brood temperature preference depends on time of day, in order to match the expected
rather than the current temperature condition for the brood. Moreover, the individual thermal
preference of a brood-tending ant is influenced by its own thermal experience during development (2). In order to allow such fine-tuned and adaptive behavior, we expect that ants have a
highly evolved sensory system to measure temperature.
We describe three different types of temperature sensitive neurons that are associated with two
types of peg-in-pit sensilla on the antennae. One receptor neuron type is extremely sensitive to
temperature transients (TT-neuron), and is housed in the S. coeloconica; another one functions
like a thermometer (TM-neuron) and the third one responds like a switch at the preferred brood
temperature of 30-32°C (TS-neuron), these latter tw o are located in the S. coelocapitula.
Currently, we are testing the hypothesis that modulation of sensory neurons causes the observed
changes in thermal preference throughout the day (circadian rhythmicity) and is related to the thermal
experience during larval development. To this aim, we record extracellularly from sensory neurons
over several hours and we investigate adult individuals that experienced different temperature regimes
during pupal development.
1) Roces F, Núñez JA (1995) Journal of Insect Physiology 41:659-669; 2) Weidenmüller A, Mayr C,
Kleineidam CJ, Roces F (2009) Current Biology 19: 1897-1902.
27
Poster BB.3
Two different structures - many functions?
Cephalic modifications and secretions in the dwarf spider Oedothorax retusus.
KATRIN KUNZ1, GABRIELE UHL1
1
Zoologisches Institut und Museum, Allgemeine und Systematische Zoologie, Universität Greifswald
Secondary sex traits are considered obvious examples of sexual selection. Males of many dwarf
spider species are known for their conspicuous cephalic structures. Our focal species Oedothorax retusus (Linyphiidae, Erigoninae) is of special interest, since males of this species possess
two different types of cephalic structures: a dorsal hump and two lateral pits. Both structures are
equipped with pores that are connected to extensive glandular tissue. During courtship and/or
copulation females get in contact with the secretions produced by the male cephalic structures
and females can be observed to release salvia onto the male cephalic structure and later ingest
it. We investigated whether presence or absence of the secretions influences male and female
courtship behaviour, copulation probability and copulation behaviour, copulation duration, oviposition, egg number, egg weight, and hatching success. To this aim, we compared encounters
and copulations between females and males with paint-covered cephalic structures (humpcovered, pits-covered, hump & pits covered) and males that were able to offer cephalic secretions (unmanipulated, paint-control). Our study gives the first report on the relative importance of
the two structures during the mating process.
Poster BB.4
Electrifying communication: the electric language of the weakly electric fish, Mormyrus
rume (Mormyridae, Teleostei).
KRISTINA GEBHARDT1, TOBIAS DIPPER2, GERHARD VON DER EMDE1
1
2
Institute of Zoology, Neuroethology – Sensory Ecology, University of Bonn
IPVS, University of Stuttgart
African mormyrid fish produce short electric signals (electric organ discharges, EODs), with electric organs in their tails. With epidermal electroreceptors, fish can perceive the highly stereotyped
EOD-waveforms of conspecifics in order to recognise each other’s presence and identity. In addition, inter-discharge intervals (IDIs) are highly variable and enable fishes to communicate with
each other by sending specific temporal pulse patterns.
We investigated electrocommunication in a group of five Mormyrus rume in various situations.
The analysed sequences showed complex social communicative behaviour, based on electric
signalling during group foraging. Several M. rume swimming together during foraging showed
temporarily synchronized discharge patterns. In addition, when the group was swimming close to
each other, the fishes sometimes generated their signals in a fixed order. Antagonistic encounters, during which one fish was chasing another one, were characterised by extremely short IDIs,
which slowly increased in duration.
In order to get a better understanding of communication strategies, an artificial robot fish was
created, which can interact with real fish via pre-recorded EOD-signals, which are played pack to
the group. The first model of this avatar has a diameter of 8 cm and consists of a plastic sphere
with a plastic tube attached to it. One goal is to analyze more behavioural sequences in order to
identify more situation-specific communication patterns to enable the avatar to communicate
electrically in a flexible, situation specific way.
28
Poster BB.5
Mind the gap! Detection of gaps and locomotor strategies of electrolocating Gnathonemus petersii.
KATHARINA BEHR1, GESCHE NEUSEL2, GERHARD VON DER EMDE3
Institut für Zoologie, Abt. Neuroethologie, Universität Bonn
The elephantnose fish G. petersii generates electrical signals, which build up an electric field
around its body. The animals perceive their own electrical emissions with electroreceptor organs.
During active electrolocation, objects are recognized by analysing the electric images, which are
projected onto the skin of the fish. In our project, we determined how well the fish could detect a
gap between two metal objects in front of complex backgrounds, by training the fishes in a foodrewarded two-alternative forced-choice procedure. Two metal cubes (2x2x2cm) with a gap between them served as the positive stimulus, while a solid object of equal length was the negative
stimulus. Our results show that G. petersii is able to detect gaps down to a size of 0.2 cm. Discrimination performance was better (0.1 cm gap size) when the objects were placed in front of
moving plastic or waterplant backgrounds. This indicates that movements in the environment
play an important role for object identification. In addition, we determined the locomotor strategies of the fish during object discrimination. Videos of the electrolocating fish were analysed by
measuring the distance and the angle of the fish towards the objects. We found that G. petersii
approaches both stimuli at various angles always swimming as close as possible towards the
objects. Fish do not change their behaviour in different test situations, which indicates that the
same strategy serves all electrolocation needs.
Poster BB.6
Conditioning domestic chickens to a magnetic anomaly.
Susanne Denzau1, Dany Kuriakose1 & Wolfgang Wiltschko1
1
FB Biowissenschaften, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
Training experiments to locate a hidden social stimulus have revealed that brown chicken are
able to use a magnetic compass to solve this task. Chicken of a white strain in contrast failed. In
the recent experiments we trained brown and white chicken of similar strains to associate a
magnetic anomaly consisting of changes in intensity and directions with food. This was done by
feeding them in their housing boxes from a dish placed above a small coil that produced a magnetic anomaly roughly six times as strong as the local geomagnetic field. Unrewarded tests began on day 9 after hatching. In a square arena, two corresponding coils were placed underneath
two opposite corners. One coil, was double-wrapped producing no net magnetic field, while the
other in the opposite corner produced a local magnetic anomaly similar to that experienced during feeding. The chicks favoured the corner with the anomaly from day 10 after hatching. Both
strains of chickens showed this preference, indicating that they could sense the local changes in
the magnetic field. This task could be solved either by using the magnetic receptor system in the
eye working with a Radical-Pair mechanism or the receptor system in the upper beak based on
iron oxid (magnetite) particles to descriminate between these possibilities. Further experiments
are planed: application of high frequenzy fields to disrupt radical-pair processes and anesthetizing the upper beak to clarify which of the two receptor systems is involved to solve this task.
29
Poster BB.7
Benefits of kin shoaling in Pelvicachromis taeniatus (Cichlidae).
TIMO THÜNKEN1, SASKIA HESSE1, SEBASTIAN A. BALDAUF1, THEO C. M. BAKKER1
1
Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn
In many fish species, individuals live – at least part of their life – in shoals. Laboratory and field
studies revealed that groups are often kin-structured and that preferences exist to shoal with kin.
However, the benefits emerging from kin-grouping are less well studied. Here, we examine kinrelated shoaling behavior and its consequences in Pelvicachromis taeniatus, a small, socially
monogamous cichlid fish from West Africa. After intense biparental brood care, juvenile P. taeniatus leave their parents and form loose shoals. In a first experiment, when given the choice in
a dichotomous choice apparatus, juvenile P. taeniatus preferred to join a group rather than to
stay solitary confirming the general grouping behavior in this species. A further experiment
showed that individuals preferred a shoal consisting of familiar, related individuals over a shoal
consisting of unfamiliar, unrelated individuals indicating that shoal choice is non-random. In order
to examine whether this shoaling decision translates into benefits, we compared the growth rates
in groups consisting of full-siblings with growth rates in groups consisting of members of two different families. Growth rates were significantly higher in kin-only groups than in mixed groups.
We discuss potential direct and indirect fitness benefits of kin-grouping.
Poster BB.8
Visual search: How archerfish spot prey in a structured background.
INGO RISCHAWY1, STEFAN SCHUSTER1
1
Department of Animal Physiology, University of Bayreuth
Archerfish (Toxotes sp.) are renowned for ejecting jets of water out of their specially designed
mouth to down prey they visually locate on e.g. mangrove leaves above water level. Here we
show that these fish, in contrast to most other visually hunting predators perfectly spot completely stationary prey that neither has to move nor can be detected by motion parallax. Furthermore archerfish also do not require stored information about the background but can detect prey
solely on the basis of shape. Next we demonstrate that the search time increases linearly with
the number of background-items and that the underlying slope rises with the complexity of the
prey-background discrimination. Hence our results suggest that the fish perform their visual
search in a serial way. Moreover, this serial search appears to be carried out systematically, as
we infer from the way the search time depends on the relative location of the prey related to the
observing fish. Surprisingly, the increase in search time per object we observed in archerfish
when the shape discrimination is made more difficult is conserved even in humans that perform
the same task. This suggests similar mechanisms of visual search in fish and humans.
30
Poster BB.9
The open-loop start of hunting archerfish can rapidly switch to closed-loop guidance
STEFAN MÜLLER1, STEFAN SCHUSTER1
1
Archerfish down aerial prey, e.g. flies, with a jet of water and catch it at the water surface. After a successful shot they have to be fast in order not to lose their food to competitors. Based
on a brief sampling of the initial motion of their falling prey they launch an open-loop start that
accurately aims right at their prey's later point of impact and leads them there even when no
further information is available. But what happens when the open-loop start is bound to fail, for
instance, when ballistic falling prey bumps into an aerial obstacle and thus changes its trajectory? Here we show that archerfish can rapidly readjust their course when unexpected
changes in the trajectory of their prey make their initial aim go wrong. Our findings suggest
that the fish amend their open-loop strategy with a powerful backup system. This appears to
continuously monitor motion but to affect the fish's motor system only when a substantial deviation becomes apparent. Thus, a second program comes to rescue when changes in the
prey trajectory compromise the open-loop strategy.
Poster BB.10
Archerfish and the changing world: temperature affects latency but not accuracy of the
predictive start.
PHILIPP KRUPCZYNSKI1, STEFAN SCHUSTER1
1
Archerfish are not only renowned for shooting down aerial insects with powerful jets of water but
also for their ability of predicting their prey's later point of impact. Shortly after the prey is dislodged the fish initiate a quick C-shaped turn towards where the prey will later land and move on
a straight line towards that position. Archerfish live in mangrove areas from Southeast Asia to
Australia. This complex biotope enforces the fish to cover considerable distances in their search
for hunting grounds. Thereby the fish may face dramatic and rapid changes in light conditions,
salinity and temperature over the course of a few hours. Here we show that the time needed
from the onset of prey movement to initiating the C-start (latency) increases strongly with decreasing temperature. However, the precision of their predictive start is not affected by temperature at all. This is surprising, because all underlying circuitry involved in monitoring prey motion,
selecting and carrying out the appropriate motor pattern is strongly dependent on temperature.
Given the high competition, but also the predation risk of starting archerfish, mechanisms must
be at work that ensure that starts are only released when they are appropriately aimed.
31
Poster BB.11
A simple mechanism may explain the stability and focussing of archerfish shots.
PEGGY GERULLIS, STEFAN SCHUSTER1
1
Archerfish are well-known to shoot down prey of different size and height by means of a precisely aimed water jet released from their mouth. This jet is continuously forming a drop at its
front end so that the drop is largest immediately before it hits the target. This ensures maximum
momentum transfer to the prey. Interestingly, the jet is stable over the full distance covered and
appears to form the drop just directly below the prey. What could be the reason for this distancedependent compactness and long term jet stability? We show that archerfish neither modulate
viscosity or surface tension in order to achieve coherence of their water jets. Furthermore, by
means of an ingenious activation of their fins the fish fully compensate recoil and keep the position and orientation of their mouth surprisingly stable during the complete focussing phase of the
jet. This shows that neither drift nor rotation of the source of the jet plays a role. We provide first
hints that the pre-impact focussing of the water mass results from velocity gradient: water that
leaves the mouth later is faster, thus leading to the focussed impact.
Poster BB.12
Variation in experimental infection rates of a parasite’s definite hosts supports the selective manipulation hypothesis.
NICOLE BERSAU1, TIMO THÜNKEN1, THEO C. M. BAKKER1 AND SEBASTIAN A. BALDAUF1
1
Institute for Evolutionary Biology and EcologyUniversity of Bonn
The acanthocephalan parasite Pomphorhynchus laevis has a complex life-cycle and uses freshwater amphipods, e.g. Gammarus pulex, as intermediate hosts in order to be transmitted to definitive hosts, several fish species. The parasite manipulates the intermediate host in appearance
and behaviour, e.g. by developing conspicuous coloration, thereby increasing its chance of trophic transmission. However, it is assumed that fish species differ in their suitability as a final
host. Thus the parasite might specifically manipulate the intermediate host behaviour in order to
ensure transmission to suitable hosts only (selective manipulation hypothesis). In this study
firstly we tested whether variation exists in the suitability of potential definitive hosts. We exposed several fish species under standardised laboratory conditions to P. laevis and quantified
the number and sex of established parasites in order to assess the probability of parasite reproduction. The fish species showed large differences in vulnerability to parasite infection, thus suggesting that few species are suitable for parasite reproduction. Both sexes were found simultaneously in only few fish species. Furthermore, we compared the response of the same fish species to parasite-induced changes in appearance of the intermediate host G. pulex. The fish host
species that were particularly sensitive to visually manipulated gammarids were also very suitable hosts for P. laevis in the present study. Summarising, these data indicate that the parasite
selectively increases its chance to reach very suitable hosts.
32
Poster BB.13
Fear is not only skin-deep – inter-specific aggression in response to alarm pheromones in
a cichlid fish.
DENIS MEUTHEN1, SEBASTIAN A. BALDAUF1, THEO C. M. BAKKER1 AND TIMO THÜNKEN1
1
Adaptive behavioral plasticity in response to strong selection pressures, such as predation risk,
is crucial for animal survival. Predation risk is often assessed by the presence of alarm pheromones released by injured conspecifics. Many studies have reported effects of alarm pheromones on intraspecific aggression but little is known about their impact on interspecific aggression, especially in the context of territorial defense. Here, we investigate this question in Pelvicachromis taeniatus, a territorial, small African river cichlid fish. In a series of behavioral experiments the influence of alarm pheromones extracted from the body of conspecifics on male aggression was examined. Adult, territorial males were exposed to a large, heterospecific cichlid
stimulus which is aggressively opposed as a brood predator. We found strong behavioral plasticity accounting for predation risk: males decreased their aggression level profoundly when conspecific alarm cues were present. Furthermore, male body size predicted the level of aggression
without alarm pheromones. However, when conspecific alarm cues were present, aggression
levels were independent of male size. Additional experiments were conducted to elucidate the
locality of conspecific alarm pheromones. Interestingly, conspecific skin extract did not elicit a
behavioral response. Fish responded only towards extracts of the whole body. This is surprising
since alarm pheromones have been reported to exist within enclosed subepidermal club cells in
several fish species, including cichlids. Thus, further study is needed to identify the origin of
alarm cues in this species. Passive transmitters (e.g. proteins) from non-skin tissue, released
through injury, are possible candidates as are actively released substances (e.g. urine).
Poster BB.14
The Ghost of Nest Predation Past – adaptive behavioural strategies of vole mothers to
secure offspring survival
MONIQUE LIESENJOHANN AND JANA A. ECCARD
Nest predation can be seen as a mechanism and extreme case of direct interference or interspecific killing. Semi-fossorial common voles (Microtus arvalis) and common shrews (Sorex araneus) use the same tunnel systems competing for space by interspecific aggression. Additionally
shrews prey on vole’s offspring during the sensitive nestling phase. However, the overlap of aggression and predation is unknown. Adaptive behavioural strategies (e.g. nest maintenance behaviour) of mothers in order to secure nestling survival may have the potential to camouflage the
“ghost of nest predation past”.
In an additive set-up we investigated behavioural adaptations of vole mothers having nestlings in
the presence of shrews (or another herbivore vole species (Microtus agrestis) or a conspecific
(control). Experiments were conducted in caged semi-natural 35 sqm outdoor enclosures. Nest
sites were identified with radiotracking and RFID antennas were located at burrow entrances to
get information about the activity of all individuals. Nest site characteristics were obtained and
the number and condition of offspring.
We found no difference in the loss of vole nestlings among treatments and no differences in their
body condition. The presence of both competitor species induced modifications of the vole
mother’s burrow architecture. But only shrew presence evoked an increase in vole mother’s persistence time at burrow entrances. Adjusting their nest maintenance behaviour seems to be a
successful adaptive strategy for mothers to secure their future offspring.
33
Poster BB.15
Proximate Regulation of Parasitoid Searching Behaviour.
JENNIFER UHLIG1, NILS LINEK1, ANDRA THIEL1, THOMAS S. HOFFMEISTER1
1
Population and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Bremen
It has been shown for long that parasitoids as other animals are able to adjust their searching behavior
according to ecological circumstances. Therefore it is overdue to start thinking about the internal
mechanisms modulating searching behavior. Following the parsimony principle we think that long and
short-term shifts and decreases in certain neuromodulatory substances may act well in order to adjust
behavior especially patch-residence-time. Based on several studies on positive and negative associative learning in fruit flies, honeybees and crickets we suppose that octopamine and dopamine may
serve as modulating substances in parasitoid searching behavior. Furthermore we presume an enhancing effect on searching motivation due to octopamine and the opposite for dopamine.
In our experiments parasitoids of Leptopilina heterotoma are fed with either octopamine or dopamine with sugar soluted in water and their searching behavior is subsequently observed.
Preliminary results show that not the patch residence time but the giving up time, that is the time
a female is willing to go on searching without finding a host before leaving, is modulated by these
two biogenic amines; though octopamine fed individuals search longer without finding a host
than animals of the control and the dopamine treatment. Therefore we conclude that octopamine-treated females have a higher searching motivation than dopamine- or untreated ones.
As far we know this is the first evidence of neuromodulatory regulation of searching behavior in
parasitoids.
Poster BB.16
Different coping styles coping with new environments.
JANA A. ECCARD1, ANTJE HERDE1, TATJANA KNOPP1, THILO LIESENJOHANN1
1
Animal Ecology, University of Potsdam
Animal personalities, i.e. suites of correlated behavioural traits across contexts within an individual, which are stable over time, are commonly measured with a battery of behavioural laboratory
tests. Results are used to categorise animals into bold or shy personalities, or into active and
inactive. But what is the relevance of such a categorisation for the real life on an animal outside
the extreme situation of a laboratory test? Can a lab-based category predict an animal’s behaviour or fitness in the field? Here we tested, how animals, categorised in the la oratory within the
bold-shy continuum, cope with being released to a new environment.
Wild captured common voles (Microtus agrestis) were tested in 4 (slightly modified) standard
laboratory tests for anxiety (open field, light dark, barrier, exploration), each repeated twice, and
with that categorised into an bold-shy continuum. 12 experimental populations of 8 animals of
mixed bold and shy males and females were released to 0.25ha large outdoor enclosures, an
unknown locality for them. Behaviour for 24h after release was monitored with automated radiotracking, allowing for one localisation and activity check every 4 minutes.
Lab-bold males were more mobile after release to an unknown locality than the lab-shy males. In females we found no difference among bold and shy. Since voles are prey to many avian and mammalian predators, we suspected that higher mobility in an unknown locality puts bold males at greater predation risk, but we found no difference in the mortality rates of bold and shy males. Males in general
had a higher mortality than females. Although we found behavioural differences between animal personalities, we found no evidence so far that lab-personalities affect voles’ fitness.
34
Poster BB.17
Inter-individual variability and collective response in bumblebee colonies (Bombus terrestris).
MARCO SMOLLA1, CHRISTOPH J. KLEINEIDAM1, ANJA W EIDENMÜLLER1
1
Department of Biology, University Konstanz
Workers in a colony of social insects show consistent differences in behaviour. It is widely believed that a greater inter-individual variability in behaviour will enhance colony functioning (reviewed in Beshers & Fewell (2001) Annual Reviews of Entomology), and a benefit of increased
genetic variability has been demonstrated for example in parasite defence, nest temperature
homeostasis and foraging efficiency (reviewed in Oldroyd & Fewell (2007) TREE). However, direct evidence for the impact of inter-individual variability on collective performance is lacking. In
order to quantify collective performance, we use nest-temperature homeostasis in bumblebee
colonies (Bombus terrestris) as an experimental system. Bumblebee colonies are monopatric,
yet one still finds inter-individual behavioural variability in thermoregulatory responses like incubating and fanning (Weidenmüller et al. (2004) Behavioural Ecology). We measured temperature
of different brood regions to quantify the homeostatic performance of intact colonies. Temperature response thresholds of individual (separated) workers were measured. Based on these
workers, groups of workers with different threshold distributions were assembled and tested for
their collective ability to regulate brood-nest temperature.
We show that: (1) mean temperature and degree of temperature fluctuation inside a nest differs,
depending on brood-age and number of workers present, (2) a bumblebee worker’s response
behaviour is influenced not only by stimulus intensity but also by its social environment. We (3)
analyze the effect of different threshold distributions on collective homeostasis and discuss the
importance of inter-individual variability for the social organization of insect colonies. We believe
our experimental approach will reveal important parameters of individual and collective behaviour that are so far not addressed in existing models.
Poster BB.18
Title Do personality types differ in their reproductive success? Paternity analysis in an
experimental population of common voles (Microtus arvalis).
ANDREA SCHUSTER1, ANTJE HERDE1 & JANA A. ECCARD1
1
Behavioural studies of animal personalities gain more and more interest. Former investigations
have revealed relationships between personality types and fitness parameters. However, only
little is known about the heritability of personality traits and the reproductive success of the different types. Therefore we investigated, whether two different personality types (bold and shy) of
common voles (Microtus arvalis) have an effect on the reproductive success. Furthermore, we
wanted to detect, if there is any variability in the reproductive success of the different personality
traits throughout the year. In semi-natural enclosures (50x50 meters) we kept small populations
of wild caught voles. The personality had been tested in the laboratory before. Based on the personality traits we stocked each enclosure with eight voles, four females and four males, in which
each sex consisted of two shy and two bold individuals. Tissue samples were collected for DNA
extraction. Amplification of ten microsatellite loci was used for paternity analysis. Microsatellite
markers were highly polymorphic. The mean number of alleles was 15.6 alleles, ranging from
eight to 28 alleles per locus. Except for two, all microsatellite loci showed no departure from
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. For this purpose, likelihood-based paternity analysis with CERVUS
was based on eight microsatellite loci. For 119 of 247 offspring (48.2 %) parents identification
was possible. 60.0 % of the females and 48.8 % of the males were detected as parents of one or
more offspring. Individual reproductive success varied between zero and eleven for the females
and zero and 14 for the males. The results have not revealed any evidence for personality based
mate choice or reproductive skew so far.
35
Poster BB.19
Social experiences during adolescence shape sexual behavior in adult male zebra finches
(Taeniopygia guttata)
TIM RUPLOH1, NIKOLAUS V. ENGELHARDT1, HANS-JOACHIM BISCHOF1
1
Department of Behavioural Biology, Bielefeld University
The social environment during the crucial period of adolescence may indicate social conditions
during adulthood and induce adaptive modifications of social behaviour. In large groups individuals have to tolerate competitors, but need more skills to compete for and attract mates compared
with solitary or pair-living individuals. Such differences may be caused by the high frequency of
social interactions, competition and courtship that individuals experience in large, mixed-sex
groups in contrast to individuals living in pairs. To study the long-term consequences of the social environment during adolescence on male sexual behaviour, we kept zebra finches after nutritional independence in pairs (1 male + 1 female or 2 males) or larger mixed-sex groups (3
males + 3 females). Males reared with a single female were most aggressive and competitive
and initially more attractive for unfamiliar females. In contrast, the attractiveness of males raised
in mixed-sex groups was initially low but increased once females were familiar to the different
males. These findings suggest that zebra finches may possess behavioral adaptations to territorial or group-living lifestyles.
Poster BB.20
No experimental evidence for sneaking in the West African cichlid Pelvicachromis taeniatus.
KATHRIN LANGEN1,2, TIMO THÜNKEN1 & THEO C. M. BAKKER1
1
corresponding author: [email protected]
2
Alternative reproductive tactics are widespread in fishes. Due to the diversity of mating systems
and fertilisation mechanisms in fishes the potential for sperm competition is high. In some cichlid
species sneaked fertilisations were detected, while in others no evidence for alternative reproductive tactics was found, suggesting genetic monogamy. In cichlids the sperm competition risk
is very divergent and large sperm are usually interpreted as an adaptation to sperm competition.
The West African cichlid Pelvicachromis taeniatus is a socially monogamous cave breeder with
biparental brood care that shows size and colour dimorphism. Its small relative testis size indicates low gonadal investment, which is typical for genetically monogamous species. In contrast,
the total sperm length is extraordinarily long, possibly as an adaptation to strong sperm competition. Here we examined whether sneaking tactics exist in P. taeniatus. We observed the reproductive behaviour of ten equally composed groups under semi-natural conditions over a period
of several weeks 24h a day via digital video recording. After spawning, eggs were removed and
paternity tests were conducted using six to ten microsatellites. Additionally, video recordings
were analysed to identify sneaking attempts during the spawning events. The results suggest an
absence of sneaking during spawning, thus genetic monogamy in this population of P. taeniatus.
No evidence for sperm competition was found, assuming that other selection pressures have to
be responsible for the evolution of long sperm in P. taeniatus.
36
Poster BB.21
Juvenile kin recognition is based on familial imprinting rather than self-reference in a
cichlid fish.
SASKIA HESSE1, THEO C. M. BAKKER1, SEBASTIAN A. BALDAUF1 AND TIMO THÜNKEN1
1
Kin-biased behaviour is important for Hamilton’s inclusive fitness theory, which predicts benefits for
cooperating with close relatives. In this study kin recognition mechanism underlying discrimination
of kin in juvenile Pelvicachromis taeniatus was examined. Previous work on the species showed
that these fish are able to recognise unfamiliar kin suggesting phenotype-matching as kin recognition mechanism. Here, kin recognition based on chemical cues and the specific phenotypematching mechanism was analysed. Experimental fish were reared under different conditions to
manipulate recognition templates and to determine whether recognition of kin is self-referential or
based on familial imprinting. Rearing conditions were as follows: 1. reared with kin, 2. in isolation, 3.
with foster siblings. Pelvicachromis pulcher families served as foster families. Test fish had to
choose between olfactory cues obtained from two stimulus shoals differing in relatedness to the test
fish. Test fish reared with kin discriminated unfamiliar kin from unfamiliar non-kin. However, focal
fish reared in isolation or with foster siblings did not significantly discriminate unfamiliar kin from unfamiliar non-kin suggesting that juveniles did not imprint on their own phenotypic traits. Furthermore, individuals reared with foster siblings preferred unfamiliar olfactory stimuli of the foster species over those of their own indicating rearing partners as reference. Thus, imprinting is probably
based on social learning rather than self-reference in juvenile P. taeniatus.
Poster BB.22
Female mate-choice in the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) from different photic habitats with respect to UV-signaling.
MEIKE HIERMES1,2, STEPHANIE REHER1 & THEO C. M. BAKKER1
1
2
Ultraviolet (UV) signals have been shown to be of importance in mate-choice contexts in numerous species, amongst others the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.), which is
able to transmit and perceive in the UV-wave range. The benefits of private UV-signaling and the
costly expression and receipt of UV signals are a function of the prevailing ecological conditions.
A decisive factor for colour signaling is the photic environment, especially in aquatic habitats, as
the visibility of colour signals, and thus costs and benefits of signals are instantaneously influenced by it. The island of North Uist (Outer Hebrides), Scotland, comprises bodies of water ranging from clear-water to turbid, tea-stained lakes. The latter are characterised by strong absorption and scattering of short wavelengths, especially UV-wavelengths, and thus the lakes across
the island possess great variation in their UV-transmission. We examined female sticklebacks of
six populations, three of which originated from tea-stained lakes and the other three from clearwater lakes, with respect to their preferences to court males viewed under UV-rich and UV-poor
conditions. The results are discussed in the context of differences in UV-signaling and UVpreferences between the two habitat types, and possible evolutionary adaptations.
37
Poster BB.23
Measuring cortisol from faeces of European Bison (Bison bonasus)
PHILIP SCHMITZ1, JULIA EGGERMANN2, KLAUDIA W ITTE 1
1
2
Ecology & Ethology, University of Siegen
Biology & Biotechnology, Ruhr-University of Bochum
Measuring cortisol from faeces is an appropriate non-invasive method to acces stress-level in
wild-living animals.
In the E+E-Project „Wisente im Rothaargebirge“ (Germany, NRW) a herd (2,6) of European Bison (Bison bonasus L. 1758) is managed in a 88 ha area. They live in a low mountain range
habitat with beech-, pine- and alder-forest as well as grassland and creeks.
To analyze the stress level of the herd, 11-Oxoaetiocholanolon EIA, an enzyme-immunoassay,
has been used to measure cortisol from faeces. The method has been tested on domestic cattle,
row and red deer. We collected samples of fresh faeces per individual and stored them until
analysis by – 25° C.
We found no correlation between the cortisol-level and the mean air temperature (previous day),
although the cortisol-level rises slightly with decreasing temperatures.
The peak in the cortisol-levels of November 11th and 12th was probably linked to the hurricane
„Carmen“. Other disturbing events like the killing of a herd member (probably by the adult bull)
on December 1st or the first snowfall on November 24th have no influence on the cortisol-level.
Single stress-causing events like narcotization and application of a radio-collar had strong but
short impact on an individual (increase of cortisol by 500 %, t = 28 h).
For the detection of single stress-factors dense data record is required.
Poster BB.24
Pilot study of camera trapping released European mink - a reliable method for surveying
distribution?
INA KLAUMANN 1, CHRISTIAN SEEBASS2 & ELISABETH PETERS 3
1
Zu den Hütten 6, 66265 Heusweiler, Germany
EuroNerz e.V., 49074 Osnabrück, Germany
3
Kurze Str. 12, 49080 Osnabrück, Germany
2
A reintroduction of European mink Mustela lutreola, an endangered, riparian mustelid native to
Europe, started in the federal country Saarland, south-west Germany in 2006. To conduct regular
updates on the distribution of released specimens radio tracking and live trapping were used. Both
methods imply the drawback of being invasive and cost-intensive. Also, live trapping is also not advisable during reproduction. Therefore, this study assesses the suitability of the non-invasive camera trapping for the detection of (1) European mink, (2) its competitors and (3) its predators.
Cameras were set up from May 2009 to October 2010 at 61 locations in the study area, mainly
along the streams Alsbach and ILL. The camera type Cuddeback ® Capture (automatic digital
white-flash camera with hair trigger) was used.
A total of 3109 camera trap nights yielded 3204 photographs of 19 species of mammals and several species of birds. The target species as well as other mammals similar or smaller in size were
detected successfully, regardless of the season of the year. M. lutreola was detected at 31 camera
locations (mean: 18 pictures per location, SD: ± 51, range: 0-321, n=1118). Western polecat is present at river stretches seasonally in late autumn and winter. No correlation with the seasonally
presence of M. putorius and the presence of M. lutreola was found. Domestic cats and dogs, as
well as red fox are present in the release area all year round. A significant relationship between the
density of M. lutreola calculated by camera trapping and the density observed by radio tracking was
detected. However, calculated density overestimates real density by a factor of 4 to 80.
38
Poster BB.25
Pilot study of hair trapping released European mink - a reliable method for surveying distribution?
INA KLAUMANN1, CHRISTIAN SEEBASS2 & ELISABETH PETERS3,
1
Zu den Hütten 6, 66265 Heusweiler, Germany
EuroNerz e.V., 49074 Osnabrück, Germany
3
Kurze Str. 12, 49080 Osnabrück, Germany
2
A reintroduction of European mink Mustela lutreola, an endangered, riparian mustelid native to
Europe, started in the federal country Saarland, south-west Germany in 2006. To conduct regular updates on the distribution of released specimens radio tracking and live trapping were used.
Both methods imply the drawback of being invasive and cost-intensive. Also, live trapping is also
not advisable during reproduction.
For an alternative, since 2009 a monitoring system based on hair trapping was tested. Hair traps
were made of a wired mesh and covered by an adhesive foil. They were set up regularly in the
study area, mainly along the streams Alsbach and ILL. Light-microscopy of hair samples, collected by these hair traps verified the presence of M. lutreola in the test area, which indicates
that prepared hair collecting traps were used by the European mink. Thus, this monitoring
method seems to be promising. Preliminary results will be presented.
Poster BB.26
Homoiothermy in Apis dorsata. Occurence of convection holes.
DOMINIQUE W ADDOUP1, FRANK WEIHMANN1, MADHUSUDAN MAN SINGH2, THOMAS HÖTZL1, GERALD
KASTBERGER1
1
2
Department of Zoology, University of Graz
Research Centre for Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
The Giant honeybee Apis dorsata, which is native to south eastern Asia, builds its single-comb
nests on tree branches, rocks or buildings. The comb is covered by colony members in multiple
layers. The open nesting behaviour seems to be prone to temperature fluctuations, as there is no
insulation except the individuals themselves. The main goal of a colony is keeping up the inner nest
milieu, regarding temperature, humidity and content of oxygen. Capped brood is vulnerable to temperature changes, especially to temperatures higher than 36°C. Apis dorsata has therefore evolved
strategies to keep especially the brood regions of the nest at a constant temperature of 34-35°C. If
ambient temperature is low, heat will be collectively produced by active thoracic heating. In contrast, excessive heat is disposed on defecation flights; their numbers per day increase with ambient
temperature. Additionally, Giant honeybees possess the ability to establish air convection. A visual
sign of this system is the occurrence of convection holes and actively fanning surface bees. This
study was carried out on two nests of Apis dorsata at two different sites, and followed up the generation of these convection holes as well as the changes of their topology under the daily temperature regimes. To enable this, we used parallel infrared and HD video recordings, data loggers (to
register ambient temperature, solar radiation and humidity) and image analysis programmes. The
paper questions whether and how fanning bees trigger the appearance of the convection holes and
evidences that their occurrence is correlated with ambient temperature.
39
Poster BB.27
The influence of perceived predation risk on the development of behavioural syndromes
in three-spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus.
VALENTINA BALZARINI1, 2, ATTILA HETTYEY2, LEIF ENGQVIST3, JOACHIM G. FROMMEN1, 2
1
Institute for Ecology and Evolution, Ethologische Station Hasli, University of Bern
Konrad Lorenz Institute for Ethology, Department für Integrative Biologie und Evolution, Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien
3
Theoretical Biology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
2
Animal personalities are known to be affected by several environmental factors, of which predation is one of the most ecologically relevant. However, evidence for this effect often comes from
correlational studies, while it has seldom been demonstrated experimentally. To investigate how
predation pressure shapes the personality of three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus)
we manipulated the perceived predation risk throughout their life by exposing them to odour of a
natural predator (Perca fluviatilis), a harmless fish (Rutilus rutilus), or a tap water control. We
show that individuals exposed to heterospecific olfactory cues were shyer than unthreatened
individuals, and that the most common behavioural syndromes (activity/aggression, shoaling/anti-predator behaviour) were fixed at the population level, instead of being plastic, as shown
elsewhere. These results indicate that the structure of behavioural syndromes can differ among
population of the same species, and that shy responses might be provoked not only by a predation threat, but also by more general cues.
Poster BB.28
Helper acceptance on demand in a cooperatively breeding fish.
JOACHIM G. FROMMEN 1, 2, MARKUS ZÖTTL, AND MICHAEL TABORSKY
1
Institute for Ecology and Evolution, Ethologische Station Hasli, University of Bern
Konrad Lorenz Institute for Ethology, Department für Integrative Biologie und Evolution, Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien
2
Human societies often regulate immigration depending on necessity and demand of skills needed by the society. A comparable phenomenon has never been shown in non-human animals,
despite the fact that all cooperative species in which division of labour occur should benefit from
strategically accepting immigrants depending on ecological or social demands. In the present
study we manipulated the need for territory defence in a cooperative breeding cichlid fish (Neolamprologus pulcher) in which subordinate group members participate in communal territory defence. We show that previously unknown helpers enjoyed a higher acceptance rate in groups
which were exposed to piscivor intruders or to egg predators compared to groups exposed to
herbivore fish or no intruder at all. These results suggest that cooperative breeding cichlid
groups adjust immigration into the group to the ecological demands needed.
40
Developmental Biology
41
Talk DB.1
Ectopic expression of hunchback during germband growth of Tribolium results in ectopic
gap gene expression.
JUTTA DISTLER1
1
Developmental Biology Unit, Department Biology, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen
The knock-down of gap genes like hunchback (hb) and giant (gt) by parental RNAi in Tribolium
results in segmentation and homeotic defects. Both genes are expressed in several domains
during embryogenesis, i.e. in the blastoderm as well as during subsequent growth stages. Parental RNAi cannot distinguish between separate functions in early and late stages. To overcome
this problem, hb dsRNA was injected into germ rudiment embryos, which resulted in homeotic
defects but did not identify a segmentation function for the posterior domain of Tc’hb.
As an alternative method to interfere with gap gene function in germband stages, we generated
transgenic strains based on the Tribolium heatshock promoter (Schinko and Bucher, unpublished)
which allow to induce a gap gene expression at any timepoint of development. While overexpression of Tc’gt, which is normally active in the anterior abdomen of the embryo, results in anterior abdominal defects, Tc’hb overexpression in the early germband often results in larvae displaying additional abdominal segments. Given that we do not induce spatially specific expression in these experiments, we interprete this as evidence for a segmentation clock mechanism in short germ segmentation while a stripe-specific function of the posterior hb domain seems less likely.
Talk DB.2
iBeetle: Genome wide RNAi screen for embryonic and metamorphic development in the
beetle Tribolium castaneum.
MICHAEL, SCHOPPMEIER1 (THE IBEETLE CONSORTIUM)
1
Developmental Biology Unit, Department Biology, Erlangen University
Most of what we know about the genetics of insect biology is based on work in Drosophila
melanogaster. However, several features of the higher Dipterans are derived, hard to study due
to technical reasons or not representative for insects. In addition, not all gene functions have
been identified due to redundancies by lineage specific gene duplications or gene loss. In the
meanwhile, a number of alternative insect model systems are being established, which complement and validate Drosophila data.
Tribolium castaneum stands out due to well established transgenic techniques, a strong and systemic RNAi response and a sequenced genome. In order to overcome current limitations in insect science, we perform a genomewide RNAi screen called “iBeetle”. First, we want to identify
missing components of well studied processes. Further, we want to open new fields of insect
research to functional analysis and finally, we aim at developing Tribolium into a complementary
screening platform to identify genes that will be studied back in other systems.
We are running two screens in parallel, which allows the rapid, efficient identification of genes
involved in a number of developmental processes. In the first screen, dsRNA-injection into female pupae induces defects in oogenesis and in embryonic development of their offspring. In the
second screen, injections into late larval stages allow for the analysis of metamorphosis control,
somatic stem cell control and the development of adult structures. Moreover, we screen for
melanotic stink glands and for fluorescently marked muscles.
The screen will provide the community with information on gene function and the established
library of dsRNA templates will allow further screens to be performed in the near future. We are
committed to provide the community with these resources as early as possible.
42
Talk DB.3
Isolation of Drosophila mutants with defects in cardiac development using cell typespecific GFP and RFP reporters.
DOMINIK HOLLFELDER1
1
Department Biologie, Abteilung für Entwicklungsbiologie, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
The Drosophila dorsal vessel serves as a model system for the investigation of basic mechanisms of cardiac development. It is a relatively simple contractile tube formed by to rows of cardiomyocytes joining at the dorsal midline. This tube consists of a wider heart portion with inflow
tracts in the posterior, and of the narrower aorta in the anterior. In addition to the cardiomyocytes
there are several types of non-muscular pericardial cells as well as segmental pairs of specialized somatic muscles, called alary muscles which provide further support.
Many key players of cardiogenesis were identified in Drosophila, but we are far from understanding the entire process, in particular its morphogenetic events. Furthermore, very little is known
about the formation and function of the heart-associated alary muscles. In order to find novel
regulators of distinct developmental processes during cardiogenesis we performed an EMS
mutagenesis screen for cardiac abnormalities using reporter constructs expressing GFP in cardioblasts and RFP in the alary muscles. Approaching saturation of the 2nd chromosome we kept
over 300 mutant lines showing a variety of dorsal vessel and alary muscle phenotypes. We are
now focusing on several complementation groups that correspond to genes with no reported
function in heart or alary muscle development or that are currently being mapped to yet unknown
loci in our lab.
Talk DB.4
Development and Evolution of the Teleostean Forebrain, or - How Clever are Zebrafish?
THOMAS MUELLER
1
Department of Developmental Biology, Division Wolfgang Driever, Faculty of Biology, University of
Freiburg
The telencephalon, the most anterior part of the forebrain, houses the hierarchical highest brain
structures. In humans the telencephalon is responsible for cognitive and emotive functions and
consists of the isocortex, the hippocampus, and the amygdala. These regions are crucial for both
the understanding of neural circuits and molecular factors underlying complex behaviors. The
telencephalon of zebrafish, an emerging model organism for the study of brain disorders, displays an unusual morphology. Pallial derivatives in zebrafish corresponding to the isocortex, hippocampus, and parts of the amygdaloid complex in mammals are located differently and have
not been well understood. Using an evo-devo approach, I deciphered the complex outward folding process of the zebrafish telencephalon based on BrdU-stainings, the distribution of nicotine
adenine dinucleotide phosphate diphorase (NADPHd) activity, and the expression of parvalbumin. I demonstrate that the central (Dc) zone is an obscured histogenetic unit (the dorsal pallium)
that during development sinks into the center of the zebrafish forebrain. My model explains the
zebrafish pallium as the result of a complex outward-inward folding and delineates those regions
that topologically correspond to the mammalian amygdala, hippocampus, piriform cortex and
isocortex. These results have implications for both the interpretation of the zebrafish telencephalon and its evolution in ray-finned fish and the applicability of zebrafish as a neurological model
organism.
43
Talk DB.5
Zebrafish Pou5f1-dependent transcriptional networks in temporal control of early development.
DARIA ONICHTCHOUK 1
1
Developmental Biology, Institute Biology I, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg
The transcription factor POU5f1/OCT4 controls pluripotency in mammalian ES cells, but little is
known about its functions in the early embryo. We used time-resolved transcriptome analysis of
zebrafish pou5f1 MZspg mutant embryos to identify genes regulated by Pou5f1. Comparison to
mammalian systems defines evolutionary conserved Pou5f1 targets. Time-series data reveal
many Pou5f1 targets with delayed or advanced onset of expression. We identify two Pou5f1dependent mechanisms controlling developmental timing. First, several Pou5f1 targets are transcriptional repressors, mediating repression of differentiation genes in distinct embryonic compartments. We analyze her3 gene regulation as example for a repressor in the neural anlagen.
Second, the dynamics of SoxB1 group gene expression and Pou5f1-dependent regulation of
her3 and foxD3 uncovers differential requirements for SoxB1 activity to control temporal dynamics of activation, and spatial distribution of targets in the embryo. We establish a mathematical
model of the early Pou5f1 and SoxB1 gene network to demonstrate regulatory characteristics
important for developmental timing. The temporospatial structure of the zebrafish Pou5f1 target
networks may explain aspects of the evolution of the mammalian stem cell networks.
Talk DB.6
Lhx2 and Lhx9 determine neuronal differentiation and compartmentalization in the caudal
forebrain by regulating Wnt signalling.
DANIELA PEUKERT1, SABRINA W EBER1, ANDREW LUMSDEN2, STEFFEN SCHOLPP1
1
2
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Kings’s College London
Initial anterior–posterior patterning of the neural tube into forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain primordia occurs already during gastrulation, in response to signals patterning the neural plate. After the initial establishment, further development within each brain part is thought to proceed
largely independently of the others. However, mechanisms should exist that ensure proper delineation of brain subdivisions also at later stages; such mechanisms are, however, poorly understood. In the caudal forebrain there are two main functional units, the thalamus and the
pretectum. Here we show that proper neuronal differentiation of the thalamus requires Lhx2 and
Lhx9 function. If the differentiation process is blocked, the adjacent Wnt positive embryonic roof
plate expands into the thalamus. This leads to an upregulation of Wnt signaling in the caudal
forebrain. Lack of Lhx2/Lhx9 function as well as increased Wnt signalling alter the expression of
the thalamus specific cell adhesion factor pcdh10b and leads subsequently to a striking disorganization of the caudal forebrain.
We therefore suggest that after initial neural tube patterning, proper neurogenesis within a brain
compartment is an essential prerequisite maintaining the integrity of the neuronal progenitor pool
and cell lineage restriction of a neuromeric compartment.
44
Talk DB.7
Mex-3 regulates head development in bugs & beetles.
IRENE, SCHNELLHAMMER1
1
Developmental Biology Unit, Department Biology, Erlangen University
In the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera), the segmentation process is very well understood. Key players during early embryogenesis are Bicoid and Caudal. Bicoid activates anterior
target genes and is also necessary to repress caudal translation at the anterior side of the embryo. The posterior patterning function of Caudal seems to be conserved in a variety of insect
orders. Bicoid, however, is only found in the Cyclorrhaphan flies and the question arises how
anterior Caudal repression is performed in other organisms. Recently, it has been shown that in
Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera) the KH- domain Protein Mex-3 is required for anterior Caudal
repression. To elucidate whether this system is also present in other insect groups, we analysed
mex-3 and caudal in the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus (Hemiptera). We found, that while
Of-caudal is necessary for the formation of abdominal segments, Of-mex-3 parental RNAi results
in head-less embryos, indicating an important function for Of-mex-3 in head patterning. Since Ofmex-3 is expressed already during early blastoderm stages, its function in translation repression
of Caudal might be conserved between beetles and bugs. We propose that Mex-3 indeed represents an ancient ‘‘anterior’’ promoting factor, whose role has been usurped in higher dipterans by
Bicoid.
Talk DB.8
Activation of Hox gene expression during caudal regeneration of Platynereis dumerilii.
KATHRIN PFEIFER, ADRIAAN W.C. DORRESTEIJN, ANDREAS C. FRÖBIUS
Institut für Allgemeine und Spezielle Zoologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen
Regeneration of lost body parts is widely distributed among metazoan taxa. Frequently a
blastema forms which re-establishes pre-existing patterns along the anterior-posterior body axis.
Since Hox cluster genes encode for transcription factors determining positional information in a
spatial and temporal manner during embryonic development they may also be re-activated and
used in the regeneration process. In this study, we investigate temporal and spatial expression
patterns of Hox genes during caudal regeneration in the polychaete Platynereis dumerilii. Whole
mount in situ hybridization reveals a spatial re-iterated expression of Pdu-Hox1, Pdu-Hox4, PduHox5, Pdu-Lox5 and Pdu-Post2. The labels correspond to distinct structures within the central
and peripheral nervous system. The labelled sections corroborate to neuronal regenerated elements of the central nervous system (e.g. after immunohistochemical staining against acetylated
tubulin). During later stages of regeneration subsets of perikarya form structures in ganglia of the
newly formed CNS described as neuromeres. Transcripts of these genes were detected in genespecific combinations of these neuromeres and associated structures of the nervous system
suggesting roles in patterning of the ganglia. In contrast to these findings, Pdu-Hox3 and PduHox2 transcript is localized in the pre-pygidial growth zone, Pdu-Post1 can be detected in the
chaetal sacs and Pdu-Lox2 even shows a diffuse mesodermal distribution.
45
Talk DB.9
Convergent Evolution of a Limb-less "Abdomen" in Spiders: The Hox Gene Antennapedia
Represses Limbs on the Anterior Spider Opisthosoma.
SARA KHADJEH1, MATTHIAS PECHMANN1, EVELYN E. SCHWAGER2, NATASCHA TURETZEK1, ERNST A.
WIMMER1, WIM G.M. DAMEN3 AND NIKOLA-MICHAEL PRPIC1
1
Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institut für Zoologie und Anthropologie, Abteilung für Entwicklungsbiologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
2
Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
3
Department of Genetics, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Evolution often results in convergent solutions in different species. Are these convergent morphologies the result of different or similar changes in the underlying gene regulatory network?
The limb-less abdomen in insects and chelicerates forms a typical example of a convergently
evolved morphological character. The diversification of the segmented body plan has been key
to the evolutionary success of the arthropods. While the ancestral arthropod is thought to have
had identical segments along the entire body axis, extant arthropods have adapted different regions of the body to specific functions. The leg-less posterior body ("abdomen") is such a modified body region that has evolved convergently in insects as well as in spiders. While leg repression in the insect abdomen is facilitated by a modification of the Hox protein Ultrabithorax (Ubx),
we show here that in the spider Achaearanea tepidariorum, the Hox gene Antennapedia (Antp) is
mediating leg repression in the anterior spider opisthosoma. In addition, we present evidence
that this novel function of Antp is not due to changes in the Hox protein itself, but due to divergent cellular environments for the Antp protein in spiders and flies. Our results illustrate an interesting example of convergent evolution of a leg-less abdomen in arthropods by affecting different
Hox genes at different levels of their action.
46
Poster DB.1
Expression of piwi-like genes in adult Myzostoma cirriferum.
ANNE WEIGERT1, CONRAD HELM1, HARALD HAUSEN2, CHRISTOPH BLEIDORN1
1
2
Molecular Evolution and Animal Systematics, University of Leipzig
Evolution of cell types, SARS Bergen
Since the discovery of myzostomids, the position of these minute marine parasites in the evolutionary tree of life remained unclear. On one hand myzostomids are placed within the Annelida,
supported by the presence of a modified trochophora larvae, characteristic chaeta, and a ropeladder like nervous system. On the other hand, due to their flattened bodyshape and the absence of a coelom and obvious segmentation, other studies tend to position them among flatworms. Molecular studies reveal contradictory results and provide no strong support for either
position. Many such studies are credited to be misled by long branch attraction. To explore further phylogenetic informative markers we addressed analysis of gene expression pattern.
Piwi genes participate as gene regulators by gene silencing and their expression is limited to
stem cells. It previously has been reported that flatworms express piwi-like genes, unlike other
Bilaterians, in addition to gonadal stem cells also in somatic stem cells. To test the possible affiliation of myzostomids with flatworms, gene expression studies of piwi-like genes were performed. Piwi-like gene transcripts recovered in a mRNA-seq library of pooled adult stages of Myzostoma cirriferum were elongated using RACE-PCR and subsequently cloned and sequenced.
Gene-tree analyses confirmed the identity as a Piwi-ortholog. Our in-situ hybridization studies
show that piwi is clearly located only in gonadal stem cells in Myzostoma cirriferum, and as such
giving no additional support for a possible close relationship with flatworms.
Poster DB.2
Roles of localized maternal RNAs in the crustacean Paryhale hawaiensis.
MATTHIAS KÄSTLE1, SANDRA REINEKE1, MATTHIAS GERBERDING1
1
Institut für Zoologie, Hohenheim University
Early development of the crustacean Paryhale hawaiensis shows an invariant cell lineage. Early
invariant cell lineages are common to nematodes and Spiralians but rare in the arthropods. So
far, they only have been documented for crustaceans such as water fleas and in this case Paryhale. The phylogenetic position of the amphipods such as Paryhale among the crustaceans is
nested within the Peracarida. As all taxa of the Peracarida except Amphipoda show superficial
cleavage, the invariant lineage of Paryhale must have arisen as secondarily from superficial
cleavage. The invariant cell lineage of Paryhale generates eight progenitors. Each progenitor
gives rise to either germline, ectoderm, endoderm or mesoderm. We would like to know (1) how
the cell lineage in Paryhale is controlled molecularly and (2) whether there is conservation between Paryhale and other crustaceans, other arthropods such as Drosophila and nonarthropods. We used a cDNA microarray to identify asymmetrically distributed, maternal RNAs.
Currently, we test the role of asymmetric RNAs by in situ hybridzation and RNAi.
47
Poster DB.3
Signaling by the overepressed Kringelchen FGFR induces tissue constriction - In the
body column.
CHRISTIAN HASSE AND MONIKA HASSEL
Spezielle Zoologie, Morphology and Evolution of Invertebrates, Philipps University Marburg
One of the functions of FGFR signaling in higher animals is the formation of boundaries like establishment of the midbrain-hindbrain boundary. This function seems conserved, since signaling
by the Hydra FGFR Kringelchen is essential for the establishment of the boundary between parent and bud (1), where it likely acts upstream of Notch (2).
In order to further investigate the signaling capacities of Kringelchen, we used transgenesis (3)
and overexpressed either the full length FGFR or a putative dominant-negative variant in Hydra.
Overexpression of the full length FGFR resulted in autotomy of the body column by formation of
a transverse constriction and finally separation of the fragments. The speed of separation depended on the expression of Kringelchen either in the ectoderm (4 days) or entoderm (10 days).
Overexpression of the putatively dominant-negative FGFR instead resulted in lack of bud detachment despite a fully developed foot. In both cases disregulated FGFR signaling also led to
non-detaching buds, which remained attached to the parent by a broad tissue bridge. This corresponds to phenotypes obtained by either inhibiting FGFR signaling through SU5402 or Notch
signaling through DAPT.
One of the putative downstream signaling targets of FGFRs is the Ras/MAPK pathway, which in
turn may target the cytoskeleton. In fact, strongly dpERK-positive cells occur in a patch of cells at
a normal bud base as well as at separation sites during autotomy. Phalloidin staining revealed a
highly irregular cytoskeleton in non-detaching buds and disturbance of the normal pattern at
separation sites. The MAPK inhibitor UO126 reversibly prohibited bud detachment in stage 9.
We therefore conclude that FGFR signaling is able to start a program of tissue separation possibly by targeting MAPK signaling in the final step(s) of bud detachment.
(1)
Sudhop et al., 2004; (2) Münter et al., 2010; (3) Wittlieb et al., 2006. We thank Bert Hobmayer
and Thomas Bosch and their groups for help with transgenesis and the DFG for support
48
Poster DB.4
Electrical patterning along the anteroposterior and dorsoventral axes in the follicle-cell
epithelium of Drosophila melanogaster.
JULIA KRÜGER AND JOHANNES BOHRMANN
Institut für Biologie II, Abt. Zoologie und Humanbiologie, RWTH Aachen
During Drosophila oogenesis, a variety of intercellular mechanisms are involved in establishing
the spatial coordinates of the developing follicle. Especially the follicle-cell (FC) epithelium undergoes various specializations while the anteroposterior and dorsoventral axes are determined.
At least five different types of FC - i. e. polar cells, terminal FC, main-body FC, stretched FC and
centripetal FC - can be distinguished on the morphological as well as on the molecular level.
Since bioelectric phenomena have been observed during Drosophila oogenesis, and such phenomena are known to play important roles in many developing systems, we examined the membrane-potential properties of FC in detail using the potentiometric probe DiBAC4(3). We found
stage-specific electrical differences that correspond with the different FC types mentioned above,
especially during stage 9. These differences result in an electrical anteroposterior pattern in the
FC epithelium. Another remarkable finding is a dorsoventral asymmetry in the membranepotential distribution that can be detected before morphological polarity is visible. To study the
origin of the membrane-potential differences we used antibodies against V-ATPase and gapjunction proteins as well as fluorescent inhibitors of Na,K-ATPases, ATP-dependent K-channels,
Na,H-antiporters and Na-channels, respectively. We found asymmetries in the anteroposterior
distributions of gap junctions, of Na-channels and of ATP-dependent K-channels and in the
dorsoventral distribution of V-ATPases. The concerted activity of these membrane-channel proteins gives rise to the observed membrane-potential characteristics. We suspect that electrical
polarity plays an early role in the determination of dorsoventral polarity in the FC epithelium of
Drosophila follicles.
Poster DB.5
Establishing Closely Related Species for "Micro-evo-devo" Studies in Spiders.
MATTHIAS PECHMANN, DAWID LBIK, AND NIKOLA-MICHAEL PRPIC
Biological evolution by genetic mutation and natural selection leads to the diversification of populations
and eventually to the formation of new species. This process is often slow and involves phases of incomplete separation of the differentiating populations (that are then often described as local races or
subspecies). In spiders, however, this process appears to be fast and subspecies or local forms are
rarely described. This might be caused by the special mode of species recognition in spiders: the
males have special organs (bulbs) on their pedipalps that are used for sperm transfer to the female
genital opening (epigyne). The bulb and the epigyne have species specific morphologies ("key-andlock"), and thus even minor changes in this morphology could theoretically lead to the instant separation of small subpopulations and the emergence of reproductively isolated groups. Species of the genus Achaearanea (according to newer revisions now probably to be called Parasteatoda) are very
similar and mainly differ only in size and body color. However, the bulb sclerite morphology of the
males shows significant differences. One of these species, Achaearanea tepidariorum, is already a
well-established emerging model organisms for evolutionary developmental studies. We describe here
our efforts to establish additional species from this genus to investigate the evolution of developmental
mechanisms in spiders on the level of populations or closely related species. These studies might provide insight into the principles of speciation in spiders.
49
Poster DB.6
Evolutionary Diversification of Allometric Growth Mechanisms of Walking Legs in Spiders.
NATASCHA TURETZEK, MATTHIAS PECHMANN, AND NIKOLA-MICHAEL PRPIC
Adaption of morphological structures to novel roles and functions is the main driving force behind
the evolution of biological diversity. The appendages of the arthropods are one important focus
of adaptive evolution and therefore are arguably unique in their wealth of form and function. The
walking legs of spiders show striking diversity in their length in relation to body size pointing to
evolutionary changes in allometric growth mechanisms. We have previously identified several
genes involved in allometric leg growth in the spider Cupiennius salei and other potential candidates are known from leg developmental studies in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We are
now studying homologs of these genes in the spiders Pholcus phalangioides and Achaearanea
tepidariorum, two species that are characterized by very long and very short walking legs, respectively. These studies will provide us with insight into the evolution of allometric growth
mechanisms and leg length in spiders.
Poster DB.7
Novel Function of Distal-less as a Gap Gene During Spider Segmentation.
MATTHIAS PECHMANN1, ALISTAIR P. MCGREGOR2, 3, W IM G.M. DAMEN4, AND NIKOLA-MICHAEL PRPIC1
1
2
Institut für Populationsgenetik, Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien
3
School of Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University
4
Department of Genetics, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
The evolution of novel gene functions has played an important role in the evolution of developmental regulation and the emergence of new segmental structures. The homeobox gene Distalless (Dll) is known for its evolutionarily conserved function in appendage development in metazoans. Here we describe a novel and unexpected role of Dll in the spider Achaearanea tepidariorum. We detect At-Dll transcripts not only in the distal portions of all appendages, but unexpectedly also in an anterior domain during very early spider development. We show that this
early expression domain of At-Dll is required for head segmentation. RNA interference experiments result in spiders that lack either the first or the first and the second walking leg segment
(L1, L2). The early At-Dll expression is also required for the activation of the segment polarity
genes engrailed and hedgehog in this region. Our work identifies the Distal-less gene as a novel
factor in anterior spider segmentation with a gap gene-like function. This novel role of Dll is interesting because the homologous insect segment, the mandible segment, does not express Dll
and does not require this gene for patterning. Our study suggests that loss of the gap gene function of Dll identified in the spider facilitated the reduction of mandibular Dll expression observed
in the crustacean/insect lineage, and therefore offers a new insight into the evolution and development of the mandible segment.
50
Poster DB.8
Hemocyte identification in Manduca sexta embryos.
YVETTE M. KÜHNEL1 AND TINA E. TRENCZEK1
1
Allgemeine Zoologie und Entwicklungsbiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
The different hemocyte types in M. sexta larvae can be characterised by a set of specific
monoclonal antibodies (e.g. MS#7, MS#13, MS#34, MS#75) (Willot et al. 1994).
We showed with these antibodies that hemocytes with larval characteristics occur in embryos
of M. sexta embryos at distinct stages.
Plasmatocytes (PL) identified by specific PL antibodies (mab MS#13, mab MS#34) were detected at 75 % developmental time (DT) (Nardi et al. 2004). Since first data from Gökçen
(2003) indicate an earlier occurrence of these cells we started a detailed analysis with a set of
independent markers to follow up the hemocyte development in embryos. With mab MS#75, a
typical larval PL marker, the appearance of PLs was identified at 60 % DT. All earlier stages
tested were screened negative.
Granular cells (GR) were described to appear at 15 % DT by lectin histochemistry (Nardi et
al. 2004). With mab MS#7 we can trace down the appearance of GRs at least to around 45
to 50 % DT.
Poster DB.9
(Immuno-)histochemical Characterisation of Hematopoietic Organs in Manduca sexta
(L. 1763).
CHRISTOPH-RÜDIGER VON BREDOW1
1
Allgemeine Zoologie und Entwicklungsbiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
In Lepidoptera, loosely arranged cellular clouds around the wing disks are known as hematopoietic organs (HO) (Arvy 1952 after Akai and Sato 1970; Monpeyssin and Beaulaton 1978). In
M. sexta, the HO has been proven as a source of plasmatocytes by immunohistochemical identification (Nardi 2003, Beetz 2002). So far, it could not be shown that the other hemocyte types
(granular cells [GR], spherule cells [SP], oenocytoids [OE]) originate from the HO as well. First
results indicate that at least GRs may not be present in the HO (Anderl et al. 2001, Nardi 2003).
In order to investigate the differentiation of the hemocytes in the HO more precisely, we used a
set of hemocyte-type-specific monoclonal (MS#7, MS#13, MS#75, MS#77) and polyclonal antibodies as well as lectins (MPA, PNA).
The subset of PL specific Antibodies (MS#13, MS#75, MS#77) revealed that there must be subpopulations of differentiated plasmatocytes, since each marker labels in a slightly different pattern than the others, indicating a complex differentiation of PLs within the HO.
And according to our data, no granular cells, spherule cells or oenocytoids can be found within
the basal membrane enveloped lobes of the HOs.
51
52
Evolutionary Biology
53
Talk EB.1
The impact of increasing environmental variation on optimal plasticity in a life-history
trade-off.
THOMAS S. HOFFMEISTER1, PATRICK COQUILLARD2, LOUISE E.M. VET3 AND ERIC WAJNBERG2
1
I.N.R.A. Sofia Antipolis
3
Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen
2
One of the most important effects of global change may be the increased variance in environmental conditions organisms are exposed to within and across generations. For instance, imagine a large continuous environment with more or less constant resource availability contrasted
with habitat islands in which, due to environmental fluctuations, resources might be present at
one time and sparse or absent at other times. The latter may allow animals to forage locally in
one generation but forces them to disperse to other such habitat islands in other generations. In
such a situation, many insects that forage for oviposition resources like butterflies searching for
host plants or parasitoid wasps hunting for host insects will face the dilemma that they need to
trade-off fecundity against the lifetime they can invest into foraging for oviposition sites. With decreasing predictability of resource availabilities, foragers might be forced to allocate increasingly
into somatic maintenance rather than fecundity. However, phenotypic plasticity along the maintenance-fecundity trade-off may allow individuals adjusting the fecundity-survival trade-off to current conditions within a lifetime. Yet, how plastic should these traits be, if phenotypic plasticity
comes at a somatic cost? Using evolutionary algorithms we analysed optimal trade-offs for insects facing different environments, and the optimal plasticity when such plasticity is costly.
Talk EB.2
Adaptive strategies of small mammals in seasonal environments.
THILO LIESENJOHANN1, JANA ECCARD1, ANTJE HERDE1, TATJANA KNOPP1
1
Department of Animal Ecology, University of Potsdam
Seasonal breeding has evolved in nontropical animals to avoid adverse conditions in environments with distinct seasons. Usually, high energetic needs in winter coincide with low food availability, leading to an offset of reproduction into favourable seasons. But even during optimal
months from spring to autumn, conditions change, calling for adaptive strategies. This is especially true for small rodents, with massive density fluctuations and selective predation pressure.
During summer, predation is stronger on the more active sex (males in most social systems).
Simultaneously, the total population density rises, leading to male biased operational sex ratios,
a self-enhancing process. Thus, males are expected to show behavioural plasticity with respect
to the season they are born into. Many aspects of behaviour e.g., risk-taking while foraging or
searching for potential mates, should be adjusted to potential access to females, the predation
pressure and the nutritional provisioning. To analyse the adaptations of small mammals, we released small populations of the common vole (Microtus arvalis) into ¼ ha outdoor enclosures. All
individuals were equipped with transmitters, allowing us to follow their activity through a reproductive period of six weeks with an automatic radio telemetry system. We can show that males
adjust their activity patterns and homeranges to the respective season and to the availability of
receptive females, e.g., with biggest homeranges after the summer solstice and females in a
post partum oestrous, but smaller homeranges in early summer and autumn.
54
Talk EB.3
Behavioural thresholds for colony defence in leaf-cutting ant queens and workers.
VOLKER NEHRING1, JANNI LARSEN1, PATRIZIA D'ETTORRE1, 2
1
2
Center for Social Evolution, Københavns Universitet
Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée (LEEC), Université Paris 13
One of the key tasks for maintaining the integrity of social insect colonies is nest defence, which
should rely on an efficient nestmate recognition system. We tested the assumption that some
workers specialize in colony defence using one of the most derived and complex insect societies, the leaf-cutting ants. We investigated the nestmate recognition ability of three morphologically distinct worker castes of the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex echinatior, and demonstrate that
major workers are more likely than minors to attack non-nestmates. We furthermore describe a
hitherto unknown behavioural flexibility of young unmated queens (gynes), which upon wing loss
begin to assume worker tasks, including nest defence. The gynes' propensity to attack nonnestmates increased when dealate, but following a different mechanism than workers. While major workers are simply better than minors in discriminating nestmates from non-nestmates, alate
and dealate queens do not differ in their recognition abilities, but in their motivation to attack instead of flee upon presentation of non-nestmate stimuli. Our data demonstrate that selection in
favour of varying behavioural thresholds can lead to the evolution of adaptations at two different
levels of the recognition system: the perception component, at it is the case for workers, which
have a hard-wired sensitivity to the stimulus; and the action component, as for queens, which
perceive the stimulus always in the same way, but vary their response to it.
Talk EB.4
Branching pattern and DNA-Taxonomy of South African Sericini (Scarabaeidae).
HANS-JOACHIM KRAMMER1, SILVIA FABRIZI1 & DIRK AHRENS1
1
Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum A. Koenig, Bonn
Molecular taxonomy and computational methods for delimiting species have become a significant part of systematic biology in the last decade. Since selection, the driving force of evolutionary process, acts on species and populations (e.g. during speciation) it becomes absolutely crucial to recognize the species boundary.
In this study we use mtDNA sequences (Co1 gene, 826 bp) as an universal character system to
infer species boundaries independently from morphology and to detect differences in branching
patterns. We analysed more than 580 Sericini chafers specimens from ca 30 sample sites in
Southern Africa including ca 80 morphospecies. To infer species boundaries we used parsimony
network analysis, population aggregation analysis and General Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC)
modeling. Inferred species clusters are compared with the corresponding morphospecies assignment. The tree topology and branching pattern of the principal clades in the Co1 maximum
likelihood (ML) tree were compared with those in a three-gene tree based on Co1, 16s and 28s
data with a total of 2013 bps. Most striking differences in species clustering was found for the
genus Pleophylla, Co1 sequences did not allow to separate between all well definable morphospecies. While most principal lineages were consistently similar in their branching pattern,
there was an exceptionally fast recent radiation in Pleophylla, possibly due to habitat fragmentation during pleistocene.
55
Talk EB.5
New approaches for explaining the evolution of fruit color diversity.
KALLIOPE E. STOURNARAS1,2, H. MARTIN SCHAEFER1, RICHARD O. PRUM2
1
2
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Freiburg
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University
The color of fleshy fruits is considered to be a signal to seed dispersing frugivores that promotes
the detection and consumption of fruits. Color diversity of fruits dispersed by different types of
dispersers with different visual systems may be partly explained by the dispersal syndrome hypothesis, stating that fruit traits including color correlate with the disperser type. However, the
evolution of color diversity patterns of fruits dispersed by the same disperser type are still not
understood. In our study we analyzed reflectance spectra of 375 fleshy-fruited, bird-dispersed
plant species of seven geographical regions using an avian color space model to understand
patterns of fruit color diversity. We show that the observed fleshy fruit color diversity differs from
the diversity expected under a null model. Moreover, a phylogenetic approach shows that fruit
colors of different angiosperm clades have repeatedly filled out comparable volumes of the color
space indicating homoplasy and low phylogenetic effects in this trait. In addition, we discuss a
novel marketplace model of fruit color evolution in which fruit color diversity is shaped through
the competition of plant species for the attention of dispersers. We conclude that further research
as well as new theoretical approaches is needed to understand the processes leading to the observed, non-random diversity in the evolution of fleshy fruit colors.
Talk EB.6
Chemoecology of Leptopilina heterotoma (Figitidea, Hymenoptera), a parasitoid of Drosophila.
JOHANNES STÖKL1, JOHN HOFFERBERTH2 & JOACHIM RUTHER1
1
2
Institute for Zoology, Chemical Ecology Group, University of Regensburg
Department of Chemistry, Kenyon College, Ohio
Wasps of the genus Leptopilina (Figitidae, Hymenoptera) are solitary parasitoids of Drosophila
larvae. The chemical communication of Leptopilina is poorly understood, especially the pheromones involved in mate finding and courtship behaviour. However, literature data suggest the
presence of a volatile female sex-pheromone for mate attraction. Chemical analyses of cuticle
washes of L. heterotoma showed sex specific differences in the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles as
well as the presence of some female specific iridoid compounds. The major component could be
identified as (-)-iridomyrmecin. In behavioural experiments we demonstrate, that the fraction containing the iridoids was highly attractive to males, suggesting that (-)-iridomyrmecin is the major
component of the volatile female sex-pheromone. Additionally, (-)-iridomyrmecin had a strong
repulsive effect on ants. This dual function of (-)-iridomyrmecin in both defence and sexual communication is a nice example demonstrating the economic use of costly chemical messengers in
insects commonly referred to as ‘semiochemical parsimony’. At close range, both (-)iridomyrmecin and female cuticular hydrocarbons elicit wing fanning in males, a behaviour typically shown during courtship. Interspecific variation in the profile of female cuticular hydrocarbons also indicates a function in species recognition.
56
Talk EB.7
Codivergence and adaptive radiation in wing mites and their bat hosts.
DENNIS BAULECHNER1, NINA BECKER2, JORGE A. ENCARNAÇÃO1
1
2
Department of Animal Ecology, University of Gießen
Institut für Experimentelle Ökologie, Universität Ulm
Wing mites of the genera Spinturnix are hematophagous ectoparasites found exclusively on the
wing membranes of bats. Due to their low dispersal ability, parasite ecology and evolution are
strongly influenced by host behaviour, physiology and evolution.
There is great evidence for coevolutionary associations but cophylogenetic patterns does not
necessarily indicate cospeciation as the driving process. For example, host switches can establish parasites on a new host or multi-host parasites can adapt to preferred hosts which can lead
to higher fitness and speciation. Both processes result in the same pattern as cospeciation but
with a time lag of parasite speciation compared to host divergence.
For temporal assessment of divergence time we used molecular clock approaches and investigated
the functional relationship between the length of analogous branches of parasites and host trees.
Morphological investigations of mites from specific hosts showed inconsistencies with former
species descriptions. This questions either the validity of recognized morphospecies or their host
specificity. We evaluated the monophyly of recognized morphospecies and their distribution over
hosts in order to assess diversity and host specificity.
The results of our study revise the current knowledge of genetic and phenotypic diversity as well
as host specificity in spinturnicid mites. The temporal assessment of divergence events indicates
that other processes then cospeciation are involved at driving spinturnicid diversity.
Talk EB.8
Patterns of diversity and evolution of immune genes in free-ranging Namibian cheetahs.
AINES CASTRO-PRIETO1, BETTINA WACHTER2 & SIMONE SOMMER1
1
Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
2
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) has been considered a paradigm of disease vulnerability associated
with low genetic diversity, particularly at the immune genes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex
(MHC). However, increased disease susceptibility has only been observed in captive cheetahs
whereas recent studies in free-ranging Namibian cheetahs revealed a good health status. We investigated whether the diversity at MHC class I and class II loci in free-ranging Namibian cheetahs was
higher than previously reported using single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis, cloning and
sequencing. MHC genes were examined at the genomic and transcriptomic levels. A total of 10 MHC
class I alleles and four MHC class II alleles were observed in 149 individuals throughout Namibia. All
alleles but one correspond to functional MHC genes as their expression was confirmed. The observed
alleles belong to four MHC class I and three MHC class II genes as revealed by phylogenetic analyses. Evidence of historical positive selection was detected in both MHC classes. Furthermore, a high
genetic differentiation at MHC class I in contrast to MHC class II and previously reported microsatellite
markers was observed between Namibian cheetahs from east-central and north-central regions
known to differ substantially in exposure to feline-specific viral pathogens. This pattern is likely to be
explained by differences in the selective pressure driven by viral pathogens in the current population.
Compared with other mammalian species including felids, cheetahs showed low levels of MHC diversity but this does not seem to influence the current immunocompetence of free-ranging cheetahs in
Namibia and contradicts the previous conclusion that the cheetah is a paradigm species of disease
susceptibility. However, it cannot be ruled out that the low MHC variation might limit a prosperous immunocompetence in the presence of a novel pathogen.
57
Talk EB.09
Stock separation in American Lobster is maintained by selection, genetic adaptation and
behavior.
JANA DEPPERMANN1, JELLE ATEMA2,3,4, ANN M. TARRANT3, GABRIELE GERLACH1, 2
1
Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg
Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, USA
3
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, USA
4
Boston University Marine Program, Boston, MA, USA
2
The American Lobster (Homarus americanus) inhabits the American East Coast up to Labrador,
Canada. Lobster larvae spent approx. 3-4 weeks in the pelagic before they become benthic and
settle. The distribution of lobsters is determined by larval dispersal as well as by mobile adults,
which can migrate over hundreds of kilometers. We show that this widespread potential for gene
flow is not realized in lobsters. Using microsatellite markers we demonstrated the existence of
lobster population structure at both large (400km) and small (30km) scale. We found genetic as
well as phenotypic differences between populations using a morphometric approach. In addition
to this clear stock separation, we identified a behavioral-olfactory recognition mechanism by
which lobsters prefer their own population. Next to behavioral mechanisms, pre-settlement selection might be a key to establish population structure in this dynamic environment. Results of behavioral experiments and gene expression analysis indicate that larvae from different areas
(Maine versus Rhode Island) respond differently to varying temperature regimes. We suggest
that social segregation mechanisms, in addition to physiological and genetic adaptation to habitat features can shape population structure and micro evolutionary processes.
Talk EB.10
Understanding Evolution: the use of quantitative genetic studies in natural populations.
KATHARINA FOERSTER1, BRIGITTE WEISS
1
Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Universität Tübingen
Quantitative genetic analyses are used to investigate microevolutionary processes without knowing the genes that code for a particular trait. Using phenotypic trait measures from individuals of
known relatedness, the significance of heritable genetic sources of trait variance relative to other
(often environmental) sources of variance is estimated statistically. We will discuss the ‘animal
model’, a methodological advance that has only recently been applied by evolutionary biologists
to estimate genetic variances and covariances of phenotypic traits, for non-model organisms,
often using data from natural populations. We will then present results from a long-term study on
free-living greylag geese (Anser anser). We showed that phenotypic variation in dominancerelated behaviors contains low, but significant, additive genetic variance, parental effects and
permanent environment effects. Variance components varied across age classes: the heritability
of dominance-related behaviors was larger in juvenile geese than in adults. Aggression and interaction rates, but not dominance rank, were genetically correlated between the sexes. Our results suggest the existence of evolutionary trade-offs for the optimal genotype for dominancerelated behaviors between life history stages, and between the sexes. Such trade-offs may lead
to fluctuations in evolutionary trajectories and could therefore be an important mechanism for
maintaining genetic variation. We will discuss the general relevance of quantitative genetic
methods for the study of evolutionary trade-offs.
58
Talk EB.11
Chromosomal variation and fertility in wild house mice (Mus domesticus) in Switzerland.
S. GRIZE1, J. B. SEARLE2, B. KÖNIG1 & A. LINDHOLM1
1
2
Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University
The Swiss Alps are well-known for closely situated populations of house mice (Mus domesticus)
which vary in their karyotype. This variation, due to Robertsonian (Rb) fusions, can lead to impaired development of germ cells in population hybrids heterozygous for Rb fusions, making the
house mouse a model in speciation studies. However, Swiss populations are poorly studied. We
trapped fifty-nine wild house mice from three locations 10 – 20 km apart in the Rhine valley of
Eastern Switzerland. They were shown to belong to three distinct chromosomal populations:
2n=22 (BUC), 2n=28 to 30 (WEI) and 2n=28 (VIL). Crossings between populations BUCxWEI
were performed, with expected meiotic chain configurations of 3 and 9 chromosomes. Epididymal sperm counts were performed for male offspring. Hybrids had low fertility, some with no
sperm found. Backcrossing of female hybrids to parent populations supported this, with few litters born. This suggests that gene flow between these populations would be impeded by chromosomal incompatibilities. In addition, genetic analyses using mitochondrial DNA, three Yspecific and twenty-five autosomal microsatellites indicated that most of the molecular variation
was among populations, rather than among individuals within populations. As expected, we
found little evidence of recent gene flow.
Talk EB.12
Decapod Crustacea as model taxon to study gene flow and phylogeographic differentiation along the tropical western Atlantic.
NICOLAS THIERCELIN1, CLAUDIA LAURENZANO1, CHRISTOPH D. SCHUBART1
1
Institut für Zoologie, Biologie 1, Universität Regensburg
Physical oceanic barriers are considered a major limiting component for the connectivity among
marine populations and may trigger allopatric speciation processes. Some of them are easily
identifiable, whereas others are only discovered by the presence of genetic breaks among populations. Some species along the western tropical Atlantic are characterized by a wide but patchy
distribution, from Florida to Brazil. Within the decapod Crustacea, the thoracotreme crabs are
most common along tropical coastlines and characterized by different ecological parameters (as
habitat or larval duration) and are here used as a model for studying along-coastal genetic divergence.
Based on the mitochondrial Cox1 gene, we compare the genetic divergence between populations located at the extremities of the distribution area (Caribbean versus southern Brazil) to determine presence or absence of genetic divergence and try to determine the source of this divergence, such as physical barriers or isolation-by-distance.
The corresponding results show that the genetic structure along the Atlantic coast is far more
heterogeneous than expected and depends on the ecological characteristics of the species. The
transisthmian divergence, resulting from the well-dated isolation of previously connected populations from the eastern tropical Pacific and the western tropical Atlantic oceans, is used as relative time scale.
Our long term goal is to understand the impact of different ecological characteristics on potential
diversification within closely related species living in a same geographic area.
59
Talk EB.13
The evolution of male alternative mating strategies.
LEIF ENGQVIST1
1
Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen
In many species, males appear in two or more distinct morphs that use different strategies to
obtain matings and reproduce. Commonly, one morph adopts a dominant strategy and invests
heavily in traits that are attractive to females or that allow them to defend territories or other resources. Males of the other morph typically do not defend resources, but sneak into the territories of dominant males and mate with their females. These sneaking males often allocate a large
amount of resources to sperm production and often have disproportionately large testes. The
theoretical framework explaining the maintenance of such polymorphism is well developed. But
we have no explanations what caused the evolution of alternative strategies in the first place.
Here I will demonstrate that certain conditions can lead to evolutionary branching and diversification in male reproductive behaviour without any intrinsic differences between males. The recipe
for the evolution of alternative male mating strategies seems to need two crucial ingredients.
First sexual selection on traits influencing male mating success is required to exceed a threshold
value. Second, evolutionary branching only occurs under a quite restricted regime of female mating frequency and hence level of sperm competition.
Talk EB.14
Partner choice and population divergence – Hints for paternal imprinting and population
specific signals influencing mate choice.
INKA MONTERO1, 2, MEIKE TESCHKE1, SRI GIRISH SRINIVASA MURTHY1 & DIETHARD TAUTZ1
1
2
Evolutionary Genetics, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Biology
Comparative Zoology, Institute for Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen
Partner choice can play an important role in the divergence of lineages. Two recently separated
populations of the Western European house mouse Mus musculus domesticus, which are known
to be genetically distinct, were investigated for assortative mating patterns and occurrence and
consequences of hybridization.
We conducted long-term experiments, in which individually tagged mice of both populations were
held in a semi-natural enclosure. Paternities were used as measures for mate choice and reproductive success and the frequent examination of individuals allowed the assessment of their
physical condition. The results suggest that (1) hybrids have no significant fitness disadvantages,
(2) familiarity with signals characterizing the own population are important for assortative mating
and (3) mating patterns of animals born in the enclosure gave hints for parental imprinting of
mate preferences. As a follow up project, we are currently searching for imprinted genes that
could be involved in differential signalling and recognition.
We consider also the influence of molecular genetic parameters, such as the t haplotype, a selfish genetic element, and MHC alleles on partner choice. For the latter, sequence polymorphism
of several exons within the MHC class I and II regions was assessed by 454 technology.
60
Talk EB.15
Love pretender and cost of mate-choice copying in Atlantic molly females, Poecilia
mexicana.
SABINE NÖBEL1, CORINNA RÖHRIG1, KLAUDIA WITTE1
1
Department of Chemistry and Biology, Section of Biology, Research Group Ecology and Behavioral
Biology, University of Siegen
Using public information by observing conspecifics during sexual interactions can be a good
strategy to assess the quality of other individuals as prospective mates. However, this strategy
can be maladaptive when an observed individual conceals its “true” preference in the presence
of an audience. In a recent study Plath et al. (2008) have shown that Atlantic molly (Poecilia
mexicana) males changed their initial mate-choice decision for larger females when a conspecific audience was watching and spent more time with smaller females. Thus, males conceal their
“true” mate preference in the presence of an audience male. Atlantic molly females copy the
mate choice of conspecific females. Here we tested whether Atlantic molly females can be deceived by other females and whether they copy the “pretended” mate choice. We found that,
first, females preferred larger over smaller conspecific males. Second, these females deceived
and “pretended” a preference for smaller males when an audience female was present. And
third, audience females copied the wrong preference for smaller males. These experiments
showed that mate-choice copying can be costly when the copier is recognized by others as an
audience: So, if you want to copy – do not get caught.
Talk EB.16
Time dependent gene expression during long-term memory formation in the parasitoid
Nasonia vitripennis.
MAREIKE KOPPIK1, ANNETTE BECKER2, MATTHIAS LANGE2, SVEN BRUNKHORST1, EIKE GERHARD1,
KATRIN PANZER1, THOMAS HOFFMEISTER1
1
2
Evolutionary Developmental Genetics, University of Bremen
Learning and memory are key elements for adaptive behaviour in variable environments. Parasitic
wasps like Nasonia vitripennis learn and memorize host associated cues (e.g. odours) to optimize
host localization. The fact that the genome of N. vitripennis is fully sequenced now facilitates elucidation of genetic mechanisms underlying behaviour such as long-term memory formation, which is
known to be dependent on transcription and translation. A gene presumably involved in the formation of long-term memory in parasitoids is the transcription factor cAMP response element-binding
protein (CREB), which is long known to be involved in memory formation in evertebrate species
ranging from Lymnaea to Drosophila as well as in vertebrates like mice. We used CREB as a first
good candidate gene to unravel the latency between a learning event and gene upregulation. Since
N. vitripennis has the demonstrated ability of associative odour learning, we conducted behavioural
experiments to find a conditioning procedure eliciting formation of long-term memory (lasting at
least seven days). Our conditioning procedure produced wasps that formed long-term memory after
a single learning event, which allowed us to assess the exact starting point of memory formation. At
different time points ranging from a few hours to several days we collected the heads of those
wasps and analysed the expression of CREB through real-time quantitative PCR. We used sets of
primers specific for each of the four known CREB isoforms in N. vitripennis to analyse (1) if CREB
is upregulated during formation of long-term memory, (2) which isoforms are involved and (3) at
what time point after training transcription of CREB occurs.
61
Talk EB.17
The mystery of missing males in Altica lythri (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae): Insights into
the causes from population screening and paternity tests.
REGINA JÄCKEL1, SUSANNE DOBLER1
1
Biozentrum Grindel, Universität Hamburg
A sex ratio distortion with a severe lack of males, several mtDNA haplotypes of nonmonophyletic origin and infections with different strains of Wolbachia bacteria characterise the
flea beetle species Altica lythri. Perfect linkage disequilibrium between Wolbachia strains and
mtDNA haplotypes, on one hand, and high infection rates, on the other, indicate effective vertical
transmission. To gain more insights into mtDNA population structure and associated Wolbachia
infections, we analysed the sex ratio and haplotype frequency in 14 central European populations. Of a total of 12 haplotypes (HTs) five (HT1, HT1*, HT2, HT2*, HT3) were present in most
populations. Surprisingly, all specimen with HT1 or HT1* were female, whereas the frequency of
HT2 and HT2* correlated positively with the frequency of males. Since HT1 was the most frequent haplotype in most populations a distinct female excess follows inevitably. Controlled
breeding experiments revealed that females carrying HT2 produce about 50% sons whereas all
females carrying HT1 or HT1* yield all-female offspring. The associated Wolbachia strain could
be a sex ratio distorter inducing either feminization, parthenogenesis, or male killing. Anyway,
these females still have to copulate to produce fertile eggs. Based on paternity tests by microsatellite analyses, we here present first evidence that all-female offspring develop by gynogenesis,
i.e. by exclusion of the paternal genome and thus exclusive production of females.
Talk EB.18
Tracing recent adaptations in natural populations of the house mouse.
Meike Teschke1, Anna Büntge2 and Diethard Tautz1
1
2
Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Bonn
Adaptations to a given environment are of central importance for the survival of lineages. Although there is persuasive evidence for phenotypic adaptations caused by natural selection,
comparatively few adaptive modifications in genes have been identified. Thus, it is a general
goal in contemporary evolutionary biology to learn more about genes, which have been target of
positive selection. We will introduce the house mouse as a highly suitable model for this branch
of research. Over many other mammalian organisms, mice have two advantages: 1) a very large
effective population size, allowing the detection of selection even at low magnitudes; 2) a very
short generation time, meaning that traceable evolutionary steps took place within a recent and
well documented historic time frame. We will give an overview about the complex history of repeated successful colonization and the concomitant adaptations which have been published. For
a deeper understanding of the significance of selection on the genetic level we present our results on screens for signatures of selective sweeps. While selective events tend to be very frequent, the forces behind seem to be weak and genes located in selected regions are not generally among the typical candidate gene classes. Thus, our screens have shown that interesting
loci can readily be detected and the challenge currently is to identify adaptive mutations and the
advantageous phenotype they determine. Due to the availability of excellent genetic and genomic resources, such performance of functional analysis is absolutely realistic in wild mice.
62
Talk EB.19
A peptide that makes you like your kin: Genetical background and cellular mechanisms of
olfactory kin recognition in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio).
CORNELIA HINZ1, GABRIELE GERLACH2
1, 2
Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg
The ability to discriminate between genetically related and unrelated conspecifics is an important
process in the evolution of social behaviour, e.g. inbreeding avoidance or the formation of kin
structured groups.
In zebrafish, the capability to differentiate between kin and non-kin is based on a phenotypematching process during a sensitive period on day 6 post fertilization (dpf). Zebrafish larvae learn
the olfactory template of their kin which they can later use to identify even unfamiliar kin. Larvae
do not imprint on the odour of unrelated larvae, suggesting a genetic predisposition for kin odour.
Here we could show for the first time that MHC peptide ligands serve as chemical signals triggering imprinting because larvae exposed to specific peptides expressed later kin recognition. Further we proved that MHC class II but not MHC class I allele similarity is responsible for the olfactory imprinting. Only larvae which grew up with a sib larva with the same MHC class II alleles
developed kin discrimination ability. Additionally, larvae that were exposed to the odour of unrelated but MHC class II similar larvae developed kin recognition ability, while larvae exposed to
MHC class II dissimilar non-kin did not.
Talk EB.20
Stereoselective pheromone response in Nasonia.
JOACHIM RUTHER1, DANIELA POTHMANN1, THOMAS SCHMITT2, OLIVER NIEHUIS3
1
Department of Zoology, Chemical Ecology Group, University of Regensburg
Department of Biology, University of Freiburg
3
Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Bonn
2
Reliable localization and recognition of mates is a prerequisite for sexual reproduction. Hence,
speciation is typically accompanied by the modification of sexual signals and their perception. In
organisms relying on olfaction, chirality of the chemical signals is one way to trigger species specificity. Males of the parasitic wasp genus Nasonia attract females by using an abdominal sex
pheromone. The major component of the pheromone is 5-hydroxy-4-decanolide (HDL), a compound with two chiral carbon atoms and consequently four possible stereoisomers. However, only
two of these compounds occur in Nasonia. All Nasonia species produce (4R,5S)-HDL but only N.
vitripennis has additionally considerable amounts of (4R,5R)-HDL raising the question of whether or
not the pheromone response in Nasonia is stereoselective. We studied this question in the two sister species N. vitripennis and N. giraulti. Females of both species are attracted to the homo- and the
heterospecific pheromone. When single enantiopure pheromones were tested, N. vitripennis females responded strongest to (4R,5S)-HDL and weakly to (4S,5S)-HDL and (4S,5R)-HDL, respectively. The naturally occurring stereoisomer (4R,5R)-HDL was completely unattractive when offered
alone. In contrast, Nasonia giraulti responded to none of the singly presented stereoisomers but
preferred (4R,5S)-HDL when the synergetic minor component 4-methylquinazoline was added.
When pheromone extracts from N. giraulti [containing (4R,5S)-HDL only] were combined with natural doses of synthetic (4R,5R)-HDL, N. vitripennis preferred this mixture over control treatments
consisting of (4R,5S)-HDL only. In contrast, N. giraulti was unable to discriminate between these
two treatments. Our data suggest that stereoselectivity in both pheromone biosynthesis and olfaction has contributed to speciation in Nasonia.
63
Talk EB.21
Association of ectoparasitism, reproductive state and MHC constitution in the lesser bulldog bat, Noctilio albiventris.
JULIA SCHAD1, DINA DECHMANN2,3, CHRISTIAN VOIGT2, SIMONE SOMMER1
1
Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin
Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin
3
Department of Biology, Universität Konstanz
2
The adaptive immune system has a major impact on life history strategies and host-parasite
co-evolution. Immunological defence is costly both in terms of immediate activation and longterm maintenance and is therefore subject to trade-offs in competing energy requirements.
The resource allocation theory postulates a trade-off between immunocompetence and the
investment in reproduction. Individuals with genotypes that qualify for a good disease resistance might allocate more resources in reproductive effort. We present data to test the impact
of the immune gene constitution (Major Histocompatibility Complex, MHC class II DRB) on
ectoparasite loads (ticks and bat flies) and on the reproductive state in a neotropical bat, Noctilio albiventris. Infestation rates with ectoparasites were linked to specific NoalDRB alleles,
differed among roosts, increased with body size and co-varied with reproductive state in both
sexes. In addition, non-reproductively adult males were more infested with ectoparasites than
reproductively active males, and they carried more often an allele (NoalDRB*02) associated
with a higher tick infestation than reproductively active males or subadults. We conclude that
the individual immune gene constitution alleviates the trade-off between reproductive effort
and susceptibility to ectoparasites especially in male N. albiventris.
Talk EB.22
The scent of polyandry: transfer of CHCs facilitates female multiple mating in decorated
crickets.
SANDRA STEIGER1, CARIE B. WEDDLE1, JOHN HUNT1, SCOTT K. SAKALUK1
1
Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics Section, Illinois State University, USA
Females of many species gain genetic benefits by maximizing the diversity of their mating partners and are known to preferentially mate with novel males over previous mates. The mechanisms by which females distinguish between novel males and previous mates, however, remain
largely unknown. Here we report the results of three experiments designed to determine the
proximate underpinnings of a female preference for novel partners in the decorated cricket, Gryllodes sigillatus. The results of a previous study suggest that female crickets mark males with
their own unique chemical signatures during mating and are later able to recognize these cues in
subsequent encounters. In the current study, we present evidence that (1) females possess genetically unique cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles, (2) male CHC profiles change during
copulation due to CHC transfer, and (3) experimental manipulation of male CHC profiles influences female mate choice. Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that female
crickets use transferred CHCs to identify their previous mating partner.
64
Talk EB.23
The evolution of asymmetric genitalia in the chafer genus Schizonycha (Scarabaeidae).
WIEBKE W ALBAUM1, SILVIA FABRIZI1 & DIRK AHRENS1
1
Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum A. Koenig, Bonn
The diversity of shape in insect copulation organs is one of the most fascinating aspects in biology but the reasons for this diversity is still poorly understood. Asymmetry in these organs may
play a great role in shape diversification, and may help to find the mechanisms that determine
the genital shape. Here we study the extent of asymmetry and the variation of male copulation
organs in the chafer beetles genus Schizonycha in the background of their phylogeny inferred
from DNA sequence data (Co1, 16S, 28S). From a sample of 105 South African specimens including xx species we tested for the monophyly of the group and we inferred its phylogeny using
three different alignment methods (Mafft, MUSCLE and Clustal). The trees were reconstructed
with parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian analysis. The shape of genitalia was digitized
as open outline curve from both parameres using 100 semi-landmarks which were analyzed with
standard Eigenshape analysis. We calculated the degree of dissimilarity (asymmetry) of parameres for each specimen with an agglomerative hierarchical clustering using the Euclidean
distance. Afterwards we mapped those results onto the phylogenetic trees in order to investigate
number of origins of asymmetry/ symmetry and its directionality in terms of extent of asymmetry.
Based on our tree topologies we have detected four and five independent origins one loss of
asymmetry, and three and two ambiguous reversals for the Clustal alignment and the Mafft/
Muscle alignment, respectively.
Talk EB.24
Chacun à son gôut – host specificity and chemical mimicry in Chrysididae.
MAREIKE W URDACK1, OLIVER NIEHUIS2 & THOMAS SCHMITT1
1
2
Talk EB.1 and Animal Ecology, University of Freiburg
Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn
Brood parasites invade their host’s nest to lay eggs and to let the host rear their (i.e., the parasite’s) brood. The host’s brood is either consumed (in parasitoid species) or impaired by loss of
the provisioned resources (in cleptoparasitic species). Parasite and host have conflicting interests. This can lead to an evolutionary arms race between them. There is strong selective pressure on the parasite to evolve strategies to escape detection by the host. This is because hosts
seem to abandon their nest if they detect traces of a parasite in their nest.
In insects, chemical cues from the parasite’s cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC) are adsorbed to nest
material and thus can be detected by the host. However, parasites can escape chemical detection by mimicking the host’s CHC profile. The development of chemical mimicry likely tightens
the host specificity of the parasite.
We compared the possible occurrence and the quality of chemical mimicry in host-parasite pairs:
host species of the digger wasp genera Cerceris and Philanthus (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae
(Philanthinae)) and their obligatory cleptoparasites of the cuckoo wasp genus Hedychrum (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae). Some of these host species show very similar CHC profiles due to
common ecological constraints. This fixation of a host to a certain CHC profile may allow its cleptoparasite to develop very specific chemical mimicry. Host species without these constraints
could evade chemical mimicry more effectively. Additionally, this forced similarity may offer the
opportunity for host switches and thus casts light on the evolution and modulation of species
specificity in these host-parasite associations.
65
Talk EB.25
Sex-specific conditional mating strategies drive interlocus sexual conflict.
SEBASTIAN A. BALDAUF1, TOBIAS OTTENHEYM1, THEO C.M. BAKKER1 AND TIMO THÜNKEN1
1
Conditional mating strategies enable individuals to optimally modulate their mating behaviour
depending on own ‘status’ to maximise fitness. Theory predicts that phenotypic variation, e.g. in
individual quality, leads to differences in mating preferences, and evidence for such statusdependent variation in female mate choice has gained ground recently. However, sexual selection is often a co-evolutionary process in which the mating strategies of males and females interact but knowledge about male-female interactions is scarce. In biparental species males as well
as females are choosy and share costs of parental investment, thus within- and between-sex
variation of mating strategies and their interaction can be expected. Here, we experimentally
tested status-dependent variation of mating preferences concerning body colouration, a reliable
quality indicator of each sex in Pelvicachromis taeniatus, a biparental cichlid fish with colourful
ornamentation in both sexes. Males as well as females showed conditional mating strategies in
different directions. In accordance with theory, high quality males preferred highly ornamented,
i.e. high quality females, whereas low quality males preferred females of lower quality. In contrast to males, female preference for highly ornamented males was stronger in low quality females. These sex-specific conditional strategies might lead to interlocus sexual conflict that may
have important implications for the evolution of mutual sexual signalling and mating behaviour.
Talk EB.26
Slow molecular evolution in the East African coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae.
KATHRIN P. LAMPERT1, HANS FRICKE2, MANFRED SCHARTL3
1
Animal Evolutionary Ecology and Biodiversity, University of Bochum
Max-Planck-Institut Bremen/Leibniz Institut für Meereswissenschaften Kiel
3
Physiological Chemistry I, University of Wuerzburg
2
The East African coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae, is often referred to as a living fossil and
therefore of prime scientific interest. Despite its secluded habitat and low population sizes its behaviour and genetics have been studied quite intensely. Molecular studies, however, mostly focus on the phylogenetic relationship of coelacanths with fishes and tetrapods. We now present
mitochondrial as well as microsatellite data on Latimeria individuals from East Africa focussing
on population rather than species differentiation. Our dataset included 25 adult individuals from
four different locations in Tanzania and a pregnant female and her embryos. The female was
pregnant with 26 well developed young, all of which were very likely fertilized by a single father.
The father, however, could not be identified in the sample. Interestingly, genetic diversity even
between the not directly related individuals was quite low: on average individuals differed at 1.3
positions in the total length of 726bp mtDNA alignment. The 12 microsatellite loci investigated
showed a mean of 3.8 alleles/locus though resolution was high enough to assign unique genotypes to all individuals. Mitochondrial as well as microsatellite genetic differentiation was therefore unexpectedly low between individuals and groups of individuals from different sites especially considering the large geographic distances between capturing sites, the assumed philopatry and low population sizes of Latimeria and the age of the species (even considering the estimated long generation time). We therefore conclude that the evolutionary rate in coelacanths is
rather slow and potentially explains their almost unchanged appearance since the late Devonian.
66
Talk EB.27
Is mate-choice copying time-limited in female zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata castanotis?
NINA KNIEL1, JENNIFER FUSSY1, KLAUDIA WITTE1
1
Department of Chemistry and Biology, Section of Biology, Research Group Ecology and Behavioral
Biology, University of Siegen
Several factors, such as public information, are known to influence mate choice. One form of
using public information in the context of mate choice is mate-choice copying. It occurs when an
individual observes a sexual interaction between two heterosexual conspecifics and chooses the
individual as a mate as the observed individual did before. Female zebra finches (Taeniopygia
guttata castanotis) copy the mate-choice decisions of their conspecifics. However, it is unknown
how stable a mate preference learned by mate-choice copying in zebra finch females is. We
tested female zebra finches in a standard mate-choice copying experiment with wild-type males
and males artificially adorned with a red feather. After a first preference test, females could observe a single wild-type male and a wild-type female with her adorned mate. Afterwards females
could choose between new males of both phenotypes in a second preference test. In former
studies this second preference test was performed immediately after the observation period.
Here, females copied the observed choice and preferred the adorned males over the wild-type
males. We varied this setup by delaying the second preference test for either one week (treatment one) or one day (treatment two). Our results showed that females did not copy the mate
choice of their conspecifics in either treatment. Thus mate-choice copying in zebra finches will
occur when females have an opportunity to encounter a potential mate within a short time span.
Talk EB.28
A neural network approach reveals: species recognition can predict the direction of sexual selection in a grasshopper.
KLAUS REINHOLD, JAN P. WITTMANN
Evolutionary Biology, University of Bielefeld
In the last fifty years, hypotheses proposing an effect of species recognition on the evolution of
mate preferences have come out of fashion without having been rejected. To test for such an
effect, we used the grasshopper Chorthippus biguttulus because the acoustic response of females is well suited to estimate male attractiveness and mating success. With the help of a neural network, i.e. a computer program trained for pattern classification, we simulated the effect
species recognition is likely to have on the evolution of signal preferences. The network was
trained with digitised acoustic signals from conspecific and heterospecific grasshoppers and the
only information given to the network was whether each signal was from C. biguttulus or not. In
the next step, signals of C. biguttulus unknown to the network were provided as input and the
output of the network – an estimate of dissimilarity to heterospecific signals – was used to predict
male attractiveness. Our results reveal that 27% of the variance in female response rate can be
explained by assuming that species recognition is the only factor influencing selection on female
preferences. This is about half of the variance in female response rate that can be explained if
acoustic signal traits are taken into account in a multiple correlation. Although such a process
does not rule out that benefits of intraspecific mate choice have contributed to the evolution of
female preferences, our results show that species recognition very likely was an important factor
in the evolution of female preferences.
67
Talk EB.29
Mate choice and obligate heterospecific matings in an asexual fish, the Amazon molly
(Poecilia formosa).
INGO SCHLUPP1
1
Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma
Often species recognition and mate selection are viewed as extremes of the same process. If
this is true there are different degrees of making mistakes, from mating with a suboptimal partner
to mating with a heterospecific. Furthermore, the fitness consequences should be more severe
for a bigger mistake.
How about a case where one partner is committing heterospecific matings with apparently limited costs and the other partner cannot reproduce without these heterospecific matings?
An excellent model system for such questions is the unisexual Amazon molly, Poecilia formosa.
This livebearing fish is clonal, but requires sperm to trigger embryogenesis. Amazon mollies
need to obtain sperm from males of closely related species. In total, three species serve as
sperm donors, Poecilia latipinna, P. mexicana, and P. latipunctata. Of those three species, two
were involved in the original hybridization that gave rise to the Amazon molly.
I will look at this system both from the male and female perspective, trying to understand the dynamics of this unique mating system using both field and laboratory data.
Talk EB.30
The cost of sex and competition between cyclical and obligate parthenogenetic rotifers.
CLAUS-PETER STELZER1
1
Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Limnology
The ubiquity of sexual reproduction is an evolutionary puzzle because asexuality should have
major reproductive advantages. Theoretically transitions to asexuality should confer substantial
benefits in population growth and lead to rapid displacement of all sexual ancestors. So far there
have been few rigorous tests of one of most basic assumptions of the paradox of sex: that asexuals are competitively superior to sexuals immediately after their origin. Here I examine the fitness consequences of very recent transitions to obligate parthenogenesis in the cyclical parthenogenetic rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus. This experimental system differs from previous animal
models, since obligate parthenogens were derived from the same maternal genotype as cyclical
parthenogens. Obligate parthenogens had similar fitness compared to cyclical parthenogens in
terms of the intrinsic rate of increase. However, population growth of cyclical parthenogens was
predicted to be much lower: sexual female offspring do not contribute to immediate population
growth in Brachionus, since they produce either males or diapausing eggs. Hence, if cyclical
parthenogens constantly produce a high proportion of sexual offspring, there is a cost of sex,
and obligate parthenogens can invade. This prediction was confirmed in laboratory competition
experiments.
68
Poster EB.1
On the route to speciation? Potential ecological speciation via host preference in the
parasitoid wasp Lariophagus distinguendus.
SÖREN BROSE, KERSTIN HACKER, CORNELIA GANTERT, JOHANNES L.M. STEIDLE
Institut für Zoologie, Tierökologie 220c, Universität Hohenheim
The Mechanisms of speciation are an important subject in evolutionary research. Because parasitoid wasps are one of the most species-rich groups, members of this group should be highly
suitable to study this topic. We are investigating mechanisms of speciation in our model organism Lariophagus distinguendus, a parasitoid wasp attacking larvae of a number of beetle species, which are mainly pests of stored products. Since L. distinguendus is a generalist, we specifically tried to determine the possibility of ecological speciation via host-preference.
Laboratory experiments were conducted with different strains of L. distinguendus from Germany
which show at least partial reproductive isolation. The studies revealed that distinct strains have
specific preferences. Some strains innately prefer larvae of the drugstore beetle Stegobium
paniceum as hosts, whereas others prefer larvae of the granary weevil Sitophilus granarius. To
find out if these preferences correlate with a higher fitness on the preferred host, we examined
the longevity and fecundity of our wasp strains on different host species. Remarkably, all strains
have a similarly high fecundity on the drugstore beetle. On the granary weevil, the fecundity was
only high in one strain which preferred the granary weevil in the preference tests. One strain,
which preferred the drugstore beetle had a very low fecundity on the granary weevil, a third
strain was intermediate. This indicates that drugstore beetles are the original host of L. distinguendus and that a specialisation on the granary weevil is about to take place.
These results are discussed with respect to the development of host preferences as an important
step in the formation of gene barriers within populations.
Poster EB.2
Intraspecific dynamics in the sex pheromone of Leptopilina heterotoma.
MICHAEL BRUMMER1, JOACHIM RUTHER1, JOHN HOFFERBERTH2 & JOHANNES STÖKL1
1
2
Institute for Zoology, Chemical Ecology Group, University of Regensburg
Department of Chemistry, Kenyon College Ohio
Chemical communication plays a salient role for parasitic wasps in mate finding and courtship
behavior. In many cases, age and mating status influence the composition and quantity of sexual
pheromones and their attractiveness to the other sex. Leptopilina wasps parasitize Drosophila
larvae and females produce a number of iridoid substances, including (-)-iridomyrmecin which is
assumed to be the main component of the female sex-pheromone. Furthermore, female cuticular
hydrocarbons stimulate the male courtship behavior.
We analyzed the changes in the odor profile of female wasps, depending on their age and mating status. There was no significant difference between mated and unmated wasps of the same
age, however, females of different ages (1, 2, and 7 days old) showed significant differences in
their odor profile.
Using dynamic headspace sampling we could show that mated females produce the same
amounts of (-)-iridomyrmecin as virgin females, but mated females release significantly less of it.
However, on encounter with ants, also mated females release high amounts of (-)-iridomyrmecin,
indicating a secondary function of the iridoids as a defensive substance. This hypothesis is supported by a further experiment which showed a repellent effect of (-)-iridomyrmecin on ants.
69
Poster EB.3
A comparative study on male marking pheromones in the digger wasp genus Cerceris
(Hymenoptera: Crabronidae).
MARC FRIEDRICH1, MARTIN KALTENPOTH2, ALEŠ SVATOŠ2 & THOMAS SCHMITT1
1
2
Institute of Biology I, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology Jena
In general, insects heavily rely on chemical communication for mate finding. Therefore,
species-specific sex pheromones play a major role in species recognition and discrimination. In the digger wasp subfamily Philanthinae, males of various taxa are known to be territorial and to scent-mark their territories. The scent-marking is achieved by applying the secretion of a cephalic gland on the surface of these territories. At least some constituents of
these secretions additionally act as sex pheromones and attract females to the marked territory for mating. The chemical compositions of these cephalic gland secretions have been
studied in the genera Philanthus and Eucerceris. However, no studies have addressed the
composition of the gland secretions in the genus Cerceris so far. The primary aim of this
study is therefore to identify the components in the cephalic glands of various species in the
genus Cerceris. We will compare the blends of species within the genus Cerceris and with
the already described blends for Philanthus and Eucerceris. Additionally, we will try to map
the constituents of the blends onto a molecular phylogeny to check for phylogenetic effects.
Likewise different compositions in CHCs due to prey specificity of female Cerceris wasps,
which hunt specifically either Hymenoptera or Coleoptera, may also be found in male
blends and could influence species-specific sex recognition. With this approach, we want to
access species- and genera-specific key differences and similarities in the pheromonal
compositions and draw conclusions on their evolutionary history.
Poster EB.4
Female - Male / Male - Female: Communication Breakdown caused by developmental host
in Lariophagus distinguendus.
KERSTIN HACKER1, STEPHAN KÜHBANDNER2, EDDIE GRIESE1, JOACHIM RUTHER2, JOHANNES L. M.
STEIDLE 1
1
2
Institut für Zoologie, Universität Hohenheim
Institut für Zoologie, Universität Regensburg
In the parasitic wasp Lariophagus distinguendus strains specialized on different hosts are reproductively isolated. To examine the hypothesis that development on different hosts leads to
sender – receiver problems, mating behavior of wasps from the same strain, but from different
hosts (granary weevil and drugstore beetle) was studied. The experiments revealed that in encounters of males and females from different hosts, males are less likely to recognize females
and females are less likely to accept males as mating partners. This difference is most likely due
to differences in CHC profiles and mandibular male pheromones and indicates that the quality of
chemical signals depends on the developmental host. Thus, assortative mating can be achieved
in L. distinguendus within one generation by development on different hosts.
70
Poster EB.5
Host species influence the cuticle chemistry of Lariophagus distinguendus.
STEPHAN KÜHBANDNER1, KERSTIN HACKER, JOHANNES L.M. STEIDLE & JOACHIM RUTHER
1
Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg
Lariophagus distinguendus is a pteromalid wasp species that parasitizes several grain infesting
beetles. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) of the females are known to elicit courtship behavior in
males. We analyzed the CHC profile of male and female L. distinguendus wasps reared on different beetle hosts by gas chromatography coupled mass-spectrometry (GC-MS). Statistical
analysis of the data revealed significant differences between strains reared on different hosts,
while strains reared on the same host produce similar CHC profiles. Furthermore we found significant differences between wasps which originate from the same strain even one generation
after a host shift. All these findings were consistent for males and females and might reflect a
potential reproductive isolation between L. distinguendus strains reared on different hosts, i.e.
Stegobium paniceum (Anobiidae) and Sitophilus granarius (Curculionidae).
Poster EB.6
All wasps are not the same wasp: Habitat preference indicates host races in Nasonia.
PAWEL MALEC, JOHANNES L. M. STEIDLE
Institute of Zoology, Animal Ecology 220c, University of Hohenheim
Host races can be regarded as an intermediate stage in the process of speciation and have been
reported from various insect taxa. In this study, several criteria of host race definition were examined for a population of the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Wasps were collected from birds’ nests and carrion using fly puparia as baits. Fieldcollected individuals were used to establish laboratory strains. Biotests, sequence analysis and
crossing experiments were conducted to test for differences between strains originating from
different habitats. The data meet some criteria for host race definition and thus, in part, support
the hypothesis of host race formation in the studied population of N. vitripennis.
Poster EB.7
Tolerance requires the right smell: first evidence for interspecific selection on chemical
recognition cues.
FLORIAN MENZEL1
1
Institute of Zoology, University of Mainz
The integument of insects is generally covered with cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC). They serve
multiple functions, most prominent among them waterproofing and – especially among social
insects – as communication signal. CHC profiles are incredibly diverse within and across species. However, the causes for CHC variation between species, and potential selection pressures
that may shape CHC profiles, are hardly understood. Here, we investigated potential selection
pressures on ant CHC. We tested the hypotheses that living in association with another species
(e.g., parabiosis), and the climate of the ant’s habitat, affect CHC composition. We conducted a
large-scale comparison of 37 Camponotus species from five continents. Our results demonstrate
that closely associated ant species possess significantly longer hydrocarbons and higher proportions of methylbranched alkenes and alkadienes than non- or loosely associated species. In contrast, climatic factors had no effects. This study shows that the need to be tolerated by another
species greatly affects CHC profiles. Apparently, communication beyond species boundaries is
an important selection pressure that has not been considered so far. To our knowledge, this is
the first study to describe a selection pressure on cuticular hydrocarbons.
71
Poster EB.8
The adaptive significance of the Coolidge effect for the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides.
PETRA SCHEDWILL1, JOSEF K. MÜLLER1
1
Institut für Biologie 1 (Zoologie), Universität Freiburg
Burying beetles reproduce on small vertebrate carcasses, which mostly are found by several
beetles. When there is more than one beetle of the same sex on a carcass, there are intraspecific fights. However, male beetles often get together with several females on a carcass, which all
represent potential mates. An earlier study could show that there is a Coolidge effect in the mating behaviour; this means that males lose their sexual interest towards one female in mating with
this female repeatedly, but regain their sexual interest immediately towards a new unfamiliar female. The question of our work was, if the Coolidge effect increases the fitness of the male beetle. In laboratory experiments we could show that males mate more frequently if they are together with two or three females instead of one and that they avoid repeated matings with the
same female. Although males encounter the dominant female more often, the numbers of copulations with the different females do not differ. Males do not recognize only the situation that
there is more than one female, but they recognize an unfamiliar female as an individual. Thus
the Coolidge effect provides that a male copulates with all available females and therefore increases the reproductive success in a current and in subsequent broods.
Poster EB.9
Title Tolerance to cardenolides - a prevailing feature of lygaeid bugs.
CHRISTIANE BRAMER1, GEORG PETSCHENKA1, JÜRGEN DECKERT2, SUSANNE DOBLER1
1
2
Molecular Evolutionary Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin
Cardenolides, also known as cardiac glycosides, are plant toxins which are specific inhibitors of
a ubiquitous transmembrane carrier, the Na, K-ATPase, and act as deterrents against nonadapted insects. Nevertheless up to a hundred insect species have found ways to tolerate and
take up these deterrent chemicals and use sequestered cardenolides for their own defense.
Several species of the hemipteran subfamily Lygaeinae are known to store cardenolides, the
most famous example being the large milkweed bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus). In this study we investigate whether further species of Lygaeinae are able to sequester cardenolides and determine the phylogenetic origin of this ability. By feeding assays with radiolabelled polar (ouabain)
and nonpolar (digoxin) cardenolides we analyzed in several lygaeine species and three outgroup
species the ability to sequester cardenolides and the efficiency of the uptake. In addition, we
analyzed the fate of cardenolides in the bugs by radio TLC. All tested species of Lygaeinae were
able to sequester cardenolides, even if their natural host plants do not contain these compounds.
All species metabolize the apolar digoxin into more polar compounds yet the number of and balance between metabolites differed.
To interprete the observed differences we established a phylogeny of this group based on 3.1 kb
of their nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. The necessary adaptations for cardenolide sequestration must have arisen at the basis of the Lygaeinae, yet the physiological processes must have
been refined during the evolution of the subfamily.
72
Poster EB.10
Male mating tactics in Panorpa alpina (Mecoptera): From indiscrimination to adjusted paternal effort.
Gerhild Bornemann
Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Bonn University
Scorpionfly mating systems feature mutual choice and condition-dependent male mating tactics
involving edible nuptial gifts, three of which are known: saliva secretion, food offering and copulations without gift. Kind and amount of nuptial gifts are indicators of male quality (see e.g. Sauer
et al. 1998). In P. alpina, males mainly use saliva secrecies to obtain copulations. We found that
the saliva tactic is a strategy containing tactics that males apply dependent on their body condition: Males in bad condition maximise their effort indiscriminately. Males in better condition increase their effort with increasing female quality. Males in high condition apply a tactic that we
call adjusted paternal effort. It is shown that the saliva secrecies function as paternal and mating
effort (Engels & Sauer 2006). Other studies indicate that high quality males have to invest less
than low quality males to gain the same reproductive success (Simmons et al. 1999, Bussiere
2002). We assumed that females are limited in the number of mature eggs they can store. Thus,
we suggest that high quality males do not profit by maximising their investment in high quality
females due to the less restrictive behaviour of these, and the fact that provided nutrients do not
inure to the benefit of the eggs they fertilise but those maturing later. Our results indicate that
high quality males maximise their effort when meeting low quality females but decrease their effort with increasing female quality.
Poster EB.11
On the origin of individual behavioural differences in wax moth males.
NILS CORDES1, KLAUS REINHOLD1
1
From an adaptive point of view, it should be expected that individuals plastically alter their behaviours according to external and internal conditions. Costs and constraints, however, may limit
their ability to be plastic, and factors like sex, age and metabolic rate can influence the extent to
which such changes can occur. This results in behavioural variation within populations, with consistently different behavioural phenotypes distinguishing individuals. In this study we investigated
whether courtship and risk-taking behaviour in the lesser wax moth (Achroia grisella) differ consistently between individuals, and what factors influence these behaviours. We experimentally
reared larvae in conditions of different larval density with unlimited amounts of food. Upon eclosion, phenotypic traits of the adults were measured, including weight, resting metabolic rate,
courtship song amplitude and pulse rate. Over 25 hours, moths were then repeatedly confronted
with an acoustic predator signal and their acoustic reaction, or lack thereof, was recorded. We
tested for intra-class correlations and repeatability of the behaviour to determine the consistency
of varying degrees of boldness. Finally, we analyzed the data for correlations with rearing conditions or individual phenotypic traits to determine whether internal or external factors play a role in
the determination of the wax moths’ behavioural types.
73
Poster EB.12
Bacterial endosymbionts of the reed beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Donaciinae): molecular proof of the transmission pathway and experiments on the benefit from the symbionts.
BIRGIT KLEINSCHMIDT1
1
Zoological Institute, Molecular Evolutionary Biology, University of Hamburg
Reed beetles (Donaciinae Kirby, 1837) live in an endosymbiosis with gamma-Proteobacteria of
the Enterobacteriaceae. The larvae of the reed beetles live under water. Just before pupation
they produce a secretion, which they use to build a cocoon under water for metamorphosis. The
symbionts are likely involved in the production of the secretion for the cocoon. The eggs of the
reed beetles are surrounded by a gelatinous mass. This gelatinous mass fixes the eggs to the
host plant, but furthermore it is believed to transmit the symbionts from one generation to the
next. The larvae ingest the symbionts while hatching. Our results provide experimental proof of
this special transmission of the symbionts. The ingestion of the symbionts by hatching larvae
was prevented and manipulated larvae were tested for symbionts by molecular methods. For this
purpose, specific primers were developed to identify the symbionts by means of polymerase
chain reaction. All treated larvae proved to be free of symbionts. Hence it was shown that the
larvae of the reed beetles ingest the symbionts after hatching with a mass produced by the female, which leads to a strictly vertical maternal transmission of the symbionts. To test whether
the symbionts are essential for the production of the cocoon, one year old larvae were treated
with antibiotics. The number of cocoons built by these treated larvae was compared to that of
larvae of a control group. The larvae were also tested for symbionts by molecular methods as
above. The larvae still contained the symbionts despite the antibiotic treatment. But the number
of cocoons built by the treated larvae was significantly lowered by the treatment. These results
indicate that the symbionts are indeed important for the production of the cocoon.
Poster EB.13
A phylogenomic approach to the evolution of malaria parasites.
JANUS BORNER1, JENNY THIEDE1, OLATUNJI KOLAWOLE2, CHRISTIAN PICK1, IRIS BRUCHHAUS3, THOR1
STEN BURMESTER
1
2
3
Institute of Zoology and Zoological Museum, University of Hamburg
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Ilorin
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg
Malaria is a serious threat to human health, causing more than one million fatalities each year. Malaria
is caused by protozoans of the genus Plasmodium. Plasmodia infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts
and at least five species have independently acquired the ability to infect humans. The phylogenetic
relationships among major Plasmodium lineages are still a matter of debate. A key issue is the phylogenetic position of the avian malaria parasites. Two competing hypotheses on this matter have found
support: (i) A basal position of bird-infecting species, putting them into sister group position to all
mammalian malaria parasites, and (ii) a sister group relationship between the bird-infecting plasmodia
and the subgenus Laverania, which comprises Plasmodium species that infect African great apes, as
well as P. falciparum, which is the most malignant agent of human malaria. Our recent phylogenetic
analysis of eight fully sequenced Plasmodium genomes supports the latter hypothesis, thus suggesting a host switch from birds to African great apes or vice versa. This study, however, includes only a
single bird-infecting species and lacks sequence data from closely related Haemosporida. To overcome this limitation, we have developed an automated primer design pipeline capable of designing
degenerated primer oligonucleotides for (nested) PCR on nuclear genomic DNA. These primers are
used to obtain the sequences of 20 gene fragments from avian plasmodia as well as closely related
Haemosporida, which were identified by the screening of blood samples from African birds and lizards.
74
Poster EB.14
Sex-specific postnatal dispersal in a parasitoid with high inbreeding costs.
ANNE C. WEEDA1, ANDRA THIEL1, THOMAS S. HOFFMEISTER1
1
Population Ecology and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Bremen
The decision of an animal whether or not to disperse from the natal patch will most likely depend
on the likelihood to find potential mating partners, food, or reproductive opportunities on the natal
patch or elsewhere. Dispersal decisions of parasitoids, i.e. insects that use other arthropods for
reproduction, should therefore depend on internal (e.g. mating status) and/or external (e.g. availability of resources) factors. In gregarious parasitoids that lay clutches of eggs the probability to
encounter kin on the natal patch and thus to sib-mate is high. While several gregarious parasitoid species benefit from a haplodiploid sex determination system by sib-mating and producing
female-biased sex ratios, other species determine offspring sex by complementary sex determination. Here unfertilized eggs develop into haploid males while fertilized eggs develop either into
females, when heterozygous at the sex determining locus, or into unviable/sterile diploid males,
when homozygous at that gene locus. In such species inbreeding incurs fitness costs through
diploid male production. Immediate dispersal of one or both sexes could decrease or even prevent inbreeding. Furthermore, sex might influence aspects that are considered for patch leaving
decisions. Males face the trade-off to stay on the natal patch and wait for sisters to mate with or
to disperse and search for unrelated mating partners. Virgin females, in contrast, could either
search for hosts and produce sons immediately or search for mating partners and produce sons
and daughters later in life. We here report on how the presence of conspecific adult wasps (of
same or different sex), pupae, hosts and food affect the dispersal decision of male and female
Bracon brevicornis wasps from the natal patch.
Poster EB.15
Understanding climate change related shifts in phenology in a wild bird population.
TIM SCHMOLL1, W OLFGANG WINKEL2, LOESKE KRUUK3
1
Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland
3
Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh
2
Recent climate change profoundly affects the phenology of life cycle events in a variety of taxa.
In particular, many bird species have responded to increasing spring temperatures by shifting
their timing of reproduction towards earlier breeding over the last decades. However, the relative
contributions of phenotypic plasticity, changing demography and microevolutionary responses to
the widely observed trends on the phenotypic level remain unclear. Disentangling these mechanisms and quantifying their relative contribution is of crucial importance for predicting how populations will respond to future climate change and for informing managing decisions. Here we analyse a longterm data set of more than 3400 breeding events from a German pied flycatcher
Ficedula hypoleuca population that is characterised by a considerable forward shift in reproductive phenology over the last 37 years. Random regression analysis of multiple observations of
known-age individuals in different environments allow quantifying the role of individual phenotypic plasticity and demography for the observed changes in key reproductive traits such as laying date, clutch size or duration of the incubation period. In addition, quantitative genetic analysis
will reveal whether microevolution also has the potential to contribute to the observed trends in
the phenotype over time.
75
Poster EB.16
Evolutionary history of swifts (Aves: Apus, Tachymarptis).
DIETER THOMAS TIETZE, MARTIN PÄCKERT1
1
Museum für Tierkunde, Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen Dresden
Swifts spend almost their entire life in the air. These birds are well adapted to that lifestyle in
physiological and morphological respect (e.g. long pointed wings). Therefore differentiation
among species is much less pronounced. Based on a dated multi-gene phylogeny for all 17 species of the sister genera Apus and Tachymarptis, we reconstruct ancestral distributional areas
and discuss morphological adaptations and emergence of long-distance migration accompanying dispersal and vicariance events. 13 species occur in tropical Africa or on islands off the African coast, making the Afrotropic the most likely area of the most recent common ancestor. Only
nine species can be found outside this ecozone, but none outside the Old World. Furthermore,
only four of these nine species are the only long-distance migrants in the study group; they are
on average larger than sedentary species. Variation in body dimensions is smallest in species
poor eastern Eurasia. In general the investigated species show rather dull coloration. 14 species
have at least a white chin and five of these furthermore a white rump. We will consider such
traits in spatial and temporal respect.
The study was substantially funded by Sächsisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst,
AZ4-7531.50-02-621-08/1.
Poster EB.17
Sex ratio adjustment in the common swift Apus apus.
ARNDT WELLBROCK1, CHRISTINA BAUCH2, JAN ROZMAN3, KLAUDIA WITTE1
1
Department of Chemistry and Biology, Research Group Ecology & Behavioral Biology, University of
Siegen
2
Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", Wilhelmshaven
3
Pelkovenstr. 65, 80992 München
The ability to adjust offspring sex ratio according to environmental conditions can be a fitness
benefit for species with different costs in producing a female or male offspring. In general, a dynamic sex ratio is not to be expected in a sexually monomorphic species with biparental care like
the common swift Apus apus. The common swift is a long-living, long-distance migratory bird
extremely adapted to life in the air around the year except for the breeding season. In these
three months, swifts depend strongly on the availability of aerial food (mainly flying insects), and
this in turn varies due to weather conditions. We investigated the sex ratio in offspring of a swift
colony located in a highway bridge near Olpe, Germany, in years with different weather conditions previous to the start of egg laying (2008 and 2009). We found a female-biased offspring
sex ratio in both years (about one-third male and two-thirds female nestlings), but at different
times during the hatching period. In 2008, more female than male offspring hatched in the first
half of the hatching period whereas the sex ratio did not deviate from parity in the second half. In
2009, it was the other way around. Because there were lower temperatures and less rainfall before the start and during the egg-laying period in 2009 than in 2008, we assume that food availability was lower in 2009. Therefore, we can conclude from these results that female swifts may
adjust their offspring sex ratio to weather conditions and seemed to invest more in female offspring when food availabilty is high previous to egg laying.
76
Poster EB.18
Pronounced intraspecific variation and individual phenotypic plasticity in great tit Parus
major sperm morphology.
MARIA RUSCHE1, ODDMUND KLEVEN2, TIM SCHMOLL1
1
2
Bioforsk Soil and Environment, Svanhovd, Svanvik
The females of many socially monogamous bird species often copulate with males other than
their social partners and female extra-pair mating behaviour has been suggested to be a major
source of sexual selection in birds. Indeed, comparative evidence suggests that postcopulatory
sexual selection resulting from extra-pair paternity is a major driver of sperm trait evolution in
birds, explaining much of the variation in sperm traits across species. Much less, however, is
known about the evolutionary causes and consequences of intraspecific variation in sperm traits,
and how this variation may be related to competitive fertilization success within as well as across
populations. Here we analyse natural sperm trait variation in a wild population of great tits Parus
major, a socially monogamous passerine bird with extra-pair mating behaviour. We show that
sperm morphology varies seasonally and that this variation can be explained by individual phenotypic plasticity. Furthermore, we compare sperm traits also across populations. We discuss
possible adaptive and non-adaptive causes for phenotypic plasticity in sperm morphology in a
sperm competition context as well as the implications of this finding for comparing sperm traits
across populations.
Poster EB.19
Personality affects dominance and growth in cichlids.
Thomas Riebli
Institut für Ökologie und Evolution (IEE), Universität Bern, CH
Even though animal personality research has proceeded rapidly, social consequences of the
coexistence of different behavioural types in group-living species have been underexplored. It is
expected that individual behavioural properties might profoundly affect life-history traits such as
food intake or growth rates in group-living animals. Here, we tested whether intrinsic aggressive
propensity affects dominance and growth rates in Neolamprologus pulcher, a small cooperatively
breeding cichlid from Lake Tanganyika, Africa. Intrinsic aggressive propensity was first scored
with a mirror test. Then the fish were tested for dominance with partners matched for size and
either matched or unmatched for aggressive type in a paired contest. Afterwards, social groups
of four animals were formed, matched for size, consisting of four individuals either matched or
unmatched for their aggressive propensity. We expected high aggressive animals having a competitive advantage over low aggressive animals in unmatched groups and therefore should gain
dominance more often and also having higher growth rates than low aggressive fish. Indeed, our
results showed that high aggressive fish gained more often dominance in pair-wise encounters
when competing low aggressive fish compared to when competing high aggressive ones. However, contrary to our expectations, low aggressive animals were growing faster in body size than
high aggressive ones in unmatched groups, whilst we found the opposite in matched groups.
Our results suggest that individuals with low aggressive propensity may benefit from conflict
evasion, allowing them to gain dominance in the future owing to larger body size.
77
Poster EB.20
Family specific differences in pigment pattern of larval zebrafish (Danio rerio).
KATHARINA GEBHARDT1; CORNELIA HINZ1; KRISTIN TIETJE1; WILKO AHLRICHS1; GABRIELE GERLACH1
1
Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg
The ability to discriminate between kin and non-kin strongly influences the evolution of social
behaviour and thus plays a major role in nature.
Zebrafish larvae can recognize their kin by olfactory cues and prefer to associate with their kin,
because they grow faster in kin groups. To develop kin recognition ability, zebrafish larvae must
be imprinted on their kin in a sensitive phase on day 6 post fertilization. In this sensitive phase
zebrafish larvae need to smell and see their siblings for successful imprinting. Further studies
have shown that larvae do not imprint on the olfactory and visual cues of unrelated larvae, suggesting a predisposition for both cues. While MHC class II allele similarity is responsible for the
genetic predisposition for kin odour, little is known about the visual imprinting process.
In this study we compared pigment patterns of 6 days old zebrafish larvae in order to test
whether those pigment patterns might represent possible cues for the visual recognition of kin.
We found significant differences in pigment patterns between family strains. Therefore, larvae
might recognize their kin by similarity in pigmentation.
Poster EB.21
The influence of ageing on testes and sperm morphology in three-spined sticklebacks
(Gasterosteus aculeatus).
MARION MEHLIS1 AND THEO C. M. BAKKER1
1
Ageing is caused by negative effects of mutations acting late in life, which range from those
affecting cells, cell function or the whole organism. In many animal taxa it has been shown
that the deterioration of the phenotype with age also affects male quality and fertility. The
three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) is a fish species in which males have a
given amount of sperm available for the whole breeding season between April and August as
spermatogenesis only occurs outside the breeding season. This study aimed to answer the
following question: does ageing affect sperm and hence male quality in three-spined sticklebacks? Therefore, full sib families were raised under standardised laboratory conditions. Each
family was split into two groups to control for environmental influences. At an age of twelve
months light conditions were changed from winter (L:D=8:16h) to summer conditions
(L:D=16:8h) in order to simulate the beginning of the breeding season, which lasted five
months. At an age of 20 months fish were put under summer conditions again. During both
simulated breeding seasons reproductively active males were allowed to build a nest in single
tanks and the effects of male age on different testes and sperm traits were studied including
the gonadosomatic index, pigmentation of testes, sperm number, sperm morphology and male
breeding coloration. The comparative sperm data of full-sibs in successive breeding periods
will be discussed with respect to the effects of ageing.
78
Poster EB.22
Life history and parental care strategies of caecilian amphibians – an evolutionary approach.
SANDY REINHARD 1, ALEXANDER KUPFER 1, 2
1
Institut für Spezielle Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie mit Phyletischem Museum, Friedrich-SchillerUniversität Jena
2
Naturwissenschaftlich-Technische Fakultät, Fachgruppe Integrative Zoologie und Biodiversität Universität Siegen
Among vertebrates amphibians show a huge variety of reproductive strategies, which include
oviparity and viviparity, lentic and lotic or even terrestrial breeding. Diverse and complex parental
care strategies are widespread among caecilian amphibians, encompassing egg-guarding to
passive feeding of young, i.e. several species are known to provide offspring with highly nutritious maternal skin. Here we summarize the evolutionary patterns of life history strategies using
a comparative multi level approach. Additionally we follow parental care and skin-feeding in laboratory populations of the viviparous caecilian Geotrypetes seraphini.
79
80
Ecology
81
Talk EC.1
Endemic forest specialists vs. invasive habitat generalists: Habitat selection and population fluctuations in Island Birds.
INGO J. HAHN1, PABLO M. VERGARA2, UWE RÖMER3
1
2
3
Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster
Department of Engineer Geography, Universidad de Santiago de Chile
Institute of Biogeography, University of Trier
Degradation and habitat loss on oceanic islands are key processes leading to population decline of
endemic birds and facilitating the establishment of invasive bird species. In this study, we assessed
density and habitat selection of two endemics and two alien landbird species of Robinson Crusoe
Island, Chile. Results show that perturbed habitats contained a low density of the endemics juan
fernandez firecrown and juan fernandez tit-tyrant whereas the invasive green-backed firecrown
(and austral thrush were significantly more abundant in perturbed scrub habitats. Landbird species
show different habitat selection patterns, with endemics selecting for native forest and invasive species selecting for perturbed habitats, or using them at random. Landbird species experienced temporal fluctuations in their overall population sizes, with the endemic tit-tyrant suffering a significant
decline in its population size of about 63 percent between 1994 and 2009. Only invasive species
exhibited temporal changes in habitat use, significantly reducing their densities in the preferred
scrub habitats, possibly as a response to decreased habitat quality. Thrushes apparently were able
to compensate the population decrease in one non native habitat type by using native forests, a
habitat giving them the opportunity of preying on nests of endemic species.
Talk EC.2
Mites, males, mates: sex- and age-specific host-parasite relationship between bats and
ectoparasites.
JORGE A. ENCARNAÇÃO1
1
Mammalian Ecology Group, Department of Animal Ecology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen
Ectoparasites induce costs for hosts, and therefore several mechanisms, including physiological
and behavioural adaptations, have evolved to improve host resistance. European bat species
are regularly infested with haematophagous mites living on the wings of bats. Infestation and
prevalence levels can differ depending on species, sex, age and season. Factors influencing
these are known but for free-ranging male bats data is scarce. Over a period of 11 years we
sampled mites on >2000 Daubenton´s bats, including almost one thousand adult male bats.
We assessed if infestation level varies in males during the seasonal period, and found that parasite load increases during spermatogenesis. This finding can be explained by a higher testosterone level, which acts as an immunosuppressant. Prevalence rates and infestation levels of females and juveniles were always higher than those of males. Grooming behaviour in males is
not limited by energetic constrains caused by reproduction costs, or grooming inefficiency which
might result in lower prevalence rates and infestation levels.
No correlation was found between body condition (BCI) and infestation level in males. However,
in females and juveniles a higher BCI resulted in higher parasite loads during nursery period
possibly due to reduced grooming behaviour and immunocompetence. Colony size did not influence parasite load in males, but greater colonies of females and juveniles resulted in higher mite
loads. Larger group size in males might not increase parasite load since grooming behaviour and
roost switching are frequent.
This study showed that parasite load in free-ranging, temperate bats is sex, season, and age dependent
due to variations in behaviour (grooming, roosting) and physiology (immunocompetence, sex hormones).
82
Talk EC.3
Annual survival in rockhopper penguins and the influence of sea surface temperatures.
NINA DEHNHARD1, MAUD POISBLEAU1,2, LAURENT DEMONGIN1,2, KATRIN LUDYNIA1,3, PETRA QUILLFELDT1
1
Max-Planck Institute for Ornithology, Vogelwarte Radolfzell
Department Biology - Ethology, University of Antwerp
Animal Demography Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Cape Town
2
3
Southern rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome) are listed as vulnerable by the
IUCN after a dramatic population decline during the 20th century. Knowledge about annual survival
rates is essential to understand the species’ demography and the mechanisms behind the population
decline. Since the breeding season 2006/07, we have marked a total of 526 adults and 215 chicks in
our study colony on New Island/Falkland Islands with PIT-tags and recorded presence/absence
throughout the following four breeding seasons. Our dataset allowed us to compare survival rates of
different age groups and between males and females under different oceanographic conditions. Mortality mainly occurred in the non-breeding season, and was higher in females compared to males (average annual survival was 90.7 % for adult females and 93.1 % for adult males). In the first three yearintervals, survival rates of adults as well as chicks and immatures were higher than any reported for
crested penguins so far (maximum annual adult survival was 94.8% for females and 96.2% for males).
This reflects generally good food availability during the study period and also gives hope for a slow
recovery of population numbers. However, mortality was significantly higher in the last year, which was
characterised by very low sea surface temperatures (SST). We found a quadratic relationship between
average SST anomaly and survival rates, indicating a narrow optimum range for penguin survival. Together with previously observed population declines, the present data suggest rockhopper penguins to
be highly sensitive to changes in sea surface temperatures and the underlying food-web, a worrying
perspective in times of global climate change.
Talk EC.4
Frugivorous bats drink mineral and clay-enriched water at salt licks of the Amazon rain forests.
SIMON J. GHANEM1*, HANS RUPPERT2, THOMAS H. KUNZ3, CHRISTIAN C. VOIGT1
1
Leibniz Institute for Zoo- and Wildlife Research (IZW
Geowissenschaftliches Zentrum der Universität Göttingen (GZG)
3
Department of Biology, Boston University, USA
2
Fugivorous bats face two major physiological problems during reproduction: a fruit diet largely depleted of minerals and exposure to toxic secondary plant compounds. In the Eastern Amazon rainforest, pregnant and lactating frugivorous bats are captured in large numbers at mineral licks;
muddy depressions that are maintained by larger mammals. What are frugivorous bats seeking at
mineral licks: Salt for nutrient supplementation or soil for detoxification? Previous studies reported
low sodium concentrations in Peruvian figs, but high sodium concentrations of mineral lick water,
which is in support of the nutrient supplementation hypothesis. We performed video analyses and
checked for soil tracers in bat faeces to assess whether bats visit salt licks for water or clay uptake.
If bats visit licks for detoxification, they should have soil tracers in their faeces. If, however, bats visit
licks for nutrient supplementation, elemental composition of blood should differ between bats captured at mineral licks and control sites. Indeed, even though bats were recorded drinking water at
mineral licks, they also had soil tracers in their faeces, indicating the consumption of soil. We also
found differences in the elemental composition of blood between frugivorous bats captured at salt
licks and at control sites, suggesting nutrient consumption by bats. Overall, our finding is the first
direct evidence that frugivorous bats ingest both nutrients and clay by drinking clay-enriched water
at mineral licks. These results provide further evidence for the notion of a dual function of mineral
lick visitation by fruit-eating bats in the Amazon rainforest.
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Talk EC.5
Listen to who’s calling: eavesdropping on public information in three Neotropical bat species.
KIRSTIN ÜBERNICKEL1 & ELISABETH K.V. KALKO1,2
1
2
Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá
In mammals, only little information is available on inter-species information transfer using public information. We studied the information transfer via eavesdropping behaviour of three neotropical bat species that partially overlap in feeding ecology and signal design: two trawlers (Noctilio leporinus and N.
albiventris; Noctilionidae) and an aerial insectivore (Saccopteryx bilineata; Emballonuridae). We hypothesized that search phase echolocation calls and the characteristic terminal phase or ’feeding buzz’
contain information that can be picked up by other bats with similar diets and call structure.
Acoustic playback trials consisted of six sequences: search phase calls and terminal feeding
buzzes emitted by conspecifics, a heterospecific of the same family, and a heterospecific of a
different family. Structure of search phase signals was similar within genera but differed between
genera and families. Feeding buzzes with short, frequency-modulated calls produced at a high
repetition rate were similar between all species.
Our results support that bats’ reactions are highly species-specific towards search calls and final
buzzes of both, conspecifics and heterospecifics. For the most part they were not associated
with similarities in design and temporal patterns of echolocation calls. We conclude that interindividual information transfer via eavesdropping on public information is likely to mainly depend
on species-specific traits including foraging and social behaviour (territoriality, group foraging),
and also on distribution and density of prey.
Talk EC.6
Talk cancelled
Talk EC.7
Rapid genetic assimilation of native wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) by extensive introgression of introduced Italian lineages.
ULRICH SCHULTE, AXEL HOCHKIRCH & MICHAEL VEITH 1
1
Department of Biogeography, Trier University
The Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis) represents one of the few reptile species that has
successfully colonized regions in north-western Europe far outside its sub-Mediterranean native
range. Nowadays more than 140 self-sustaining populations are known that have emerged
mainly from human-mediated introductions. Invasive populations in Central Europe stem from
eight geographically distinct evolutionary lineages. The origin of numerous populations (e.g.
north Italian lake region and south-eastern France) suggests that introductions were influenced
by tourism and common human travel routes. While the majority of these invasive populations is
found outside the native range, some introduced populations also exist at the northern range
border of the species in south-western Germany. In order to infer the level of hybridization in
contact zones of alien and native lineages we used a combination of maternally inherited markers (mtDNA: cytB) and Mendelian markers (microsatellites). Our results suggest a rapid genetic
assimilation of native populations by a strong introgression of alleles of introduced Italian lineages. The genetic diversity of these hybrid populations increased substantially compared to introduced and native populations that belong to a single lineage. The high level of intraspecific
admixture might have facilitated the invasion success in such contact zones. Nevertheless introduced populations that stem from only few founders of one source population retained high levels of genetic diversity and no evidence for a genetic bottleneck was found.
84
Talk EC.8
When the pond turtle followed the reindeer: effect of climate change on vertebrate diversity in Northern Europe at the end of the Ice Age.
ROBERT S. SOMMER1 and UWE FRITZ2
1
Ecology Centre, University of Kiel
Senckenberg Natural History Collections Dresden, Museum of Zoology
2
The impact of the termination of the last Glacial and the onset of the present Interglacial (Holocene) on large-scale faunal shifts, extinction dynamics and gene pools of species are of special
interest in natural sciences. A general pattern of climate-triggered range expansion and local
extinction of vertebrate species is known for Europe, and shows that in the modern temperate
zone the main faunal change took place mainly during the Late Glacial (14,700-11,700 years
ago) and Early Holocene (11,700-9,100 years ago). Based on large datasets of new radiocarbon
data, we present precise temporal dynamics of climate-driven disappearance and appearance of
reindeer and pond turtle in southern Sweden. These two species are significant climate indicators in Late Quaternary biostratigraphy. Our data reveal that the reindeer disappeared from
southern Sweden c. 10,300 years ago, whereas the pond turtle colonized the area c. 9,860 years
ago with a 450-year gap between each species. Around 5,500 yrs ago pond turtle records suddenly terminate in Sweden, some 1,500 years before the Holocene thermal maximum ended in
Scandinavia and distinctly earlier than previously thought. This extinction coincides with a temporary cooling oscillation during the Holocene thermal maximum.
The post-glacial range dynamics of pond turtle and reindeer are a unique model case, allowing
insights into the faunal turnover of other vertebrates during the last natural global climate oscillations at the Pleistocene-Holocene transition.
Talk EC.9
Multisensory, non-photic cue triggers onset of reproduction in a seasonal breeding bird.
STEFAN LEITNER,1 TORSTEN MEINERS,2 ANDRIES TER MAAT,1 CORNELIA VOIGT,1,3
1
Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Seewiesen
Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Freie Universität Berlin
3
Department of Biology and Evolution, University of Ferrara
2
In most temperate zone vertebrates, photoperiodic change plays the major role in the timing of
seasonal breeding. However, direct environmental stimuli such as temperature, rainfall or food
availability are thought to be important for the fine-tuning of breeding activities. Building on evidence from free-living island canaries (Serinus canaria), we had shown advancing effects of
green vegetation on breeding under captive, short-day conditions. So far, the precise, sensory
modalities of this stimulatory cue are unknown. Here we present new data that confirm advanced
breeding activities in the presence of green vegetation and narrow its stimulatory components.
We found that direct exposure of the birds to fresh green vegetation represented the strongest
stimulus, and advanced breeding by up to two months compared to controls. In contrast, access
to either artificial green vegetation, extracts from green vegetation, or olfactory components
alone had no such effects. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first experiment that examines sensory components of an effective, supplementary, non-photoperiodic cue in a temperate
zone species. Our data suggest that in order to use non-photoperiodic information to time breeding, birds must be able to integrate and process multisensory stimuli. Single non-photoperiodic
sensory cues are insufficient to affect the timing of seasonal breeding.
85
Talk EC.10
Exploring horizontal Wolbachia- transmission among bees (Anthophila) using MLST data.
MICHAEL GERTH 1, JULIANE RÖTHE 1, CHRISTOPH BLEIDORN 1
1
Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Animals, University of Leipzig
Wolbachia are probably the most widespread intracellular symbionts of arthropods. In many species, an infection can significantly alter the reproduction of its hosts and thereby enhance its
chance of vertical transmission. However, the horizontal transmission of Wolbachia, i.e. its original mode of infection, remains largely unclear. It has been suggested that Wolbachia spreads
predominantly among closely related hosts or hosts that are ecologically linked. Because bees
are ecologically well studied and exhibit a high prevalence of Wolbachia (>70 %), they pose an
ideal group to investigate the horizontal transmission of this infection.
In our study, we aimed to answer whether Wolbachia are transmitted among bees from solitary
species to their brood parasites (“cuckoos”). We therefore sampled native German bees with a
focus on Wolbachia- infected bees and their cuckoos. We performed multilocus sequence typing
(MLST) using five bacterial housekeeping genes and Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) to classify
each Wolbachia symbiont.
By phylogenetic and statistical analyses of those Wolbachia strain types we try to shed light on
brood parasitism as a potential pathway for their horizontal transmission. Further studies and
broader sampling will address the role of shared host plants in the process of horizontal Wolbachia exchange. Altogether, these findings will contribute towards understanding the mechanisms
underlying the distribution of Wolbachia on hosts worldwide.
Talk EC.11
Treating an invader: Colony defense of aphids against the Asian lady beetle larvae Harmonia axyridis.
MANFRED HARTBAUER, DORIS REINEKE
Institut für Zoologie, Karl-Franzens University Graz
In the non myrmecophilous aphids Aphis nerii and Uroleucon hypocheridis encounters with various natural enemies are characterized by defense reactions on a colony level mediated through
collective twitching and kicking responses (CTKR). However, the effectiveness of physical defense, either collective or not, may strongly depend on the size of the enemy. Therefore, defense
against a large predator, the lady beetle larvae Harmonia axyridis and a small parasitoid wasp,
Aphidius colemani, was studied in a natural setting.
All aphids under attack defended themselves by means of physical defense reactions. Due to
sturdy physical defense reactions of A. nerii individuals, but less likely because of CTKR, about
1/3 of all oviposition attempts were interrupted. In contrast, CTKR dominated encounters with
beetle larvae and surprisingly also encounters with ants, which were borrowed from established
ant-aphid relationships.
In addition to physical defense, 50 % of attacked aphids belonging to either species released
cornicle exudates in encounters with beetle larvae. As a consequence of successful chemical
defense of mature A. nerii colonies, beetle larvae spent 40 % of their time budget autogrooming, a behavior which was hardly ever seen in U. hypochoeridis colonies. There 33 % of all
colony members escaped larvae predation by passing by this predator while feeding another
colony member. In summary, collective defense likely facilitates the release of cornicle exudates in A. nerii colonies and likely triggers escape response observed in U. hypochoeridis
colonies.
86
Talk EC.12
Feeding ecology, isotope signatures and nuptial gifts in bushcrickets.
GERLIND U.C. LEHMANN1, CHRISTIAN C. VOIGT2
1
2
Department of Biology, Humboldt University Berlin
Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin
Bushcricket spermatophores transferred during mating are costly for males to produce. Females
receive several benefits from these nuptial gifts, boosting their muscle mass with nitrogen and enhancing their metabolism. The nutritional impact of the spermatophore may be particularly significant for bushcricket species restricted in their nitrogen supply, like herbivore feeders.
We analyzed a set of bushcricket species from two taxonomic subfamilies and measured their
levels of the isotopes 13C and 15N. Our comparative analysis reveals that members of the carnivorous subfamily Tettigoniinae contain greater amounts of 15N than herbivorous Phaneropterinae. Females tend to have an increased 15N value compared to their conspecific males. This
increase correlates with spermatophore sizes, especially in the herbivore species. We discuss
the data in light of spermatophore investment and feeding ecology.
Talk EC.13
Prey identification in the polyphagous digger wasp species Cerceris sabulosa (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae).
VERENA KASPER1 & THOMAS SCHMITT1
1
Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology, University of Freiburg
In order to identify an appropriate prey, a predator has to decide which one to choose and which to
decline. While monophagous predators are specialised on one single prey species and may identify
that prey by specific cues, polyphagous species, in contrast, have two possibilities: because of their
broad prey spectrum, these predators may be able to identify every one of their prey species by a species specific cue or they recognize all prey species by a common cue. Apart from visual prey recognition, many insects rely on chemical stimuli. In those cases, chemical compounds on the cuticle of a
prey species can serve as kairomones for predator species. The digger wasp Cerceris sabulosa is
considered a polyphagous hunter. The females of our model hunt a variety of different bee species.
Either, each huntress has learned to identify all those species or a common signal must allow discrimination of these prey species from the non-prey bees of comparable visual appearance. In this study,
we investigate the chemical profiles of different bee species using gas chromatography coupled with
mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Additionally, we use behavioural assays with cuticular extracts of prey
bees in dummy tests to characterise potential kairomones. We show that polar fractions of extracts of
prey bees are responsible for prey identification. Analyses of cuticular profiles verify a differentiation in
the composition of polar compounds between prey and non-prey species. In case of C. sabulosa,
quantitative or qualitative differences of specific polar compounds may represent a common kairomone. Thus, polyphagous predators might be “chemical” specialists.
87
Talk EC.14
The more the better? Numerical response and patch time allocation of an egg parasitoid
attacking an invasive tephritid fruit fly.
KATHARINA MERKEL1, 2, SUNDAY EKESI2 AND THOMAS S. HOFFMEISTER1
1
2
Institute of Ecology, University of Bremen
Plant Health Division, African Insect Science for Food and Health, icipe, Kenya
The numerical response of predators and parasitoids measures the effect of the predator-prey
ratio on the predation efficiency at the individual and population level. Often, the interference between competing females causes a reduction of the per capita parasitism with increasing parasitoid densities. Yet, at the population level, many studies report an increase of the efficiency with
increasing parasitoid density despite the negative effects of interference. This phenomenon is
often used in inundative biological control. Obviously, the time a parasitoid is willing to spend on
a host patch, its response to host density, and to competitive interactions with conspecifics on
the patch are key factors to understand the numerical response in host-parasitoid systems. We
investigated the effect of the spatial distribution of hosts, encounters with hosts and conspecifics
as well as the current parasitoid density on patch leaving decisions in the egg parasitoid Fopius
arisanus. At strong host aggregation, the per capita parasitism decreased by more than 80 per
cent for a single vs. four searching wasps. Thus, in highly aggregated patches the interference
was so strong that F. arisanus showed an inverse ratio dependent response on the population
level. In contrast, at uniform host distribution parasitoid impact was positively related to parasitoid density. Using time dependent Cox proportional hazard models we analysed the factors determining the density dependent response in Fopius parasitoids.
Talk EC.15
Acanthaster planci - Plasticity in morphology and behaviour?
HANNES IMHOF1, ROBERT SIGL1, CIEMON FRANK CABALLES2 , PETER SCHUPP2, 3, CHRISTIAN LAFORSCH1
1
Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich
Marine Laboratory, UOG, Mangilao, University of Guam
Institut für Chemie und Biologie des Meeres (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg
2
3
Acanthaster planci inhabits most tropical waters and its mass outbreaks are reported to be fatal
for tropical coral reefs all over the Indo-Pacific region. The ability to starve over a long period of
time while using their own mass as energy storage may allow the corallivore starfish A. planci to
migrate in groups over large distances and therefore might be an additional explanation for the
poorly understood outbreaks.
We found that A. planci is able to starve over a time period of at least 100 days while significantly
reducing its volume, size and weight. Field studies on the island of Guam showed that these
animals were still able to travel over large distances. Although A. planci is not migrating in tight
groups we found that the starfish have an overall common direction in which they travel and
therefore might use chemical cues to trigger migration.
Given that A. planci is capable to migrate from one coral reef to another may therefore explain
the often observed sudden appearance and disappearance of huge numbers of starfish before,
respectively after an outbreak.
88
Talk EC.16
The weakness of protection: inducible defences against predators make prey more vulnerable to parasites.
CHRISTIAN LAFORSCH1, Co Author: JUSTYNA W OLINSKA1
1
The development of inducible defensive traits against herbivores or predators is widespread
in plants and animals. Theory predicts that defended morphs should have greater survival
in the presence of predators, whereas the undefended morphs should have higher fitness in
the absence of predators, resulting from costs associated with the defended form. In the
absence of such costs, a constitutively defended form should be favoured by natural selection. Most of the empirical studies so far have suggested that the costs of defence may be
weak or absent. However, costs of inducible defences have not been explored in the context of prey exposure to parasites. Our current work shows, using the waterflea (Daphnia)
model system, that defended morphs are significantly more vulnerable to infection by virulent yeast parasite than undefended morphs. In two independent experiments, the proportion of successful infections and the number of parasite spores were higher among defended than undefended Daphnia. Thus, by demonstration of the previously unknown environmentally relevant costs of inducible defences, this study enhances our understanding of
adaptive phenotypic plasticity and its evolution.
Talk EC.17
Phenotypic plasticity in Daphnia: A ecological proteomic approach.
KATHRIN A. OTTE1, 2, THOMS FRÖHLICH2, GEORG J. ARNOLD2, CHRISTIAN LAFORSCH1
1
Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Laboratory of functional genomic analysis (LAFUGA), Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
München
2
Predation is a key factor in the evolution of prey species and the dynamics of prey communities.
In both animals and plants, different defensive mechanisms have evolved in response to this
selection pressure. Phenotypic plasticity in defensive traits appears to be an appropriate mechanism to cope with the variable hazard of a frequently changing predator system. A textbook example for these so called inducible defences is the waterflea Daphnia.
However, our understanding of the mechanisms underlying plastic responses in Daphnia is still
in its infancy. Given that Daphnia is emerging as the key model invertebrate system in ecological
genomics, our study aims to discover the molecular basis of predator induced defences. Therefore, we will analyse conditionally expressed proteins in response to different predator regimes
using 2-D fluorescence difference gel analysis technology (DIGE) and mass spectroscopy or
multidimensional liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectroscopy (md-LC-MS/MS). To
enable functional analysis of candidate proteins derived from holistic approaches, peptide induced antibodies with monoepitopic specificity (iSEPIA) will be developed.
As proteomic and transcriptomic approaches are complementary to relate gene expression data
to the organism’s phenotype, our overall aim in this collaborative project is to combine both
methodologies in the long run to gain insight into the evolution of genes involved in the formation
of predator induced defences.
89
Talk EC.18
Interclonal variation, effectiveness and long-term implications of Triops-induced morphological defences in Daphnia magna.
MAX RABUS1, ALINE WATERKEYN2, 3, NISSE VAN POTTELBERGH2, LUC BRENDONCK2, AND CHRISTIAN
LAFORSCH1
1
Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
3
Research Center for Mediterranean Wetlands Tour du Valat
2
In response to the predatory tadpole shrimp Triops cancriformis (Notostraca), the cladoceran D.
magna develops a “bulky” morphotype as inducible morphological defence. The aim of this study
is to provide a detailed overview of those defences with respect to interclonal variation of the induced traits, the effectiveness of the defence and their effects on the prey’s population structure.
In a clonal comparison experiment, we could show that various clones of D. magna differed in
their morphological response to T. cancriformis. By conducting predation trials with different
combinations of Daphnia- and Triops-size classes, we could demonstrate that the morphological
defences act as an effective protection throughout the entire life-span of D. magna. Finally, a
long-term mesocosm study confirmed that T. cancriformis is a strong agent in structuring D.
magna populations through direct (predation) and indirect (induction) effects. Hence, this study
provides further insight in this recently discovered predator-prey system, covering morphology,
direct predator-prey interactions and the ecological role of predation and induced defences in
structuring prey communities.
90
Poster EC.1
Genetic variability of Lacerta viridis in fragmented habitats in Bulgaria.
CLAUDIA ANDRES1, NICOHESSELBARTH1, MARTINSCHLEGEL1, KLAUS HENLE2
1
2
Molecular Evolution and Animal Systematics, University of Leipzig
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, UFZ, Leipzig
Biodiversity on earth is threatened by fragmentation and loss of habitats, leading to larger distances between populations, thus impeding gene flow. These processes can result in local, regional, or even global disappearance of species. To investigate the effect of recent anthropogenic habitat fragmentation we examined the genetic diversity of fragmented and unfragmented
populations of the Green Lizard (Lacerta viridis) in Bulgaria. The fragmented populations of L.
viridis are situated around Plovdiv in the Thracean plain, 150km southeast of Sofia at an altitude
of about 150 m. This plain was originally covered by dense forest, but agricultural use of this land
has been intensified in the last 200 years. L. viridis is now found only in the remaining forest islands between the agricultural fields. We conducted a multi-locus microsatellite analysis of their
population structure to investigate sensitivity to fragmentation at the genetic level. We sampled
20 individuals per population in four fragmented and two unfragmented populations and subsequently determined genetic variation at 24 microsatellite loci. Additionally, we characterised the
landscape in terms of habitat size, distance among habitat patches, and dispersal barriers
among the sampled populations to find potential correlations to genetic variation. Results of this
analysis will be presented on the poster.
Poster EC.2
“How much does it cost to prevent the extinction of critically endangered birds?”
ANABEL HAAS1, H. MARTIN SCHAEFER1
1
Evolutionsbiologie und Ökologie, Universität Freiburg
Many scientists agree that the current level of biodiversity loss is much higher than in the history
of humankind. Some scientists even refer to it as the 6th mass extinction. Therefore, a lot of effort
has been devoted to save critically endangered species. On the one hand, the target of conservation biology is to aim for zero extinction; on the other hand the term conservation triage has
become increasingly popular among scientists since not all species can feasibly be saved. The
critical question is thus: How much does it cost to prevent the extinction of species? To this end
we obtained feasibly cost estimates on critically endangered birds because birds are the best
known class of organisms. To quantify that extinction is prevented, we collected cost estimates
on birds which have been downgraded (from critically endangered to endangered or lower) in the
past according to the criteria from the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. We further collected costs of downgrading currently critically endangered species in the future. The results
show that downgrading a bird species costs approximately 1 million US$ per year and on average 16 million US$ in total. Species that were downgraded in the past were less costly to save
than the currently critically endangered ones. Birds living on islands are more expensive, often
due to eradication costs.
91
Poster EC.3
True grit – faecal silica levels are positively correlated with hypsodonty.
JÜRGEN HUMMEL1, EVA FINDEISEN1, KARL-HEINZ SÜDEKUM1, IRINA RUF2, THOMAS M. KAISER3, MAR4
5
5
TIN BUCHER , MARCUS CLAUSS , DARYL CODRON
1
Institut für Tierwissenschaften, Universität Bonn, 2 Steinmann Institut für Geologie, Mineralogie und
Paläontologie, Universität Bonn, 3 Biozentrum Grindel und Zoologisches Museum, Universität Hamburg, 4 Zoo Zürich, 5 Klinik für Zoo-, Heim-, und Wildtiere, Universität Zürich
The causal relations in the evolution of hypsodonty (high-crowned teeth) represent a constant bone of
contention. The most common general assumption is that an increase of tooth abrasion by ingested
silica (via dust or sand, or via plant phytoliths) is a major trigger of hypsodonty. The complete indigestibility of these components facilitates some quantification of silica intake via the analysis of its faecal
levels. In this study, faeces of a range of free ranging African large herbivores were analysed for their
silica content at two different seasons (n=15 for dry and n=13 for wet season), and these values were
related to hypsodonty indices from literature. As a measure of silica contents, ash in faecal acid-detergent
fibre residues was used, which represents the total of silica present in samples. Faecal values ranged
from 17-163 g/kg dry matter (DM), and were positively correlated with hypsodonty in a phylogenetically
controlled analysis (dry season r=0.80, p < 0.0005; wet season r=0.74, p < 0.005). No difference was
found between seasons (98 g/kg DM wet season vs. 94 g/kg DM dry season). Any influence of overall
digestibility of diet on measured silica contents does not appear to have the potential to blur the general
pattern. The results support a scenario of ingested silica as a major trigger of hypsodonty in ungulates.
Future investigations may focus on a further distinction of the origin of silica present in faeces.
Poster EC.4
Significance of shell disease between the native shore crab Carcinus maenas and the invasive Asian brush crab Hemigrapsus takanoi.
KABEN-DOBBECK1, PHILIPP KRAEMER1, ALEXANDRA MARKERT², ACHIM WEHRMANN², GABRIELE GER1
LACH
1
Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University Oldenburg
Marine Research Department, Senckenberg am Meer Wilhelmshaven
2
Microorganism induced black-spot lesions on the outer shell of marine crustacean species are
the syndrome of shell disease triggering subsequent internal infections and loss of respiratory
competence. Species depending differences in the susceptibility towards the disease can determine interspecific competition and future survival.
We analyzed whether two potential competitors, the invading Hemigrapsus takanoi and the native Carcinus maenas, are differently affected by shell disease in intertidal Crassostrea-reefs of
the German Wadden Sea.
The severity of shell disease syndrome was examined at the carapace and lower extremities of C.
maenas and H. takanoi. Additionally, we compared morphological structures and bacterial biofilms of
carapaces. We found strong differences in prevalence of shell disease between both species. While H.
takanoi showed no obvious signs of shell disease, prevalence of shell disease was high for C. maenas.
By breaking up physical and biological barriers between ecosystems, species can invade non-native
habitats. Invasive species as H. takanoi may outcompete native species, when both are differently
affected by local pathogens. In contrast to the global occurrence of shell disease syndrome we conclude that H. takanoi in the present stage of bioinvasion is not affected by pathogens causing shell
disease in the North Sea. This may be a huge benefit when competing with C. maenas and may be
consequently a reason for its success invading the Wadden Sea in recent years.
92
Poster EC.5
Establishing the baseline: Are stable isotope analyses useful for assessing waterbird diets at Lake Constance?
ANJA MATUSZAK1, CHRISTIAN C. VOIGT2, ALMUT HANSELMANN3, RENÉ GERGS4, HANS-GÜNTHER
BAUER1 & PETRA QUILLFELDT1
1
Max-Planck-Institut für Ornithologie, Radolfzell
Leibniz Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung, Berlin
3
Universität Konstanz
4
Universität Landau
2
Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratio analyses are well established for many food webs in aquatic
ecosystems such as lakes. Some lakes also provide essential food sources for waterbirds. The aim of
this study was to test the usability of stable isotope analyses for assessing the diet of waterbirds at
Lake Constance. We characterized the most abundant potential food sources of waterbirds at Lake
Constance and assessed the spatiotemporal and depth-specific variation in stable carbon and nitrogen
isotope values. Analysing samples of Charophytes and macroinvertebrate taxa (mainly Zebra mussels) revealed spatial and seasonal differences in stable isotope values as well as depth-specific differences. The samples of Charophytes and Zebra mussels were enriched in 13C at sites or times of
higher productivity. The d 13C values were high in summer, at shallow and at relatively nutrient-rich
sites, and comparatively low in winter, and in deeper and at nutrient-poorer sites. In contrast, no temporal or spatial trend was found to explain the variability in the isotopic nitrogen values. We also give
an example of applying these results on assessing waterbird diet.
Poster EC.6
Parasitisation and reproductive investment in three-spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus
aculeatus.
ANNA K. RAHN1, 2 AND THEO C. M. BAKKER1
1
2
Reproductive traits that are influenced by parasitic infections might serve as indicators for an
individual’s ability to resist infections and inherit this quality to future generations. According to
the Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis this can make parasitism a driving force in sexual selection. Male
three-spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus, exhibit various reproductive traits that are
known to be under sexual selection. Those traits include, among others nuptial coloration and
courtship behaviour. Examined here is male investment in reproductive traits of naturally infected
sticklebacks in relation to the fish’s parasitic status.
93
Poster EC.7
Is salamander sexual size dimorphism depending on age?
Sandra Renner1, Alexander Kupfer1,2
1
Institut für Spezielle Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Naturwissenschaftlich-Technische Fakultät, Fachgruppe Integrative Zoologie und Biodiversität, Universität Siegen
2
Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) widespread among animals describes differences in body size
and shape. Size differences of sexes may evolve as an adaptation to distinct reproductive roles.
For example in some amphibians females are the larger sex related to higher fecundity, whereas
in other species males are larger depending on their mating behaviour or ecology. The body size
of animals, especially amphibians showing indefinite growth, describes a trade-off between
growth and reproduction, i. e. after maturation growth is slow or even ceased. Furthermore, the
sexes often mature at different ages (sexual bimaturity). Therefore SSD can be studied best if
individual age is known. We examine SSD patterns and age in three salamandrids (Salamandra
algira, Lyciasalamandra atifi, Mertensiella caucasica) using skeletochronology. We focus on
questions such as (1) Is sexual size dimorphism age-dependent? (2) At which age do sexual
differences manifest? (3) We also investigate the relationship between fecundity and age and
study how SSD is associated with various life-history-traits in salamanders.
Poster EC.8
Effects of different intensities of environmental UV-A light on reproductive variables in
male three-spined sticklebacks.
INGOLF P. RICK1, MARION MEHLIS1, MANUEL THELEN1, ELISABETH EßER1, AND THEO C. M. BAKKER1
1
Changes in the composition of the atmosphere can influence the solar spectrum to which organisms
are adapted. In particular the amount of ultraviolet-A (UV-A) radiation (320-400 nm) is influenced by
factors such as pollution, cloud cover, solar angle, particle counts and humidity. UV-A light can have
detrimental effects on physiological and immunological functions in higher organisms. In aquatic habitats UV-A radiation can penetrate through water down to depths that are well within the range of the
natural breeding environments of many fish species. We asked in the present study how breeding
males of the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.), a species inhabiting shallow waters, cope with different levels of UV-A radiation during their reproductive phase. Experiments were
conducted under laboratory conditions in which males were kept under three lighting conditions differing only in the amount of UV-A light; one group was held under UV-A rich conditions, one group under
moderate levels of UV-A and one group under UV-A deficient light. These conditions comply with the
range of UV-A levels found in the natural waters of this species. We studied potential impacts of these
light environments on different reproductive variables, including measures of body condition, pigmentbased coloration of body and gonads as well as nestbuilding behaviour.
94
Poster EC.9
The Effect of Inter- and Intraspecific Diversity of Drosophilids on Decomposition Processes.
HEIKE E. SCHMITZ- DIASPERO1, THOMAS S. HOFFMEISTER1
1
Landscape fragmentation and, what is becoming more and more important, climate change, the effects of diversity on ecosystem processes become more and more relevant. Previous work has mainly
focussed on the effects of species richness on ecosystem processes. However, fragmentation also
impacts population sizes and thus intraspecific genetic variability. To date, the effects of biodiversity
provided by genetic variability have rarely been studied on ecosystem processes. Here we study the
effects of intraspecific and interspecific variability on decomposition processes, using an experimental
approach, a system of drosophilid flies and an artificial medium, consisting of a carbohydrate source
and live yeast. Drosophilids are an intriguing subject of study, since they coexist without resource partitioning. We thus ask whether complete redundancy prevails or whether variability affects decomposition processes. Isofemale-lines with a defined developmental time representing different genotypes of
three different Drosophila species (Drosophila melanogaster, D. subobscura and D. immigrans) were
used to elucidate the possible effects of diversity. In different treatments decomposition rates of resources were measured through combining larvae of different genotypes of those three species. Using
parameters like survival probability, metabolic rates, as well as identity and weight of larvae, we analysed the effect of increasing genetic diversity on decomposition processes.
95
96
Morphology
97
Talk MO.1
Early evolution of body contractility - morphological evidence from the basal Metazoa.
MICHAEL NICKEL1
1
The early evolution of muscle cells has been discussed among zoologists for over a century. Nevertheless, the emergence of contractile muscle filaments is still an unresolved enigma. While the Cnidaria show the first muscle cells, the Porifera and Placozoa are regarded as muscleless, but both
display remarkable body contractility. However, the effector cells are still debated. Two competing
hypotheses on sponge contractile cells were postulated: (1) mesohyl contraction mediated by
smooth muscle-like actinocytes (‘myocytes’). (2) epidermal contraction by pinacocytes. In the Placozoa, the mesenchymal fibre cell syncytium is regarded contractile. Neither of these cell types has
been directly shown to contract, only indirect evidence has been presented. Here, I compile comprehensive new data on sponge contractility including all four major sponge taxa for the first time,
Demospongiae, Hexactinellida, Calcarea and Homoscleromorpha. In addition, the contractile behavior of Placozoa is addressed. A modern functional morphology approach based on in vivo and
3D imaging techniques provides evidence for epithelial contractility. In conclusion, epithelial contractility might be a character of the metazoan ground pattern. Most likely, such early contractile
epithelia lacked functional compartmentalization like in typical epithelio-muscle cells. The evolutionary scenario emerging from our studies suggests that the transition from a general cytoskeleton
contractility (also found in unicellular Opistokonta) to the muscle specific, filament based contractility, occurred early within the metazoan stem group. The contractile epithelia in basal Metazoa might
be derived, but likely share a functional root with muscle cells on the gene and protein level. This
hypothesis will have to be tested on genomic data and gene expression level.
Talk MO.2
Functional implications of diameter asymmetry in sponge canal systems.
1
JÖRG U. HAMMEL
1
2
; HENRY JAHN1; FLORIAN W OLF1; FELIX BECKMANN2; MICHAEL NICKEL1
Zentrum für Material- und Küstenforschung, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht
In sponges (Porifera) the canal system represents one of the most essential anatomical structures as it
relates to most of their basic metabolic processes. Almost all food is taken up through the canals, and
the oxygenation of the entire body is served by the aquiferous system. Consequently the canal system
architecture has to be designed to fulfil these needs. However, due to the specific growth form hydrodynamic and biophysical constraints are not equally distributed within the sponge body. Therefore, we
can expect a functional relationship between canal system architecture and growth form, likely being
present as specific functional morphological adaptations in the canal system to local requirements. In
order to test this hypothesis we used SRµCT to study the canal system architecture in Spongilla lacustris. Canal system elements as well as choanocyte chambers were extracted from the 3D-dataset and
analysed by 3D-morphometry. We determined canal diameters together with hierarchical and conformational information on the canal system using MeVisLab. These data were analysed using Matlab to
determine bifurcation indices and a hierarchical classification of the canal segments. Bifurcation ratios,
which are a measure for diameter asymmetry of canals, decrease in the excurrent canal system from
the osculum/atrium towards the terminal canal segments connected to choanocyte chambers. Consequently, the ramifications of the highly abundant virtually capillary canal segments are almost equally
sized and therefore provide nearly equal volume flows at this functional hierarchical level of the canal
system. Consequently, a homogenous supply and distribution of nutrients and oxygen is achieved
within the mesohyle. Therefore, our results demonstrate a case of functional compartmentalization of
the canal system, providing optimal performance adapted to local requirements.
98
Talk MO.3
Convergent evolution of subchelate raptorial appendages within Arthropoda.
CAROLIN HAUG1 & JOACHIM T. HAUG1
1
Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, Kline Geology Laboratory, 210 Whitney
Ave., New Haven, CT 06511, USA
Subchelate raptorial appendages are well-known from some famous arthropod groups such as
the beautiful praying mantises among insects, but also from the fiercy mantis shrimps among
crustaceans. Yet, several other extant and also exclusively fossil groups of arthropods have
evolved subchelate appendages as well and use them for predation. One such taxon is Thylacocephala. These extinct arthropods possess a a large bivalved shield, huge anterior compound
eyes, and three pairs of raptorial appendages, which are all relatively large compared to the total
body size. Originally, thylacocephalans were interpreted as possible mantis shrimp larvae because of the presence of these subchelate appendages, but this turned out to be erroneous.
Thylacocephalan raptorial appendages differ significantly from those of mantis shrimps, e.g., in
the exact morphology of the subchelae, which demonstrates that similar-appearing raptorial appendages can evolve from quite different origins. We present different examples of taxa within
Arthropoda in which subchelate appendages involved in the feeding process have evolved. The
collected morphological data are used as a basis for evaluating, which special features of these
appendages have probably not evolved convergently. Such features should be of greater value
for phylogenetic analyses.
Talk MO.4
Climbing with claws and prehensile feet – what can cotton top tamarins tell us about arboreal locomotion in early primates.
BETTINA HESSE, JOHN A. NYAKATURA, MARTIN S. FISCHER
Primate evolution is linked to the exploitation of arboreal habitats. This comprises the ability to
climb securely on narrow, sloped substrates. Reflecting this functional demand, the group is
characterized by prehensile extremities. This is in contrast to rather generalized mammals, such
as rats and gray short-tailed opossums, which use their claws to negotiate arboreal supports. To
date, there are no comprehensive studies on the kinematics and dynamics of climbing. To investigate the transition from climbing with claws to climbing with prehensile extremities during early
primate evolution, we examined cotton top tamarins, small primates which have well developed
claws as well as moderate grasping abilities. For this, we determined kinematic parameters during symmetrical gaits on branch-like poles with declines and inclines of 0° to 60° using threedimensional x-ray motion analysis. We correlated the data with simultaneously recorded substrate reaction forces (SRF). On inclines, limb kinematics reflect the need to produce additional
propulsion. When compared to level walking, retraction increases and is mediated by increased
excursion of proximal elements in the fore- and hindlimbs. Accordingly, SRF show an increased
propulsive component. Vice versa on declines, kinematic and dynamic data reflect the need to
dissipate propulsive thrust: protraction is increased, again mediated by larger excursion of
proximal elements, and a greater breaking impulse is generated. Since these adjustments to different slopes have also been found in rats, this study suggests that kinematics and dynamics at
the transition from climbing with claws to climbing with prehensile extremities did not represent a
specialized strategy to foster effective arborealism, but rather seem to retain more general characteristics of small mammals to cope with substrate variances.
99
Talk MO.5
Functional design of the sperm whale nose.
STEFAN HUGGENBERGER1,2, MICHEL ANDRÉ3, HELMUT H. A. OELSCHLÄGER2
1
2
3
Cologne Biocentre, University of Cologne, Germany
Department of Anatomy III (Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomie), University of Frankfurt am Main
Laboratory of Applied Bioacoustics, Technical University of Catalonia, Barcelona
Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) emit impulse sound signals in short series of rhythmic
clicks, called codas, for communication and in long series of single acoustic events for echolocation, called usual clicks. Both click types are generated pneumatically within the huge nasal complex at the ‘monkey lips’ at the rostral end of the right nasal passage (RP). Each individual click
comprises repetitive pulses decaying in intensity. However, the decay rate is much higher in usual
clicks compared to coda clicks, and there is uncertainty about the production mechanism. In the
centre of the head, the flat RP crosses the nasal acoustic pathway consisting of the spermaceti organ and junk, two giant acoustic fat bodies reminiscent of a ‘bent acoustic horn'. Here, we propose
a hypothesis about the RP serving as a variable acoustic interface, with the amount and distribution
of air during diving manoeuvres being adapted by muscle action. This mechanism would allow the
whale to control the pulse decay rate and thus to switch between two modes of click production.
Coda clicks are generated by reverberations within the spermaceti organ (partial trapping of sound)
and the controlled release of the signal in fractions through the air-filled RP. In contrast, a collapse
of the RP between the spermaceti organ and the junk may release clicks as more or less single
events (echolocation clicks). This new “acoustic interface hypothesis” explains why the spermaceti
organ and the junk, which are in close contact in the posterior part of the nasal complex, are separated from each other by an air space of variable volume crossing the sound path of the ‘bent
acoustic horn’. This hypothesis also helps explaining the size and specific structure of the giant
sperm whale nose as adaptations to deep-diving and mid-range echolocation.
Talk MO.6
Interdependencies of structure, biomechanical function, and evolution: Level locomotion
of three arthropod taxa as a showcase example.
TOM WEIHMANN1
1
Institute of Sport Science – Motion Science, Friedrich Schiller University Jena
In many animals, the locomotor system is an important component of the body’s physical structure. Effective mobility and load bearing capacity of this apparatus determine the extent and
strength of the impact of corresponding evolutionary pressures. Thereby, anatomical structure,
neuronal control, and physical as well as biological constraints are the determining factors for
both capacities. A typical physical constraint is the ratio of inner and outer joint levers (effective
mechanical advantage), typical biological constraints are related to available muscle cross sectional areas or to the efficiency of providing metabolic energy. However, the locomotor system
provides for mechanical interaction with the environment. It is used for the initiation of movements and the resistance of loads. These interactions imply the generation of reaction forces.
Thus, forces and torques acting on the skeleton are essential measures for the understanding of
biomechanical processes. Based on this reasoning, as an example, I want to show the interdependencies of anatomy, behaviour, and resultant biomechanical solutions for the level continuous locomotion of ants, cockroaches, and spiders. All three groups show similar running performances and gait patterns. Nevertheless, different evolutionary starting points together with
specific behavioural patterns led to different anatomical solutions. Since anatomy is largely the
result of biomechanical requirements and the basis of the biomechanical functionality, the examined taxa show also different biomechanical solutions for the given task.
100
Talk MO.7
A non-invasive method to analyze Acanthaster planci using magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) and subsequent 3D reconstruction.
1
ROBERT SIGL
1
FORSCH
, HANNES IMHOF1, CIEMON FRANK CABALLES2, PETER SCHUPP2, 3, CHRISTIAN LA-
1
Department Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich
University of Guam – Marine Laboratory, UOG Station, USA
3
Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University
Oldenburg
2
Mass outbreaks of the corallivore starfish Acanthaster planci are threatening coral reefs all over
the Indo-Pazific region. The reasons for these outbreaks are, despite decades of efforts, not fully
understood. Therefore, A. planci is still in the focus of coral reef research. For many studies in
Acanthaster research it is of major interest to obtain in vivo data of internal and external structures, respectively to follow changes of these structures over time; e.g., to develop organ size
indices or to detect organ size changes under different nutritional conditions. To follow these
changes in A. planci a non-invasive method using clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
and subsequent 3D modeling was established. With the obtained 3D-models of inner and outer
structures of A. planci it is possible to achieve accurate volume data in vivo. This method offers a
wide range of possible applications and is also applicable in other echinoderms.
Talk MO.8
Ultrastructural comparison of the compound eyes of two species of Palaemon (Caridea:
Decapoda) and the influence of differing light conditions on eye architecture.
DANIEL HAMM1, CHRISTOPH D. SCHUBART1, CARSTEN H.G. MÜLLER2
1
Fakultät für Biologie I, Universität Regensburg
Zoologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Greifswald
2
Compound eyes of Decapoda present a broad spectrum of different optic mechanisms to enhance the gathering of light at night. While in daylight most decapod eyes function as apposition
eyes, they are converted to a superposition eye at night, based on the plasticity of ommatidial
cell types (cone- and retinular cells) and pigmented cells. In an evolutionary context, this plasticity has led to ommatidial transformations and different types of superposition eyes. Comparisons
of these eye types can be a useful tool for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships, as the different superposition mechanisms require specific conversions of the cellular structures. Adaptions of the eyes to different light regimes and convergent evolution of the superposition types
are a well-studied phenomenon on a macroevolutionary level. The comparison of the eyes of
closely related species inhabiting habitats with different light regimes offers a chance to investigate whether adaptions of the eyes can be observed also on a microevolutionary level and, if so,
which adaptations (cellular or subcellular) occur first. The comparison of light-adapted vs. darkadapted eyes is useful to clarify whether different patterns of light- / dark adaption are present
among species in the same genus. The shrimp species Palaemon elegans and Palaemon
xiphias can be found in close vicinity along the rocky coastlines of the Mediterranean Sea. While
P.elegans inhabits the shallow intertidal and rock pools where they are exposed to direct
sunlight, P.xiphias lives deeper in seagrass beds and is less exposed to sunlight by hiding under
leaves. The eyes of these species were investigated with light- and transmission electron microscopy to discover differences in the ultrastructure that could arise from adaptations to habitats
with different light regimes.
101
Talk MO.9
Compound eyes with features of both apposition and superposition optics in moths of
small body size.
STEFAN FISCHER1; V. BENNO MEYER-ROCHOW 1
1
School of Engineering and Science, Jacobs University Bremen
It is generally accepted that compound eyes of moths typically possess eyes of the refractive
superposition type, whose principal feature is a pigment-free clear zone separating the dioptric
apparatus from the retinula. Eyes with superposition optics achieve a higher absolute sensitivity
than those of the apposition type, because the former allow light entering several facets to be
focused onto one rhabdom. However, a limitless reduction in size of the optical structures cannot
be achieved due to physical constraints and in an eye of a given diameter the width of the clear
zone cannot be increased with a simultaneous decrease in the radius of curvature (MeyerRochow & Gál 2004). Thus, the advantage of vision by superposition is limited to eyes of a certain size. In order to test the hypothesis that superposition eyes are not functional in eyes with an
eye radius below 250 micron and, therefore, should not occur in the smallest moths, we examined the structural organization of the eyes of several species of glossatan moths measuring only
2-10 mm in body size. All of the investigated species exhibited an intermediate eye design that
combined features of apposition and superposition optics. We could also show that the ratio between the widths of the dioptric apparatus and the retinal layer, the extent of the distal and
proximal rhabdom, and the shapes and sizes of the cone, varied and depended on a species
body size. A clear division into apposition and superposition eyes is therefore no longer possible
and our finding of structurally intermediate eye types suggests that functionally a range from one
type of vision to another must exist as well.
MEYER-ROCHOW V.B. & GÁL J. 2004: Dimensional limits for arthropod eyes with superposition optics. Vision Res. 44: 2213–2233.
Talk MO.10
The Pleon of Thermosbaenacea (Malacostraca, Crustacea).
VERENA KUTSCHERA1, ANDREAS MAAS1, & DIETER WALOSZEK1
1
Biosystematic Documentation, University of Ulm
The taxon Malacostraca comprises many commonly known Crustacea, such as shrimps, lobsters, crabs, and woodlice. Malacostraca exhibit a strict tagmosis with head and trunk, the trunk
being further subdivided into two subunits usually referred to as thorax and pleon. This tagmosis
supports, as an autapomorphy in the ground pattern of the taxon, the monophyly of Malacostraca. The in-group relationships have however remained unclear. Many morphological characters, e.g. the mouth parts or the nervous system, have been considered to illuminate the phylogeny of Malacostraca but the pleon has been neglected so far. A unique malacostracan taxon
are the Thermosbaenacea, the first species being discovered in 1924. Thermosbaenacea, sister
taxon of the Peracarida, possess a special brood care by using their head shield, but have retained the escape mechanism regulated by flexion of the pleon ventrally characteristic of caridoid
Malacostraca. Almost nothing is known about the anatomy of thermosbaenaceans, especially of
the pleon. This is not least surprising since the muscular arrangement in the pleon and the escape behaviour are correlated. We investigated the anatomy of the pleon of two thermosbaenacean species, Thermosbaena mirabilis Monod, 1924 and Tethysbaena argentarii (Stella, 1951)
via semi-thin sections. By this, it was possible to reconstruct the internal arrangement of organs
like gut and musculature. Our results enlarge the knowledge about this remarkable crustacean
taxon significantly and, likewise, contribute to the ongoing discussion on the phylogeny of Malacostraca.
102
Poster MO.1
Morphological and physiological aspects of movement and contractility in Trichoplax adhaerens (Placozoa).
LARS MÖCKEL1; KATRIN PÄLCHEN1; CHRISTOPHER ARNOLD1; JÖRG U. HAMMEL1; MICHAEL NICKEL1
1
The Placozoa represent one of the early metazoan branches and are of interest for comparative studies on several evolutionary aspects in the Metazoa. Despite of the relatively simple placozoan morphology, many functional aspects remain partly or completely unknown. One example is the movement and contractile behaviour of Trichoplax adhaerens which has been partly addressed phenomenologically and morphologically. However, it still remains unclear whether the fibre syncytium is the
sole contractile effector or if the upper or lower epithelia are involved in body shape changes. Additionally, the regulation of the movement behaviour is almost completely unknown. Our project aimed at
testing whether glutamate and gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) is involved in regulation of movement behaviour in Placozoa, comparatively supplementing previous studies in sponges. For this study,
we quantitatively analyzed the movement of T. adhaerens (Strain Grell-MSF-1993) under the influence
of glutamate and GABA using digital time-lapse recording. In addition, we aimed at testing the hypotheses on the contractile effector cell type. For this study we performed real time video microscopy
as well as morphological studies using light microscopy, DIC, SEM and TEM. In the physiological assay, T. adhaerens significantly changed movement behaviour under the influence of GABA and glutamate. Animals showed typical feeding behaviour (periodical start-stop-movements) despite of the
lack of food sources. Our results suggest that a metabotrophic glutamate receptor (gene present in the
genome of T. adhaerens) is involved in the regulation of feeding-related movement behaviour. Our
morphological studies provided evidence that the upper epithelium is involved in body contractility, too,
implying consequences for our understanding of early evolution of contractile cells in the Metazoa.
103
Poster MO.2
The 3D morphology of freshwater sponge canal systems: Functional implications for
sponge flow regime models.
1
HENRY, JAHN
1
2
; JÖRG U., HAMMEL1; FELIX, BECKMANN2; MICHAEL, NICKEL1
Zentrum für Material- und Küstenforschung, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht
Sponges as sessile filter feeders relay on an efficient canal system for optimal water exchange
and food supply. Analyzing the functional morphology of this essential anatomical entity is substantial for understanding their mode of living. The aim of our study is to extract a detailed 3Dmodel of a canal system including all relevant substructures which allows for testing hydrodynamic flow models. We used SRµCT, SEM and DIC-microscopy to study the freshwater sponge
Spongilla lacustris. A virtual 3D-representation of the entire incurrent and excurrent canal system
including choanocyte chambers was generated from SRµCT data followed by quantitative measurements to characterize the 3D architecture. Qualitative and quantitative observations from the
3D-model were supplemented by SEM and DIC-microscopy which yielded details on the cellular
level for choanocyte chambers, apopylar and prosopylar openings. Based on mean canal segment diameters we analyzed cross sectional area expansion ratios, bifurcation indices and calculated bifurcation exponents following Murray´s law. Integrating these parameters into a simplified graph model of the canal system we studied flow velocities of the excurrent system. Our flow
velocity calculations are consistent with experimentally determined data of outflow values. Due to
the highly asymmetric nature of bifurcations in S. lacustris the calculated bifurcation exponents
differed significantly from Murray´s law predictions. Comparable findings are reported for other
asymmetrically bifurcating biological systems like the coronary vasculature. This kind of architecture specifically influences transport rates to distinct canal system segments. Our new data will
enable and stimulate detailed fluid dynamic and biophysical analysis of flow, oxygen and nutrient
transport in sponge canal systems in the near future.
104
Poster MO.3
Functional aspects of inner vane fringes of barn owl feathers.
THOMAS BACHMANN1; HERMANN WAGNER2; CAMERON TROPEA1
1
2
Institute for Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics, TU Darmstadt
Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University
Most species of owls evolved plumage specifics that stabilize the air flow around the wing and influence the noise production during flight. While serrations at the leading edge and the velvety dorsal
surface texture of the wing have been investigated to some extent in the past, only little is known about
fringes which occur at the trailing edge of each remex and thus the wing as a whole. Here, a morphometrical characterization of fringes of barn owl (Tyto alba) feathers is presented, and the behavior
of fringes in an air stream is shown by high-speed video analysis. Fringes are formed by barb endings
and the supporting radiates. Hooklets of the hook radiates are absent in the most distal part causing
the barbs to separate. Morphometrical differences were found by comparing the fringes of 5 different
remiges. While the 10th primary had significantly longer fringes with a lower density, all other feathers
(1st and 5th primary, 4th and 8th secondary) had shorter fringes that were statistically not different in
length and density. Within a feather, the longest fringes were found in central regions, while shorter
fringes were located at the tips. Functionally, fringes may reduce turbulences that occur when turbulent
eddies pass over the wing surface and transit to the free stream. This is true for the wing as a whole
but also for each single feather. During fluttering, remiges separate and act as individual airfoils.
Hence, fringes may reduce vibrations of the trailing edges of these feathers as well. High speed video
analysis, however, revealed a possible further function: during gliding flight and during the downstroke,
fringes support the formation of a smooth lower wing surface. By fitting into the grooves formed by
barb shafts of neighboring feather vanes, sharp edges where sound is typically generated are prevented.
105
Poster MO.4
Comparison of the bending behavior of barn owl feather vane with the bending behavior
of single feather barbs.
STEFAN BLAZEK1, THOMAS BACHMANN2, HERMANN WAGNER1
1
2
Department of Zoology, Aachen University, Institute for Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics, TU
Darmstadt
The barn owl flight is a model not only for silent flight but also for highly efficient cruise-flight
aerodynamics. Compared to an airplane foil the owl wing shows a very flexible bending behavior.
The bird wing consists of bones, muscles and feathers. For a better understanding how flexibility
might affect the aerodynamic performance of the owl wing, a closer description of the passive
elements, the feathers, is required. In preliminary work single barbs of the barn owl feather vane
were tested in a 2-point bending test. In a further step we want to understand how these subunits
behave in a bending test when they work as an array, as they are arranged in the vane.
Thus, we investigate arrays of barbs and their behavior under load. As a comparison we perform a 2point bending test with a single barb of the same piece of the feather vane. A 1.5 cm piece of the
feather vane is fixed to a micromanipulator with the rachis part. The tips of barbs are positioned on a
support (thin metal membrane) of a digital balance. The second moment of area is determined by
scanning the vane specimen with a microcomputer tomograph and by reconstructing the threedimensional structure by assembling the image stacks. The second moment of area is determined by
analyzing the cross section of barbs. Afterwards the length of the barbs and the measured loads together with the second moment of area are used to calculate the Young’s modulus for the array of
barbs. To determine the influence of the barb interactions in the vane on the bending behavior, the
Young’s modulus of the vane and the Young’s modulus of the single barb were compared.
We will present preliminary data on the influence of barb interaction on the bending behavior of
the feather vane.
106
Poster MO.5
The convergent evolution of suspensory posture and locomotion in tree sloths: insights
from functional morphology.
JOHN A. NYAKATURA1
1
Recent phylogenetic analyses imply a distant relationship and long separated evolution of two-toed
sloths (Choloepus) and three-toed sloths (Bradypus). As a consequence the suspensory posture
and locomotion likely evolved convergently in both lineages, forming a new framework for the
analysis of functional aspects of the locomotor apparatus of extant tree sloths. The suspensory posture and locomotion has altered functional demands from the phylogentically old non-suspensory
pronograde situation. This poster introduces anatomical traits that have been argued to be of adaptive significance for the quadrupedal suspensory locomotion from anatomical description and experimental studies, and discusses the parallel evolution of these traits. Experimental data is largely
limited to Choloepus, but helps to deduce functional aspects of the anatomy in Bradypus as well.
The most important adaptive traits are modified hands and feet into relatively rigid hook-like appendages, great mobility of all joints proximal to the midcarpal and transverse tarsal joints, relatively
long arms with a relatively short scapula and a small-diameter and rounded thorax, a highly mobile
sterno-clavicular articulation, and emphasis on strong flexion at the proximal limb joints via advantageous lever arms. In contrast, patterns of limb kinematics remained conservative during the
course of the evolution of extant tree sloths. Some identified morphological ‘solutions’ to altered
functional demands posed by inversed orientation of the body differ in the two lineages of tree
sloths, thereby underlining the proposed diphyly. Convergent evolution in tree sloths may be attributed to functional constraints posed by fossorial adaptations in early Xenarthra that canalized sloths
to adopt suspensory posture and locomotion in the arboreal habitat.
107
Poster MO.6
Geometry of photoreceptor wiring in the outer plexiform layer of cephalopod optic lobes.
MARTIN, HEß1, ELVIRA, SCHARPF1, SABINE, HOLZ1
1
Department of Biology 1, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich
The fine structure of cephalopod photoreceptor cells (PRC) with their rhabdomeric microvilli
oriented parallel to each other, normal to the optical axis and orthogonal between neigboring
cells is considered to be the structural basis of polarization contrast vision. The pattern of
neighboring PRC should be found again proximal to the optical chiasma in a corresponding
pattern of synaptic terminals in the periphery of the optic lobes’ outer plexiform layer (OPL). On
the one hand this is important to accomplish retinotopy, i.e. to achieve undistorted transmission
of the retinal neuroelectric excitation pattern into the lobus opticus, on the other hand a well
defined local wiring is needed for contrast generation from the orthogonal polarization channels.
To investigate the wiring geometry in the first optical neuropil of Sepia officinalis we proceeded in
three steps: 1. selecting vibratom sections that show DiI traced PRC axons from the outer
segments to their terminals in the OPL, 2. serial sectioning of the same tissue fragments after
resin embedding (semithin + ultrathin alternatingly) to track a group of neighboring PRCs from
outer segments to terminals, 3. complete ultrathin section series (TEM and also FIB-FESEM)
through a small volume of the OPL for 3D-reconstruction on the EM level.
In fact we find a monolayered pattern of PRC terminals at the uttermost distal horizon of the
OPL. Here the terminals are contacted by second order neurons, but they also form invaginating
contacts to neighboring terminals. The 3D-reconstruction of the wiring geometry and wiring rules
at the first processing level of visual information is time-consuming and still in progress. To the
extend of which the 3D-image of the investigated neuronal network becomes clearer, we finally
expect to learn new aspects about the mechanisms of polarization vision in cephalopods.
Poster MO.7
Development of musculature and nervous system in phyllodocid trochophores (Annelida).
SINA SCHEMEL1, CONRAD HELM1, CHRISTOPH BLEIDORN1
1
The variety of larval types and developmental modes in Annelida is as diverse as the different ecological and resulting morphological adaptations detectable within this fascinating group of lophotrochozoans. The investigation of developmental patterns of nervous system and musculature within annelids
and their larvae not only shows new insights into character development of a special group, but also
provides comparable data for phylogenetic reconstructions and a better understanding of evolutionary
pathways within the metazoans. In order to gain more data concerning neural and muscular development in polychaetous trochophores, we analyzed different larval stages of Phyllodoce groenlandica by
using immunocytochemical staining techniques combined with confocal laser scanning microscopy
(clsm). With focus on early pre-segmental stages, we used several neuronal antibodies (e.g., against
serotonin and FMRF) and muscular markers (phalloidin) to reconstruct the process of tissue and body
formation within planktonic polychaetous trochophore larvae. Our investigations help to understand
ontogenetic patterns regarding the arrangement of organ systems within Annelida and provide basic
knowledge for further investigations. Here we present a summary of our findings, draw conclusions for
the development of trochophores in general and provide data showing new insights into the plasticity
of basic patterns in Annelida.
108
Poster MO.8
Retinula axons of sea spiders and their terminals in the visual neuropils are Limulus-like.
TOBIAS LEHMANN1 AND ROLAND R. MELZER1
1
Zoologische Staatssammlung München
The phylogenetic relationship of pycnogonids - or sea spiders - within the Arthropoda has been controversial in the last century. Neuroanatomical sets of characters have contributed important arguments in this discussion and especially the innervation of the protocerebrum is promising in this respect.
In arthropods the protocerebrum is primarily responsible for the visual system. Pycnogonids possess
an ocular tubercle with four ocelli generally interpreted as median eyes, while classical lateral eyes are
absent. Our knowledge on the visual neuropils connected to the eyes is cursory at the moment.
In this study we analyse the visual system of Achelia echinata Hodge, 1864, Achelia langi (Dohrn,
1881), Achelia vulgaris (Costa, 1861), and Endeis spinosa (Montagu, 1808) with several neuroanatomical methods: Cobalt backfills, Golgi technique, osmium-ethyl gallate procedure, and transmission EM. It is revealed, that a paired nerve connects the median eyes with the brain. The classical optic neuropil, described by Hanström and Winter, can be approved. But surprisingly and in contrast to Hanström and Winter a second optic neuropil considerably deeper in the protocerebrum –
where the arcuate body is assumed – can be shown. This feature – with two target regions of the median eye nerv and their position in the protocerebrum – is very similar to the situation of the median
eyes of Limulus polyphemus (Linnaeus, 1758) and thus supports the ancestrality of Pycnogonida.
Poster MO.9
Ultrastructure and phylogenetic implications of the spermatozoa of Orb weavers (Araneidae, Araneae, Arachnida).
OLIVER VÖCKING & PETER MICHALIK
Zoologisches Institut und Museum, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University Greifswald
Spiders are characterized by an astonishing diversity in sperm morphology, seminal fluids and
organization of the male genital system. In the present study, we explore the potential phylogenetic information that sperm characters might offer on the relationships of the well-known spider
family Araneidae. We studied 16 species (14 genera) representing the araneid subfamily Araneinae and the “argiopoid clade” by means of transmission electron microscopy. In general, the
spermatozoa of araneids can be characterized as follows – (1) tube-like acrosomal vacuole, (2)
implantation fossa and axonemal basis located close to the acrosomal vacuole, (3) electrondense centriolar adjunct, (4) long postcentriolar elongation, (5) 9+3 axonemal pattern, and (6)
cleistospermia as transfer form. Interestingly, only the genus Zygiella differs remarkably from this
“araneid sperm type”. The spermatozoa of this genus possess (1) a compact acrosomal vacuole
sunken into the anterior part of the nucleus, and (2) implantation fossa and axonemal basis not
located close to the acrosomal vacuole, resulting in a shorter postcentriolar elongation. Thus, our
results add new evidence to the recent discussion regarding the phylogenetic position of Zygiella. Traditionally this genus is placed within Araneidae, but recent studies raise doubt on the
araneid affinity and even propose a family status for this genus (Zygiellidae) – a hypothesis that
could be supported by the sperm characters presented herein.
109
Poster MO.10
Easy stereoscopic 3D documentation using flatbed scanners.
VERENA KUTSCHERA1, CAROLIN HAUG2, JOACHIM T HAUG2, ANDREAS MAAS1 & DIETER W ALOSZEK1
1
2
Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, Kline Geology Laboratory, New Haven
Three-dimensional documentation of animals is often an expensive and time-consuming procedure.
We present an easy to apply method producing stereoscopic images, which can be performed using
an ordinary flatbed scanner. To produce the stereo images, the object is scanned twice in different
positions. After the first scan the object is moved sidewards several centimetres from its first position.
By this, two 'half images' of the object are created from two different perspectives due to the nonparallel optics of the flatbed scanners. These two half images are treated separately; one is turned into
a red-value half image and the other into a cyan-value half image. Using any image editing software
that handles layers the two half images are combined into a single stereoscopic image. Wearing
stereo glasses, the final image provides a three-dimensional impression of the scanned object. This
documentation technique is an adequate tool for archiving whole mounts or dissected parts of
specimens, and it can also be applied to fossils. Here, 3D images are presented from several
malacostracan Crustacea to demonstrate the advantages of the described method, which requires
only a flatbed scanner, an image editing software, and stereo glasses.
Poster MO.11
Morphology and Ultrastructure of the Bristle Pits in Nymphs of the Planthopper Issus coleoptratus
KATHARINA KRUMPHOLZ1, PETER BRÄUNIG1, WERNER BAUMGARTENER2,
1
2
Institut für Biologie II, Abteilung für Entwicklungsbiologie u. Morphologie der Tiere, RWTH-Aachen
Institut für Biologie II, Abteilung zelluläre Neurobionik, RWTH-Aachen
Nymphs of fulgoromorphid planthoppers possess unusual sense organs on their body surface.
These consist of an oval depression of the cuticle, 25-65 µm in diameter. From the rim of the
depression a single large sensory hair protrudes level with the body surface. For this reason we
have named these sense organs bristle pits. They occur in all nymphal stages, and are localized
on the frontal plate of the head and the tergites of all segments. They are arranged in groups in
distinct locations. With every moult, both number and size of the bristle pits increase. The orientation of the bristles appears to follow a strict rule. On most tergites the bristles within the pits are
oriented parallel to the longitudinal body axis with their sockets on the anterior rim of the pit and
their tips pointing posteriorly. On head and pronotum the orientation is much more variable but
nevertheless also follows a systematic rule. Each pit is covered incompletely by a transparent
cupola of unidentified material, which appears to be secreted from the rim of the pit on the side
opposite the socket of the bristle. Two additional short hairs extend into the base of the cupola.
To date the function of these sense organs is completely unknown. Using various microscopic
techniques we have investigated their morphology in order to get more information on their possible function. The ultrastructure of the smaller sensory hairs on the rim of the pit clearly shows
their mechanoreceptive nature. The ultrastructure of the large bristle inside the pit is less clear.
Their morphology can at best be interpreted as a strongly modified mechanoreceptive sensory
hair. This notion is supported by preliminary results from eletrophysiological experiments.
110
Poster MO.12
Securing paternity: The origin of the mating plug in the spider Oedothorax retusus.
OLIVER VÖCKING, GABRIELE UHL
Zoologisches Institut und Museum Greifswald, Germany
Female multiple mating is widespread throughout different animal taxa like mammals, birds and
arthropods. Consequently, males evolve a wide range of strategies to avoid sperm competition.
One possibility is guarding the female and chasing away rival males. However, a less time consuming strategy is plugging of the female´s copulatory opening. Genital plugging in spiders
seems to have been evolutionarily licensed by the fact that most spider species possess separate ducts for sperm transfer and egg-laying. Thus, plugging does not interfere with oviposition in
these species. Genital plugs in spiders can consist of parts of the male genital organ or of viscous substances but little is known about the origin of the secretory plugs.
The copulatory openings of the female dwarf spider Oedothorax retusus are covered by a viscous material after mating. The size of the plug was found to depend on mating duration and
large plugs effectively prevent subsequent males from mating (Uhl & Busch 2009, Biol. J. Linn.
Soc. 96: 574-583). In the male pedipalp, by which sperm are transferred to the female, we detected a glandular structure as a candidate for the production site of the plug material. Our morphological investigation of the gland indicates that it releases secretion after sperm transfer into
the spermophore to form the mating plug.
111
112
Neurobiology
113
Talk NB.1
Insulins in Daphnia: the first identified insulin in a crustacean brain and three insulin-like
growth factors.
HEINRICH DIRCKSEN, JOHANNES STRAUSS
Department of Zoology, Stockholm University
In mammals including humans, insulins and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are key regulators
of metabolism. Similar insulin-related peptides (IRPs) and have been found in all arthropods, in
which they also are key regulators of glucose and fat metabolism and are involved in growth control. In crustaceans, IRPs were so far known only from decapod crustaceans, in which they serve
as androgenic hormones involved in sex determination produced by no other tissues than the
androgenic gland attached to the vas deferens. By use of genomics, proteomics and immunocytochemistry, we present here for the first time evidence for the existence of an identified typical
IRP in the brain (DIRP) of the water flea Daphnia pulex and three more IGF related peptides.
The D. pulex genome contains one single gene for DIRP and three other genes for IGFs. DIRP
contains the typical B- and A-chain structures of all insulins and is very similar to insect IRPs
(e.g. >50% sequence identities with locust IRP), and also structurally related to human insulin.
As also confirmed by RTPCR, DIRP is produced by distinct immunoreactive neurosecretory neurons in the Daphnia brain with putative projections into neurohaemal release zones on the thoracic ganglia. Their localisation in lateral brain positions, however, differs from those of insects
which express IRPs in medial brain neurons. The close similarities of IRPs and IGFs of Daphnia
to insect and mammalian insulins suggest similar critical importance of these peptides or protein
hormones for growth control in Daphnia, which is currently investigated.
Talk NB.2
Modelling the locust flight control network with simple neuromimes.
HARALD W OLF1
1
Institute of Neurobiology, University of Ulm
The locust flight oscillator is among the best understood motor control networks. This holds in
particular for the integration of sensory feedback and central pattern generation. Based on good
knowledge of connectivity and function of interneurons and important wing sense organs (e.g.
Pearson & Wolf 1988, J Exp Biol 135, 381), the locust flight control network was modelled with
simple neuromimes (Hülse, Wischmann & Pasemann 2004, Connection Science 16, 294). The
neuromimes consist of sigmoid input-output transfer functions (without spikes). No individual
properties of identified interneurons were implemented, except their specific connectivity patterns
in the network. Synaptic weights were equalised and normalised for each neuron to a maximum
input of 1. This simple model of the locust flight oscillator was compared to modelling approaches using Hodgin-Huxley neuromimes (Ausborn, Stein & Wolf 2007, J Neurosci 35, 9319)
and to electrophysiological data from the animal.
The network model exhibited reliable oscillations but did not reproduce many detailed characteristics, e.g. exact timing of individual interneuron activities. The model readily reproduced essential network properties, however, including reset characteristics of key interneurons and sensory
feedback (Pearson Wolf 1988 ibid).
In summary, the results indicate that reset properties are more a result of network connectivity
than of synaptic weigh adjustment, and that they may be largely independent of details of neuronal activity patterns.
This work was performed at the Institute for Advanced Study, Berlin.
114
Talk NB.3
Feature selectivity by single neurons in a small network by balanced excitation and inhibition.
OLAF KUTZKI1
1
Institute of Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin
How do single neurons in a network extract specific features from an input pattern? We investigated this question for interneurons in the auditory pathway of the grasshopper Chorthippus
biguttulus that respond selectively to periodical patterns of pulses and pauses. Behavioural tests
had shown that females prefer intermediate pauses and reject short and long pause durations. In
grasshoppers acoustic information is processed by a layered network of auditory interneurons in
the thoracic ganglia. Interneurons of all layers were recorded intracellularly and tested with patterns of pulses with constant duration followed by 3 different pause durations. Selectivity for attractive pauses of intermediate duration was observed for several local and ascending interneurons. In particular for one interneuron (AN3), the selectivity emerged from an excitation combined with a pronounced inhibition. At short pause durations both excitation and inhibition revealed adaptation leading to a reduced spike count. At intermediate pause durations the spiking
response was increased, since the adaptation of the excitatory input was reduced. At long pause
durations both excitation and inhibition were released from adaptation resulting in a net reduction
of the spiking response due to strong inhibition. Thus behaviourally relevant feature selectivity at
the level of a single auditory interneuron emerged from a balanced input of excitation and inhibition and was refined by the different time constants of adaptation.
Talk NB.4
Eusociality and brain organization: neuroanatomical traits in the olfactory system of
closely related wild bee species.
CHRISTINA KELBER1, THOMAS SCHMITT2 AND W OLFGANG RÖSSLER1
1
2
Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg
Faculty of Biology I, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology, University of Freiburg
Among Hymenoptera, many ecologically successful species evolved an eusocial lifestyle. However, there are many wasp and bee species that live solitary. Several studies emphasize that
eusocial Hymenoptera - like honeybees and ants - possess a complex brain including a high
number of olfactory glomeruli in the antennal lobe and large, doubled and subcompartmented
mushroom body calyces. Two main hypotheses have been proposed for the evolution of eusociality with regard to the insect brain: brain complexity may either have evolved as a result of
eusociality or, alternatively, in response to other selective pressures and therefore formed a precondition (or preadaptation) for the evolution of eusociality. We analyzed specific neuroanatomical traits in selected species of Hymenoptera with different grades of sociality: First, sweat bees
(Halictidae), a family with closely related species that express different grades of sociality. Second, mason bees (Osmia) with the absence of species that evolved any social forms of living.
We employed confocal microscopy scanning and 3D-reconstructions for quantitative analyses of
characteristic neuroanatomical traits. We primarily focused on the antennal lobes. We analyzed
the number, size and position of glomeruli as well as the number of input and output tracts and
their trajectories. First results show that the number of glomeruli seems to be generally lower in
the solitary Osmia species compared to eusocial species of the genera Lasioglossum and Halictus, which show glomerular numbers comparable to the honeybee.
Funding: DFG KE-1701 1/1.
115
Talk NB.5
Regeneration of antennal afferent axons in the brain of Locusta migratoria.
MICHAEL STERN1, HANNAH SCHEIBLICH1, NADINE DIDWISCHUS1, RENÉ EICKHOFF1, GERD BICKER1
1
Cell Biology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover
The insect olfactory system is comprised of sensory neurons on each antenna, which project into
the primary olfactory center, the glomerular antennnal lobe. There, they form synapses with local
interneurons and projection neurons which relay olfactory information to the second order olfactory center, the mushroom body. Olfactory afferents of adult locusts (Locusta migratoria) were
axotomized by crushing the base of the antenna. We studied the resulting degeneration and regeneration in the antennal lobe by size measurements, anterograde dye labeling through the
antennal nerve, and immunofluorescence staining of cell surface markers. Within three days post
crush, the antennal lobe size was reduced by 30%, and from there on regained size back to
normal by two weeks post injury. Concomitantly, anterograde labeling revealed regenerating afferents reaching the antennal lobe by day four post crush, and re-innervating the olfactory neuropil almost back to normal within two weeks. Regenerated fibers were directed precisely into the
antennal lobe where they re-innervated glomeruli. As a remarkable exception, a few regenerating fibers projected erroneously into the mushroom body on a pathway that is normally chosen
by second order projection neurons. Regenerating afferents expressed the cell surface proteins
lachesin and fasciclin I. The antennal lobe neuropil expressed the cell surface marker semaphorin 1a. In conclusion, axonal regeneration in the locust olfactory system appears to be possible, precise, and fast, opening the possibility for future functional and mechanistic studies.
Talk NB.6
Distance estimation in desert ants, Cataglyphis fortis – what role plays ventral optic flow?
MATTHIAS W ITTLINGER1, HARALD WOLF1
1
Institute of Neurobiology, University of Ulm
Desert ants, Cataglyphis, use path integration to return to their nest after a foraging trip. This
navigation feat requires continuous updating of a home vector from direction and distance
measurements. The directional vector component is provided by a celestial compass (Wehner
2003 J Comp Physiol A 189: 579), while distance estimation is accomplished by a stride integrator (Wittlinger et al. 2006 Science 312: 1965). This was demonstrated by examining homing distance after manipulating the ants’ leg lengths and resulting changes in stride lengths.
Previous research had indicated that ventral optic flow also feeds into the distance estimator at
least to a small extend (Ronacher & Wehner 1995 J Comp Physiol A 177: 21). And indeed, in the
“stilts-and-stumps” experiments, slight differences in homing distance were observed compared
to predictions derived from altered stride lengths.
In the present study we replicated the above stilts-and-stumps experiments. But instead of just
minimizing visual cues by providing a featureless set-up, we fully excluded the perception of ventral optic flow by painting over the ventral halves of the ants’ eyes. In this situation, the ants
searched for the nest entrance in exactly the predicted homing distances. As a control, we analyzed the walking behavior of normal ants and ants with ventrally covered eyes. No differences in
walking behavior were observed.
In summary, the ants’ distance estimator can work without any ventral optic flow input, exclusively relying on stride integration. Additional ventral optic flow, if present, might serve as a control or calibration function.
116
Talk NB.7
Actin dynamics in synapse physiology.
MARCO RUST
Neurobiology/Neurophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern
Actin is the most prominent cytoskeletal protein at excitatory synapses and is abundantly present
in presynaptic terminals and postsynaptic dendritic spines. While actin is known to be relevant
for a number of synaptic processes including organization, mobility and exocytosis of synaptic
vesicle or postsynaptic plasticity, little is known about the mechanisms that control actin at excitatory synapses. Actin dynamic critically depends on ADF/cofilin proteins that accelerate the dissociation of actin subunits and sever actin filaments. Dysregulation of ADF/cofilin activity has
been linked to Williams´ syndrome, a particular form of mental retardation and autism spectrum
disorder, which implies an important role of ADF/cofilin in synapse physiology.
By using mouse mutants we aimed to clarify the synaptic function of the ADF/cofilin isoform expressed in the brain: n-cofilin and ADF. Our data revealed that inactivation of n-cofilin impairs
spine morphology, mobility of postsynaptic glutamate receptors, long-term synaptic plasticity,
learning and memory (Rust MB et al., EMBO J, 2010), while ablation of ADF has no adverse effects on synapse physiology. Analysis of double mutants revealed defects in presynaptic
mechanisms not present in single mutant mice. In conclusion our data demonstrate the importance of ADF/cofilin activity for synapse physiology. We show that n-cofilin is a limiting factor in
postsynaptic compartments, while n-cofilin and ADF act cooperatively in controlling presynaptic
physiology.
Talk NB.8
The Elephant nose Fish – Less a nose than a finger.
MONIQUE AMEY-ÖZEL1
1
Institute of Zoology, Dept. Neuroethology/sensory Ecology, University of Bonn
The Elephant nose fish, Gnathonemus petersii, uses an electrosensory system to explore its environment. During active electrolocation, changes in a self produced electric field are perceived
by electroreceptor organs, which are densely distributed on the Schnauzenorgan (SO), a highly
moveable trunk-like protrusion of the lower jaw. The SO is used for electrolocation, i.e. prey detection and object inspection.
The inner structure of the SO shows a cartilaginous core, and similar to an elephant’s trunk it
consists of several bundles of striated muscle extending from the lower jaw almost to the tip. The
dorsal muscles are large and tightly arranged, whereas the lateral and ventral muscles are of
different size and more or less tightly packed.
The high mobility of the SO enables the fish to move its chin like a finger. This requires coordination of various muscles as well as accurate timing of motorneuron responses to electrosensory
input.
While the electrosensory innervation of the SO by the anterior branch of the lateral line nerve
and its primary afferent pathways are well explored, the innervation of the muscles of the chin by
the Vth nerve and the corresponding motor nuclei are not. Injection of a neurotracer into the
trigeminal nerve in the SO labeled cells restricted to the ventral and ventrolateral part of the V
motor nucleus. In contrast, injections close to the mouth labeled cells distributed throughout the
nucleus, which shows some degree of topographical organization.
*Supported by EC FP7 ICT-FET Grant n° 231845: ANGEL S
117
Talk NB.9
Olfactory learning in the honeybee: How GABAergic neurons modulate memory formation
and Kenyon cell activity.
DAVIDE RACCUGLIA AND ULI MUELLER
Dept. 8.3-Biosciences - Zoology and Physiology (Neurobiology), Saarland University
Excitation and inhibition are basic principles of neural communication. Throughout the animal
kingdom the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) and the excitatory
neurotransmitters acetylcholine (ACh) and glutamate are the chief players. Pathological
imbalances of these antagonists cause neuronal dysfunctions such as epilepsy and
neurodegenerative diseases. GABA, ACh and glutamate are involved in learning and memory in
vertebrates, as well as in invertebrates. It has been shown that learning modulates the GABA
system and thus modulates neuronal activity within a network. However, to understand the
function of the GABAergic system in learning it is essential to know when memory formation is
sensitive towards GABA and how GABA influences neuronal activity driven by excitatory inputs.
To address this point we study how the activation of GABA receptors influences olfactory
conditioning in the honeybee. The injection of ionotropic GABA agonists disrupts memory
performance, depending on the strength of the training and the time point of injection. Using
focal and temporal release of caged GABA we demonstrate that the mushroom bodies, a brain
structure essential for olfactory learning, are most sensitive to GABAergic input before the
pairing of conditioned and unconditioned stimulus. Calcium imaging of cultured MB neurons
reveals that single neurons integrate excitatory and inhibitory inputs differently, depending on
their temporal relation. These findings support a temporally defined role of the GABAergic
system during conditioning, rather than a general modulatory action.
Talk NB.10
Neuroendocrine correlates of sex role reversal in the barred buttonquail.
CORNELIA VOIGT1
1
Department of Biology and Evolution, University of Ferrara
In the majority of bird species, courtship and territorial aggression are male characteristics that
are controlled by androgens. In few bird species, sex-roles are reversed and females compete
over males that raise the offspring. In such species females are typically larger, more brightly
coloured than males and display ‘‘male-like’’ behaviours such as vocal advertisement and territorial aggression. However, the physiological basis of sex-role reversal is still poorly understood. In
this study I used a captive population of sex-role reversed barred buttonquails (Turnix suscitator)
to investigate sex differences in circulating steroid hormone levels and, by means of in situ hybridization, the mRNA expression levels of steroid hormone receptors and the androgenconverting enzyme aromatase in brain regions known to be involved in reproductive and aggressive behaviours in other species. While males and females did not differ in their circulating steroid hormone levels, male- and female-biased sex differences were found at the level of the brain.
Several areas of the hypothalamic-preoptic region showed significantly higher mRNA expression
levels of the enzyme aromatase in males than in females, confirming its important role in the activation of male sexual behaviour, which is known from studies in Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica). Interestingly, however, androgen receptor levels were female-biased in the nucleus taeniae of the amygdala, the lateral septum and the caudomedial nidopallium, which has not been
reported previously from species with traditional sex roles. These results suggest that the expression of male-like behaviours in females does not directly depend on elevated blood hormone
levels, but might be regulated via increased steroid hormone sensitivity in particular target areas
in the brain.
118
Talk NB.11
Zeitgener- and stimulus-concentration-dependent modulation of bombykal-responses via
diacylglycerol analogues in antennal trichoid sensilla of the hawkmoth Manduca sexta.
PETRA GAWALEK1, ANDREAS NOLTE1 AND MONIKA STENGL1
1
FB 10, Animal Physiology, University of Kassel
Manduca sexta males detect species-specific sex pheromones with trichoid sensilla on their antennae. These sensilla accommodate two olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), one of which is
always tuned to bombykal (BAL), the main pheromone component. Pheromone transduction
mechanisms are still under lively debate. Here, the effects of diacylglycerol (DAG) in BALtransduction were examined. With tip recordings of the trichoid sensilla a non-adaptive stimulation protocol (1 µg or 10 µg BAL, stimulus 50 ms, interstimulus interval 5 min) was employed at
Zeitgebertime (ZT) 1-4 (end of activity phase) and at ZT 8-11 (resting phase). While perfusion of
the DAG-analogues DOG and OAG during stimulation with low (1µg) BAL concentrations increased the normalized sensillum potential (SP) amplitude at both ZTs, the perfusion decreased
it during stimulation with high (10 µg) BAL stimuli. With low stimulus strengths DOG decreased
the action potential (AP) frequency of the first 5 interspike intervals strongest during the resting
phase, while OAG increased it strongest at the beginning of the recording during ZT 1-4. Future
experiments challenge our hypothesis that BAL-concentration-dependently a phospholipase Cβ
(PLCβ) is activated, generating DAG and IP3 during brief, low-concentration BAL-stimuli, while
strong and second-long, short-time-adapting BAL-stimuli increase baseline levels of intracellular
Ca2+ concentrations and activate a protein kinase C (PKC). Thus, DAG either activates transient
TRP-like ion channels or the PKC Ca2+-dependently.
[Supported via DFG grant STE 531/20-1 to MS]
Talk NB.12
Pheromone responses in antennal trichoid sensilla of the hawkmoth Manduca sexta and
their modulation by the prospective receptor antagonist MIA.
ANDREAS NOLTE, PETRA GAWALEK AND MONIKA STENGL
1
Department of Animal Physiology, University Kassel
Females of the nocturnal hawkmoth Manduca sexta attract males with a species-specific blend
of pheromones. The pheromones are detected with pheromone-sensitive trichoid sensilla on the
male’s antennae. Each sensillum contains two olfactory receptor neurons. One is sensitive to
bombykal (BAL), the main pheromone component. The BAL receptor is most likely a G-proteincoupled receptor. The signal transduction cascade of this receptor, however, is still not fully understood. To investigate the BAL-dependent signal transduction cascade we examined the putative receptor-blocker MIA (5-N-Methyl-N-Isobutyl-Amiloride; pers. comm. G. Gisselmann, Bochum) with tip recordings from pheromone-sensitive trichoid sensilla. BAL responses to a nonadapting stimulation protocol (1 µg BAL, duration 50 ms, interstimulus interval 5 min) were
measured for 2 hours at Zeitgebertimes (ZT) 2-4 (end of activity phase) and 9-11 (resting
phase). A concentration of 10 µM MIA was perfused passively into the sensillar lymph of the
trichoid sensilla. At ZT 2-4 as well as ZT 9-11 MIA decreased the BAL-dependent sensillar potential (SP) amplitude and the BAL-dependent action potential (AP) frequency of the first 5 interspike intervals. Also, the background activity (AP frequency between two stimuli) was significantly decreased at both ZT-times, however the decline was stronger at ZT 2-4. In future receptor expression assays we will test whether indeed MIA is a specific pheromone receptor antagonist. [Supported via DFG grant STE 531/20-1 to MS]
119
Talk NB.13
Avian Ultraviolet/Violet Cones Identified as Probable Receptor Molecules for the Magnetic
Compass.
CHRISTINE NIESSNER AND ROSWITHA WILTSCHKO
FB Biowissenschaften, J.W.Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
The avian magnetic compass is demonstrated in behavoirally experiments but its physiological basis is
still not clear. The Radical Pair Model by Ritz et al. (2000) proposes that the magnetic compass is a
chemical compass based on a radical pair mechanism: It is based on the balance of two different
states of radical pairs that can interact with the field lines of the magnetic field. Cryptochromes can
form radical pairs and hence it is discussed to be the receptor molecule. For the localisation of this
molecule several conditions have to be fulfilled: (i) light has to reach the receptor molecule, (ii) the single receptors must be arranged in a way to cover all directions in space, and (iii) within one functional
unit, the receptor molecules must be firmly fixed in the same direction. Magnetoreception is known to
take place in the eye and cryptochromes have been found in the retina, but details were still unknown.
We found Cry 1a in the retina of domestic chicken, Gallus gallus, and European robins,
Erithacus rubecula, in the outer segment of the UV/V cones. Whole mounts showed that the
Cry1a/UV/V-cones are distributed over the entire retina. An electron microscopy study showed
that Cry 1a is ordert alongside the disc membranes of the outer segments. And the fractionating
study (Western blot) of retina tissue shows devinitive Cry 1a is bound to the membrans. Hence
the distribution of Cry 1a within the retina fulfils the conditions of the radical pair model, which
makes it a good candidate for the receptor molecule for the avian magnetic compass.
Talk NB.14
The role of different landmark features for homing honeybees.
LAURA DITTMAR1
1
Department of Neurobiology & Center of Excellence ‘Cognitive Interaction Technology’ Bielefeld University
Honeybees use memorized visual representations to find back to their hive and to profitable food
sources. Prominent landmarks can play an important role in pinpointing the exact goal location.
Especially the final approach seems to be mediated by comparing the current retinal input with a
stored retinotopic representation of the visual scene around the goal. Currently there is no comprehensive view about what features of the visual scene are relevant for homing, how this information is encoded in a snapshot and used to guide the bees to the goal.
In this study we explore the role of different landmark cues and their relevance for homing. In an
indoor flight-arena we used high-speed cameras to record honeybees approaching a previously
learnt food source located between three landmarks. We then introduced unpredictable variations of the landmark arrangement between returns and analysed the effect on the navigational
performance and the flight behaviour. Changes in the spatial landmark configuration affect the
overall flight pattern and search duration. The effects are small when the three landmarks remain
in place and their texture is changed – although the landmarks were then statically camouflaged.
By means of model simulations, we show that honeybees could use motion information memorised as an “optic flow snapshot” for goal localisation. Stabilizing head movements lead to a behavioural elimination of rotational components from the optical flow pattern, which supports our
optic flow snapshot hypothesis. However, can honeybees make use of a landmark’s texture, if it
labels one landmark? We find that honeybees rely stronger on pattern cues than on the spatial
configuration of landmarks if the pattern labels the landmark close to the food source and if the
pattern is dissimilar from the surrounding visual scene.
120
Talk NB.15
Analysing sensory related behavior in active electrolocation: Linking motor patterns to
electric flow information.
VOLKER HOFMANN1, JUAN IGNACIO SANGUINETTI SCHECK2, LEONEL GÓMEZ-SENA2, JACOB ENGEL1
MANN
1
Faculty of Biology – Active Sensing, University of Bielefeld
Department of Biomathematics – Neuroscience, Universidad de la Republica Montevideo
1
African mormyrid fish are endowed with an electric sense which is used for navigation, prey detection and communication. Pulsed discharges of their electric organ (EOD) build up an electric field in
the vicinity of the fish. Objects within this field modulate the current distribution across the body surface, the so called electric image. This 2 dimensional, conductivity-dependent modulation is sensed
with a distributed array of electroreceptors embedded in the skin of the animal.
Previous research on electric images was limited to immobilized fish and thus did not describe
the influence of spatio-temporal information potentially available to the animals.
Here we advance to more naturalistic conditions by filming unrestrained Gnathonemus petersii
(N=6) during object exploration (metal cubes of 1, 8 and 27 cm3) at IR-illumination. The highspeed video acquisition was triggered by the animals own EOD. Thereby we gather detailed spatial and temporal information linked to the pace of the animals sensing interval.
Body kinematics and the geometric relationship between the fish and the object during exploration were extracted (custom made Matlab routines) and examined in terms of potential sensory
related behavior such as object approaching trajectories, the EOD frequency or the occurrence
of novelty responses.
We further use the kinematic data to model the electric images associated to each EOD. This
enables us to study their dynamics related to posture and sensing behavior of the animal. Quantifying the change between successive electric images, the motor strategies used by the fish during object exploration can be related to their impact on the electrosensory information flow. Thus
this is the first study considering the impact of electrolocation behavior on sensory information in
a temporal and context-dependent manner.
121
Poster NB.1
The transcriptional landscape of the male zebra finch forebrain at two different ages.
IRIS ADAM1; HUGUES RICHARD2; JOHN WIEDENHOEFT1; MARC SULTAN2; CONSTANCE SCHARFF1
1
2
Free Univ. Berlin
Max Planck Inst. for Mol. Genet., Berlin
Recently the zebra finch joined the growing group of organisms amenable to genetic manipulations. To maximize exploitation of these new tools, knowledge about the genome and the transciptome is essential. Here we report the first comprehensive map of the polyadenylated fraction
of the juvenile and adult male zebra finch telencephalon, 50 days and 2 years after hatching.
Employing next generation sequencing techniques on paired end fragments we find more than
50% of the current annotated protein coding transcripts expressed in both ages examined; of
those, of those 205 genes were exclusively expressed in adult brains. The quantitative nature of
the data allowed the accurate estimation of transcript levels and to determine transcripts that
were differentially expressed at the two ages. Analysis of reads falling on splice-junctions and of
the mate-pair information of the sequenced fragments provides an unprecedented view on alternative splicing of expressed transcripts. We were able to reliably identify numerous so far unknown alternative splicing events. Due to our cDNA-synthesis protocol we observed a 3’-bias in
coverage along transcripts, which allowed us to refine the annotation of 6060 genes (ENSEMBL)
by extending them in the 3’-UTR. Our results complement and broaden the existing knowledge
of the zebra finch brain transcriptome and will be a particularly valuable resource for future neuroethological and neurogenetic studies using the zebra finch model.
Poster NB.2
Spatial Orientation vs. Pattern Discrimination and Activation of an Immediate Early Gene
within the Zebra Finch Brain.
UWE MAYER1 & HANS-JOACHIM BISCHOF1
1
Neuroethology, University of Bielefeld
Zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) are able to learn the location of hidden food by orienting on
spatial cues in a “dry water maze”, or by discriminating between food dispensers with different
patterns. At least two distinct brain areas are involved in these tasks: Entopallial lesions cause
deficits in pattern discrimination, hippocampal lesions cause strong deficits in spatial orientation.
In the present study, we tested whether intact birds prefer to learn the position of a baited feeder
by spatial orientation or pattern discrimination in a task where both is possible. For this purpose,
four feeders were placed at the floor of a small aviary with extra maze cues. Only one feeder,
which was marked with a different pattern, was accessible for food. When the birds had learned
to find the food, the location of the differently patterned baited feeder was changed. It was then
examined whether the birds preferred the previously learned position in relation to the extra
maze cues or the differently patterned food feeder at the new location. Half of the birds preferred
the learned location, the others preferred the differently patterned feeder at a new location. Expression of the immediate early gene c-Fos was enhanced within the hippocampus of birds that
preferred location. Birds with pattern preference showed an enhancement within the lateral nidomeso-pallium, which receives projections from entopallium and is involved in visual imprinting.
Our experiments show that zebra finches are using either the one or the other strategy for orientation. Brain activity during the task correlates with behaviour and suggests that hippocampus is
involved in processing of spatial information and nido-meso-pallium in pattern discrimination.
122
Poster NB.3
High resolution mapping by thallium-autometallography in the weakly electric fish Gnathonemus petersii.
TIM RUHL, ETIENNE NKUSI AND GERHARD VON DER EMDE1
1
Institute of Zoology, Department of Neuroethology/ Sensory Ecology, University of Bonn
During the past years, the range of different methods for imaging neuronal activity in small animals,
especially in mammals, has increased enormously. Techniques like PET, SPECT or fMRI were used to
image at high spatial resolution. However, little focus was on possibilities of functional imaging in coldblooded animals. In most studies dealing with metabolic activity in the brains of poikilotherms, the
autoradiographic deoxyglucose method was used to determine neuronal activity. This method has a
high temporal resolution, but the disadvantage of only low spatial resolution, limited to investigations of
regional activity. In contrast, methods with higher spatial resolutions like IEG expression need to integrate long time spans due to the sluggish anabolism of cold-blooded animals. Here we present a
method recently developed for investigations of small mammals that operates at high temporal and
spatial resolution at cellular level. Thallium-autometallography (Tl-AMG) is a very elegant tool for imaging neuronal activity in cold-blooded animals. The method is based on the K+-uptake of neurons after
being active. We introduce Tl+ as a K+ analogue, which is taken up by neurons and can be detected
afterwards by an autometallographic staining protocol. We adapted the experimental protocol to the
requirements of fish. In the weakly electric fish G. petersii we could show electrosensory brain areas,
which displayed strong Tl-staining after being stimulated specifically by electric stimuli. Our results
demonstrate the advantages of the Tl-AMG compared to other imaging techniques.
Poster NB.4
Studying motor choice at the single cell level: Accessibility of the Mauthner-associated Cstart network in archerfish (Toxotidae, Teleostei).
PETER MACHNIK1, W OLFRAM SCHULZE1, STEFAN SCHUSTER1
1
Archerfish use their Mauthner (M) - associated C-start network not only for driving escapes like
most teleosts do but also for their precisely tuned starts in their unique hunting behaviour, in
which they displace their aerial prey with a water jet: Driven by a brief sampling of the falling motion of their prey the fish trigger a C-start that rotates the fish by just the right angle and pushes it
off at the right speed to accurately reach the point of catch on the water surface. While this capability and its flexibility are impressive the question is open if the Mauthner-associated network,
deeply buried in the Medulla, would be accessible to electrophysiological intracellular in vivo recordings. Here we show that the two M-cells of archerfish can be accessed and identified as
easily as those of goldfish: Antidromic stimulation at the spinal cord activates the M-cells in
archerfish and evokes a characteristic all-or-none negative field potential that can be detected
already at the surface of the brain and that can be used to guide the electrode to the soma. Furthermore, archerfish M-cells share many important functional details with those of goldfish, thus
making archerfish an excellent model to study nontrivial aspects of motor choice and its’ tuning
in identified cells in the vertebrate CNS. Therefore, this system combines both behavioural plasticity provided by a small network of identified neurons and accessibility.
123
Poster NB.5
Behavioral contexts influence the encoding of communication signals in a weakly-electric
fish.
HENRIETTE W ALZ1, JAN GREWE1, JAN BENDA1
1
Department Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Weakly electric fish use their electric organ discharge (EOD) for electrolocation as well as for
communication. The EOD of each fish carries a characteristic frequency that depends on the
fish's gender, size and social status. When two fish interact, both their EODs superimpose to an
amplitude modulation of their frequency difference. Different such beats reflect different social
encounters. Communication signals, so-called chirps, cause an amplitude, frequency, and phase
modulation of the beat. In agonistic contexts, Apteronotus leptorhynchus emit type II chirps,
small frequency excursions of their EOD of a short duration. They are emitted mostly at low beat
frequencies up to 30Hz, where they are known to be encoded by a strong synchronization of the
electroreceptor (p-unit) population.
Recently, it has been shown that behavioral responses to type II chirps increase with beat frequency.
Until now it was unknown, how type II chirps are encoded at faster beats. Our single-cell recordings of
p-units demonstrate firstly, that small chirps desynchronize the population at fast beats. Secondly, the
effects of chirps on the p-unit response are reversed if the fish carrying the lower EOD frequency
chirps: while we see a synchronization for large beat frequencies (>80Hz), lower beat frequencies desynchronize the receptor population. With a simple integrate-and-fire neuron model we are able to reproduce our data. By means of the model we explore how the synchronization properties of the receptor population are influenced by spike-frequency adaptation and intrinsic noise.
Poster NB.6
Sensory-information extraction and spatial coding in the electrosensory lateral line lobe
of Gnathonemus petersii.
SIMONE GERTZ1, 2, JACOB ENGELMANN² AND GERHARD VON DER EMDE1
1
Institut of Zoology, Department of Neuroethology/Sensory Ecology, University of Bonn
² AG Active Sensing, University of Bielefeld
The weakly electric fish Gnathonemus petersii explores its environment by active electrolocation,
during which they emit electric signals and perceive the resulting electrical field with epidermal
electroreceptors. Depending on their electrical properties, objects project “electric images” onto
the sensory surface of the fish. Analyzing these images enables the fish to detect nearby objects
and discriminate between different object parameters. The focus of our study is to understand
this capability at the neuronal level, i.e. to find out how information about objects is processed in
the first central stage of the ascending electrosensory pathway, the electrosensory lateral line
lobe (ELL). Thus, we relate the sensory input (= electric image of objects) to the neuronal response. To do so, we recorded extracellularly from single neurons in ELL while presenting either
a plastic or metal cube (8mm³) within their receptive field (RF). The RF organization was analyzed with respect to the electric image for the parameters discharge rate, first spike latency and
the consistency of the PSTH pattern. Within the amplitude range investigated, encoding was linear for both materials tested. Encoding strongly depended on the sampling frequency of the
animal (EOD interval-length) and the time window analyzed, with spikes within an early burstwindow encoding electric images. We propose that at the level of the ELL, both spike rate and
first spike latency are used for coding. However, our data indicates poor spatial resolution at the
single cell level, thus the spatial sensitivity needed to completely process the electric image of an
object can only be achieved by population coding upstream of the ELL.
124
Poster NB.7
A temporal window for frequency integration in the auditory system of barn owls.
LUTZ KETTLER AND HERMANN W AGNER
Department of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University
Barn owls localize sound sources in azimuth by detecting the arrival time differences between
both ears (ITD). Narrowband noise carries ambiguous information about the position of a sound
source. Phantom sources appear at positions differing from the real position by an angle that can
be determined from the period at the signal’s center frequency and a factor converting ITD into
space. Broadband noise helps in disambiguating the sound source position.
We speculated that an unambiguous localization might also be possible with frequency modulated (FM) signals covering a similar frequency band as the broadband noises that yield unambiguous sound localization. In experiment one the owls had to localize noise signals of different
bandwidths. In experiment two the stimuli were linearly frequency modulated tones which had a
modulation range corresponding to the bandwidth of the constant-frequency noises. The direction, amplitudes, and latencies of head turns were analyzed.
The owls made localization errors in experiment one as long as the bandwidth of the constant
frequency noise was below 3 kHz. Preliminary data with experiment two revealed a dependence
of head-turning amplitude on modulation range. The number of head turns toward phantom
sources decreased with increasing modulation range but was higher than in constant-frequency
noises covering the same frequency band.
Our findings imply that barn owls are able to localize FM-signals with an adequate modulation
range unambiguously. We shall present an estimation of the duration of the time window underlying across-frequency integration.
Poster NB.8
Establishment and Characterisation of a Neuronal Primary Culture of Cochlear Ganglion
Neurons of the Embryonic Chicken.
DAVID GOYER1, HERMANN W AGNER1, THOMAS KÜNZEL1
1
Institute for Biology 2 (Zoology/Animal Physiology), RWTH Aachen
In birds, the axons of cochlear ganglion neurons project into two subdivisions of the cochlear
nucleus in the auditory brainstem, the nucleus magnocellularis and the nucleus angularis. While
in nucleus angularis normal bouton-like synapses are developed, collaterals of the same fibre
can form specialised synapses in nucleus magnocellularis, the so-called Endbulbs of Held.
These terminals are strongly enlarged, sometimes engulfing nearly three quarters of the postsynaptic cell. The molecular basis for the determination of this giant synapse during development is
yet to be found. Therefore, we established a primary culture of the cochlear ganglion neurons of
the embryonic chicken, which allows observation and manipulation of individual cells.
For all experiments, chicken of Hamburger and Hamilton stage 36 were used. The precise position of the basilar papilla was determined by frontal sections of the chicken’s head and Nisslstainings, followed by a 3-D reconstruction. For cell culture, both cochlear ducts were dissected
from the animals. Tissue containing the basilar papilla and the cochlear ganglion was detached.
Samples from up to five animals were pooled. At different days in vitro (DIV 1, 2, 4 & 8), the cell
culture was characterised with immunocytochemistry, by staining for neurofilament and synapsin, a synaptic marker. We could identify neurofilament-positive neurons of distinct bipolar
morphology in the cell culture. Additionally, we were able to determine the presence of synapsin,
making these neurons a prime target for the further study of synapse formation. Based on these
findings, we will develop a co-culture system of cochlear ganglion and central auditory neurons,
focussing on the molecular control of synaptogenesis of the Endbulbs of Held.
125
Poster NB.9
GnRH stimulated responses in genetically labeled GnRH receptor neurons in mouse brain slices.
CHRISTIAN SCHAUER1, OLIVER MAI2, IRIS N. GÖTZE1, DEVESH KUMAR2, ULRICH BOEHM2 AND TRESE
LEINDERS-ZUFALL1
1
2
School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, University of Saarland
Institute for Neural Signal Transduction, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Hamburg
Socially important chemosensory cues converge onto a small subset of neurons that produce gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). The peptide binds to its receptor (GnRH-R) in the pituitary to regulate gonadotropin secretion. This pathway has been implicated in mediating neuroendocrine alterations triggered by pheromones. In addition, GnRH infusion into the brain can stimulate specific reproductive behaviors in rodents raising the possibility that the GnRH peptide itself might be released locally within the brain to act on downstream target neurons that express GnRH-R.
First, we had to overcome a critical gap in neuroendocrinology by developing a method to monitor both spatially and temporally stimulus-induced activity of individual GnRH-R neurons in
mouse brain slices. Our approach is based on a combination of confocal microscopy imaging of
Ca2+ signals, the use of tissue slices to preserve the cytoarchitecture, and genetically identifiable GnRH-R neurons. Initially, we tested whether GnRH-R neurons utilize similar Ca2+ signals
for stimulus detection in different areas of the brain in response to direct activation with GnRH, a
GnRH analogue or KCl. GnRH-R neurons showed robust Ca2+ elevations, but these signals differ in their waveform. Now we have started to characterize these neurons using electrophysiological recording techniques. Our studies set the stage to analyze how GnRH signaling effects
on reproductive behavior and physiology are elicited in the mouse brain.
Supported by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) grant (Schwerpunktprogramm
1394, Sonderforschungsbereich 894) and by the VolkswagenStiftung.
Poster NB.10
Contribution of GABA and glycine on inhibitory transmission in the auditory system.
ALEXANDER FISCHER, ECKHARD FRIAUF, DESIREE GRIESEMER
Animal Physiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern
Bilateral information from the auditory periphery converges in the superior olivary complex of the
mammalian brainstem, a group of nuclei processing sound location. Here, we investigate the
inhibitory projection from the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) to the lateral superior
olive (LSO) where inhibition of neonatal gerbils and rats is mediated by GABA together with glycine. Focal electrical stimulation in the MNTB was combined with patch-clamp recordings of LSO
neurons in acute brain slices from mice at postnatal days (P) 4 and 11. The contribution of both
neurotransmitters to the total inhibitory current was assessed pharmacologically.
We observed a significant increase of total inhibitory current amplitude from 33±6 pA (n=14) at
P4 to 196±37 pA (n=16) at P11 (p<0.001). Application of strychnine (100 nM) revealed a glycinergic component of 74 % at P4 and 93 % at P11. Additional application of the GABAA receptor
antagonist GABAzine (10 µM) reduced the current amplitude by 12% at P4 and had no effect at
P11. Changing the order of drug application resulted in a ~25 % discrepancy in the GABAmediated current at both ages which was due to unspecific action of GABAzine on glycine receptors. In contrast to findings in gerbils and rats where GABA appears to be the main inhibitory
transmitter and of great importance during early postnatal development, our experiments on
mice revealed a much higher portion mediated by glycine. Therefore, the relevance of GABA on
inhibitory transmission at this synapse remains unclarified.
126
Poster NB.11
Characterization of Organotypic Cultures of Chicken Auditory Brainstem.
JULIA KREBBERS1, HERMANN WAGNER1, MARCUS W IRTH1
1
Institute of Biology 2, RWTH Aachen University
Neurons of the early auditory pathway of chicken are specialized for detection and representation of interaural time differences. The axons of neurons of the second order Nucleus magnocellularis (NM) form delay lines while the neurons of the subsequent Nucleus laminaris (NL) are
coincidence detectors. This circuitry computes the interaural time differences and is well studied
on the physiological, molecular and anatomical level. Less is known about the parameters that
control the formation of the axonal delay lines during development. Organotypic cultivation is a
method to analyze slices of desired tissue over several weeks to months with maintenance of
most of the typical characteristics. It enables us to functionally manipulate the axonal development by addition of growth factors or receptor blockers or other molecules.
In this study, organotypic cultures of chicken auditory brainstem were prepared according to the
roller-tube technique (Gähwiler, 1981). In a first step, we aim to characterize the organotypic
properties of the culture system. The main question is, whether the axonal connections develop
in vitro as in ovo. Slices of chicken auditory brainstem were prepared from embryonic stages E9,
E10, E11 and E18 and were cultured for 3 days. The overall integrity of the nuclear formation of
NM and NL and the most appropriate embryonic stage were determined from Nissl stains and
Neurofilament immunohistochemistry. At this stage, slices are immunohistochemically investigated for the expression of specific auditory markers, such as Calretinin and Kv3.1b and Kv1.
The axonal connectivity is analyzed by tracing with Rhodamine GreenTM dextran (3000 MW).
Poster NB.12
The representation of auditory space in the midbrain and in the forebrain of barn owls.
PHILIPP TELLERS AND HERMANN W AGNER
Department of Zoology, RWTH Aachen
Barn owls use interaural time differences (ITDs) to determine the direction of a sound source.
The initial separation of auditory stimuli into narrow frequency channels and neural mechanisms
underlying the representation of ITDs lead to ambiguous information about the real sound source
position; phantom sources occur. Phantom sources in higher-order nuclei are eliminated by
across-frequency integration. Here we examine the mechanism of across-frequency integration
in the barn owl’s midbrain and forebrain pathways. There are indications that across-frequency
integration in the forebrain may be different from that in the midbrain, although both brain structures receive input from the same sources.
Extracellular electrophysiological recordings were performed in the auditory arcopallium (AAr), a
nucleus of the forebrain pathway. The forebrain data were compared to existing data from the
midbrain (external nucleus of the Inferior colliculus (ICx)). Frequency tuning in ICx neurons exhibits one broad peak. The ITD tuning curve has several peaks, one of which is larger and is
called the main peak, while the others are smaller and are called sidepeaks. The ITD at the main
peak is called the best ITD. The ITD tuning curve of ICX neurons is symmetric about the main
peak. This suggests that across-frequency integration takes place at one ITD shared by all frequency channels. By contrast, AAr neurons often exhibit a frequency tuning curve with two
peaks, one in the low-frequency range (< 3 kHz) and one in the high-frequency range (>3 kHz).
The ITD tuning curve is asymmetric around 0 ITD. This indicates that two separate frequency
channels with different best ITDs may provide input to one neuron in AAr. We are currently further investigating on both the experimental and theoretical levels how exactly the acrossfrequency integration in AAr may be described.
127
Poster NB.13
The cocktail party problem in insects: selective filters and spatial release from masking in
tropical crickets.
A. K. D. SCHMIDT1 AND H. RÖMER1
1
Department for Zoology, Karl-Franzens-University
Natural acoustic environments like the species-rich tropical rainforests constrain effective acoustic
communication due to call frequency overlap and masking interference. We have previously demonstrated that the rainforest cricket Paroecanthus podagrosus suffering from strong competition shows a
more selective frequency tuning of the auditory interneuron 1 (AN1), in comparison to its in European
counterparts where such competition does not exist. Such frequency selectivity results in significant reducing background noise and restore species-specific amplitude modulation of the male calling song.
Here we investigated the effect of background noise (masker) on signal detection thresholds in
Paroecanthus podagrosus, both in the laboratory and outdoors in the tropical rainforest.
Performing common lab experiments and increasing noise levels, we found that the neuronal representation of the calling song within receivers is maintained for signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) on average
of -9 dB, due to the more sharply tuned sensory system and selective attention mechanisms.
Following the spatial release from masking approach and placing the masker to the contralateral site
thresholds improved on average by further 6 dB, due to the directionality of the hearing system.
In the real-world situation, where preparations were placed in the nocturnal rainforest and tested
for masked thresholds, SNRs were strongly improved to values of -22 dB. However, repeating
those experiments in the lab with quite same noise spectra thresholds amount only -14.5 dB.
Poster NB.14
Cuticle surface supports fine-tuning of wind sensitive hairs of the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria L..
ANDREAS LANG1, ULI MÜLLER1 AND BERNHARD MÖHL1
1
Faculty 8, Zoology/Physiology, Saarland University
The wind sensitive hairfields in specific areas of the locust's head serve the flight control system.
The chitinous cuticle surface of these hair fields shows a peculiar rough texture, which is not
found in other species of grasshoppers than Locusta migratoria. This raises the question
whether this unique surface structure supports the sensory function of the wind hairs by affecting
the boundary layer of the airflow.
A method to measure the heat exchange between the chitin surface and an airstream is developed to test a possible aerodynamic boundary effect of the chitin surface. Compared to smooth
surfaces, the results show that a rough surface accelerates temperature flow from a warm air
stream to a cold chitin surface. This, however, is only observed with a turbulent air stream. It is
known that the wind sensitive hairs perceive self-generated cross turbulences caused by the locust’s own wing beats, which stimulate flight movements. Thus, the rough chitin surface seems
to increase the sensitivity of the wind hairs for such cross turbulences. Electrophysiological experiments on an interneuron of the wind-hair-system (TCG) here confirm this assumption: turbulent air blown onto the head stimulates the wind hairs strongest when the chitin surface is rough.
The rough surface actually increases the sensitivity of the wind hairs for cross turbulences, plausibly by reducing the boundary layer of turbulent air flow.
When flying in a swarm the effect of the rough surface associated with the wind hairs could help
to distinguish turbulences of the locust’s own wing beats from those of an individual flying
nearby. This could improve flight control in swarm flight, as well.
128
Poster NB.15
Neuronal basis of singing pattern generation in field crickets.
STEFAN SCHÖNEICH1 AND BERTHOLD HEDWIG1
1
Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge
Acoustic signalling in crickets is based on genetically determined motor rhythms driven by a central pattern generator (CPG). For mate attraction male crickets generate stereotypic sound patterns by rhythmically opening and closing their forewings. A sound pulse is produced during
each closing movement and several pulses are grouped in the species-specific style to match
the sharply tuned auditory recognition mechanism of the conspecific females. Although the neuronal mechanisms underlying cricket’s singing behaviour attracted much scientific interest over
the last decades, it remained nevertheless a largely unsolved neuroethological question.
We identified neuronal components of the singing CPG in Gryllus bimaculatus by intracellular
recording and staining of interneurons in the CNS of fictively singing males. Although the singing
motoneurons are housed in the mesothoracic ganglion, we identified interneurons in the
metathoracic and anterior abdominal ganglia as elements of the singing CPG. These neurons
discharge in phase with the singing rhythm and perturbing their activity with intracellular current
injection modifies and resets the motor pattern.
Understanding the cricket singing CPG at the level of identified neurons provides insight into the
neuronal control mechanisms of one of the most conspicuous insect behaviours and opens the
opportunity to investigate how neuronal modifications caused song pattern diversification during
evolutionary segregation of cricket species.
(Supported by the BBSRC and The Isaac Newton Trust)
Poster NB.16
Effects of peripheral input loss on auditory brainstem centers with Pax2cre – Cav1.3flx/flx
conditional knock-out mice.
MICHAEL BOESEN1, MARLIES KNIPPER2, MARCO RUST1, LUKAS RÜTTIGER2, ECKHARD FRIAUF1
1
Animal Physiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Laboratory of Molecular
Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen
2
Voltage-gated calcium channels have poorly understood functions in brain development. The
Cav1.3 subunit is a predominant isoform in neurons, and Cav1.3 channels are responsible for
transmitter release from inner hair cell (IHC) synapses. Genetic knockout of Cav1.3 channels
(Cav1.3-/-) abolishes transmitter release from IHC synapses and thus leads to deafness. Previously,
we have shown (Hirtz et al., J Neurosci, 2011) that systemic Cav1.3-/- mice exhibit anatomical malformations as well as reduced volumes and neuron numbers in the auditory brainstem nuclei.
These defects may be caused by a missing Ca2+ influx in IHCs or in auditory brainstem neurons. In
order to distinguish between these two options, we generated Pax2cre–Cav1.3flx/flx conditional KO
mice. As Pax2cre is expressed in IHCs, yet virtually absent in auditory brainstem areas (Ohyama
and Groves, genesis, 2004), Cav1.3 channels in the conditional KO mice are selectively impaired in
IHCs, beginning in early development. Hearing capabilities showed greatly impaired auditory brainstem response thresholds (82.8 dB SPL (n=4) vs. 24.5 dB SPL (n=4)). Otoacustic emissions were
also impaired in conditional KO. Auditory brainstem nuclei were normally shaped, but some exhibited smaller volumes (AVCN: 0.06 µm³ (n=5) vs. 0.1 µm³ (n=5); PVCN: 0.06 µm³ (n=5) vs. 0.09 µm³
(n=5); DCN: 0.095 µm³ (n=5) vs. 0.12 µm³ (n=5); MNTB: 0.02 µm³ (n=6) vs. 0.03 µm³ (n=6)). The
brain size was not diminished. Our results point to a crucial contribution of peripheral neuronal activity for the development of functional central auditory circuits.
129
Poster NB.17
ADF and n-cofilin act cooperatively in controlling synaptic vesicle release.
MICHAEL W OLF1, ANIKA-MARIA ZIMMERMANN1, ANDREAS GÖRLICH1, MARCO SASSOÈ-POGNETTO2,
CHRISTINE B. GURNIAK3, WALTER WITKE3, ECKHARD FRIAUF4 AND MARCO B. RUST1
1
Neurobiology/Neurophysiology Group, University of Kaiserslautern
Departement of Anatomy, Pharmacology and Forensic Medicine and National Institute of Neuroscience, University of Turin
3
Institute of Genetics, University of Bonn
4
Animal Physiology Group, University of Kaiserslautern
2
Actin dynamics critically depend on the activity of ADF/cofilin that bind co-operatively to filamentous actin (F-actin), accelerate the dissociation rate of actin subunits and sever F-actin. Previous
studies suggest a crucial role of ADF/cofilin in synapse physiology as deletion of LIM Kinase 1
(LIMK1), a negative regulator of ADF/cofilin activity, affects presynaptic vesicle exocytosis and
postsynaptic plasticity. Analysis of mutant mice revealed that n-cofilin is relevant for postsynaptic
plasticity, learning and memory, yet not for presynaptic physiology. We found ADF (actin depolymerizing factor), the second ADF/cofilin isoform broadly expressed in the adult brain, present
in presynaptic structures and therefore hypothesized that ADF is relevant for presynaptic
mechanisms. However, our analysis of mutant mice revealed that inactivation of ADF alone does
not interfere with synapse function. Contrastingly, in compound mutants that lack ADF and ncofilin, organization and mobility of synaptic vesicles as well as synaptic vesicle exocytosis were
severely affected. In summary, our data provide evidence that ADF and n-cofilin can compensate the other´s loss in synaptic structures. We therefore conclude that ADF and n-cofilin act cooperatively in controlling synaptic vesicle release.
Poster NB.18
RNAi-mediated loss-of-function of CREB inhibits olfactory long-term memory formation in
Nasonia vitripennis (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae).
ALEXANDER P. B. SCHINKO1, CAROLIN SOMMER1, DARIA SCHURMANN1, STEFFEN HAGENBUCHER1,2, PETER
WALENTEK1, AXEL SCHWEICKERT1, MATTHIAS GERBERDING1, MARTIN BLUM1, JOHANNES L. M. STEIDLE1
1
2
current adress: Forschungsanstalt Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon
Learning and memory formation are important to deal with changing environmental conditions,
and therefore are common within the animal kingdom. Generally, it is assumed that long-term
memory (LTM) formation depends on protein biosynthesis and CREB (cAMP response elementbinding protein) has been identified to play an important role in long-term memory formation in
many animal species. Olfactory learning is crucial for host finding in parasitoids and ecological
aspects of learning are relatively well studied in this group. However, so far little is known about
the underlying molecular mechanisms. Here, we test the hypothesis that CREB is necessary for
memory formation in parasitoid wasps, using Nasonia vitripennis WALKER, 1836 as model organism. This species is a ubiquitous, gregarious ectoparasitoid wasp of fly pupae. Recently, the assembled genome was published. In our experiments, wasps received associative training by
one-hour lasting encounters with host pupae (unconditioned stimulus) in the presence of cinnamon as odour (conditioned stimulus). Two days before training, wasps were injected with either
dsRNA of CREB (test) or of DsRed (control) between the abdominal tergites. The presence of
LTM was tested six days after conditioning by studying the reaction to cinnamon in an olfactometer. Under experimental conditions, the control-group revealed a reaction to cinnamon, which
was significantly decreased in the test-group. This result supports the hypothesis that CREB is
involved in LTM-formation in N. vitripennis and implicates the use of RNAi as a powerful tool to
study memory formation and the underlying molecular mechanisms in parasitoids.
130
Poster NB.19
A struggling learner among parasitic wasps - Dynamics of Long-term memory (LTM) in
the model parasitoid Nasonia vitripennis.
1
1
1
1
CAROLIN SOMMER , ALEXANDER PAUL BERTRAM SCHINKO , DARIA SCHURMANN , JANA COLLATZ , JOHANNES
1
L. M. STEIDLE
1
The ecological adaptation of learning and the dynamics of memory formation in parasitoids has
emerged as a new field of research during the last years. This study deals with the dynamics of protein-biosynthesis dependent long-term memory (LTM) in Nasonia vitripennis, a parasitoid of fly pupae. Wasps were given associative training by one-hour lasting encounters with host pupae including drilling plus host feeding in the presence of the odour cinnamon. One hour after training wasp
were injected with the protein-biosynthesis inhibitor Actinomycin D between the abdominal tergites.
The presence of LTM was tested up to six days afterwards by studying the reaction to cinnamon in
an olfactometer. The experiments revealed a reaction to cinnamon after two and three days, but not
after four and six days. Control experiments showed that the missing reaction after four and six
days is not due to side-effects of Actinomycin D on the wasps. This demonstrates that LTM for cinnamon can be induced by the used form of associative training and that it is present after four and
six days but not earlier. Remarkably, at four days LTM coincides with some intermediate form of
memory, which was identified in an earlier study and which is induced by drilling without hostfeeding in the host pupae. In comparison to the three other parasitoid species studied to date
(Cotesia glomerata, C. rubecula, Lariophagus distinguendus) LTM in N. vitripennis is established
rather late. The ecological reasons for these species specific differences are unclear so far.
Poster NB.20
SIF-amide immunoreactivity in the brain of the cockroach Leucophaea maderae.
ANDREAS, ARENDT1 AND MONIKA, STENGL1
1
FB10, Biology, Animal Physiology, University of Kassel
With antibodies against SIFamide (anti-GYRKPPFNGSIFamide antibody by Dr. Akikazu Yasuda)
immunocytochemistry on vibratome sections of the cockroach Leucophaea maderae brain were
screened to determine whether SIFamides might be present in the circadian system. The circadian pacemaker which controls locomotor activity rhythms was located via transplantation experiments in the accessory medulla (aMe) with associated pigment-dispersing factorimmunoreactive (PDF-ir) neurons. The PDF-ir pacemakers project to the optic neuropils of the
ipsi- and contralateral optic lobes as well as via the anterior and posterior optic commissures to
different midbrain targets. Antibodies against SIFamide labeled the anterior fiber network of the
aMe, but were not colocalized in somata associated with the aMe. With the exception of the anterior optic commissure all branching sites of PDF-ir circadian pacemaker neurons were also
innervated by SIFamide-ir processes, without expressing colocalization. Next to 4 prominent
large SIFamide-ir somata, also 5 smaller SIFamide-ir somata per hemisphere were observed in
the pars intercerebralis, while 4-5 immunoreactive somata lie ventrally to the calyx, and about 30
small somata anteriorly to the calyx of the mushroom body. The peduncle and the lobes of the
mushroom body were not stained, while the central body expressed very strong SIFamideimmunoreactivity, especially in its upper unit. Also, the optic lobe neuropils and the antennal
lobes expressed a fine web of SIFamide-ir processes. Future MALDI studies will search for SIFamide in the cockroach. [DFG STE531-21]
131
Poster NB.21
Post Metamorphic Plasticity of Numbers of Peptidergic Neurons in the Antennal Lobe of
Tribolium castaneum.
PETER CHRIST1, SILKE REDELFS1, MARTIN KOLLMANN1, JOACHIM SCHACHTNER1
1
FB Biologie - Tierphysiologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg
The major pest of stored grain, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum is emerging as a further
standard insect model organism beside Drosophila. With the fully sequenced genome and its susceptibility for powerful reverse genetics based on systemic RNA interference (RNAi), Tribolium offers an excellent system to study development and plasticity. Recent studies revealed an increase
of brain size incl. antennal lobes (AL) and mushroom bodies (MBs) within the first days of adult life,
indicating a pronounced sensitive phase. To further reveal mechanisms involved in the post metamorphic phase, we examined whether there are changes in the number of peptidergic AL cells. We
compared the numbers of tachykinin-ir (TK-ir) AL neurons of females and males directly after adult
molt (A0) and seven days after molt (A7). We found (1) a sexual dimorphism at A0 concerning
numbers of TK-ir cells, with females having more TK-ir AL neurons than males. (2) In both sexes,
the numbers of AL TK-ir cells increased from A0 to A7. Females, isolated shortly before adult molt,
showed no increase in the number of TK-ir cells, in contrast to males kept under same conditions.
In females, this phenotype can be rescued by addition of the aggregation and sex pheromone 4,8Dimethlydecanal (DMD). Interestingly, high doses of DMD also have an effect on TK-ir numbers in
males. Our finding suggests that the increase of TK-ir cells between A0 and A7 depends on the
perception of the pheromone signal and thus favors an activity dependent mechanism for the maturation of a peptidergic system in the AL of Tribolium.
Poster NB.22
Cell proliferation in the brain of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum.
M. DIESNER1, P. CHRIST1, M. KOLLMANN1, B. GÖTZ1, J. SCHACHTNER1
1
Dept. Biology, Animal Physiology, Philipps-University Marburg
Tribolium castaneum is emerging as a further standard insect model besides Drosophila. With the
fully sequenced genome, its susceptibility for transgenetic approaches such as directed gene expression and powerful reverse genetics based on systemic RNA interference, and its longevity, Tribolium offers an excellent system to study development and plasticity of the olfactory system.
Studies in several arthropod species demonstrated a correlation of cell proliferation rate or volumes of brain areas with age, caste, sex, and experience, including primary sensory integration
centers like optic lobes and antennal lobes / olfactory lobes, but also higher integration centers
like the mushroom bodies (MB).
To further examine mechanisms involved in brain plasticity of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum within the first days of adult life, we started to study cell proliferation using the cell proliferation marker α-Phospho-Histone-3 (α PH3), labeling proliferating cells during end of G2 phase
and begin of the metaphase. We used α PH3 in combination with several markers to label cell
nuclei (DAPI), glial cells (anti reverses polarity – α RePo) and neuronal cells (anti horse radish
peroxidase – α HRP) to determinate identity of proliferating cells.
Proliferating cells could be observed not only in the MB calyces but interestingly also in the area
of the optical lobes (OL) and antennal lobes (AL).
Supported by the DFG: SPP 1392 “Integrative analysis of olfaction”.
132
Poster NB.23
From the antenna to the mushroom body: The olfactory pathway of the red flour beetle
Tribolium castaneum.
M. KOLLMANN1, S. DIPPEL2,3, S. FRANK1, M. BINZER1, C. HEUER1, S. SCHÜTZ3, E. A. WIMMER2, J.
SCHACHTNER1
1
Dept. Biology, Animal Physiology, Philipps-University Marburg
Dept .of Developmental Biology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach- Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August-University Göttingen
3
Institute for Forest Zoology and Forest Conservation, Georg-August-University Göttingen
2
The olfactory pathway of insect starts with the olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) in the chemoreceptor sensilla of the antenna, which project into the glomeruli of the antennal lobe (AL). From
the AL, projection neurons connect to the higher integration centers, the mushroom body (MB)
and the lateral protocerebrum or lateral horn.
By creating and analyzing a Gal4-UAS line, expressing tGFP in all OSNs, which contain the
Orco (the general olfactory receptor), electron raster microscopy of the antenna, immunostainings of the brain, backfills of the antenna and maxillary palps and 3D reconstruction we characterized the olfactory pathway of T. castaneum in high detail.
We were able to characterize several sensilla types, including chemosensitive large and small s. basiconica and s. trichoidea, which express Orco, or mechanoreceptive s. chaetica which do not express
Orco. Axons of OSNs expressing the Orco project only into about 50% of the glomeruli located in the
lateral half of the AL. Analysis of antennae and AL did not reveal any sexual dimorphism. Antennal
backfills revealed the olfactory glomeruli and in addition projections to the mushroom bodies, the lateral protocerebrum and the accessory medulla. Backfills of the maxillary palps resulted in one labeled
glomerulus. Currently, we perform dye injections into the AL to reveal the antenna-cerebral tracts.
Supported by the DFG: SPP 1392 “Integrative analysis of olfaction”.
Poster NB.24
NO/cGMP signaling: Distribution of nitric oxide donor and target cells in the brain of the
yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti.
LISA W EIGAND, MARTINA KERN AND JOACHIM SCHACHTNER
Dept. for Biology - Animal Physiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg
The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, is the major vector of several arboviral diseases,
e.g. dengue fever and yellow fever. The gonotrophic cycle of Ae. aegypti females consists of
distinct behavioral and physiological phases, including host seeking, blood feeding and oviposition. These changes in behavior depend on changes in the processing of sensory information, especially the processing of olfactory information. A multitude of chemical signaling
molecules modulates processing of odor information in the central nervous system, including
areas involved in processing of olfactory information like the antennal lobes (AL) and the
mushroom bodies (MB). One such putative signaling pathway is the nitric oxide (NO)/ cGMP
signaling pathway. To identify and localize potential NO-donor cells we performed immunohistological stainings with antibodies against NO-synthase (NOS) and L-citrulline. For the detection of NO target cells Aedes brains were pharmacologically stimulated with an external NOdonor (sodium nitroprusside) and the phosphodiesterase-inhibitor IBMX and immunostained
with an antibody against cGMP. Strong NOS-immunoreactivity was found in a subset of 6 of
the 50 AL glomeruli. Among these are the three MD glomeruli innervated by the maxillary palp
nerve and according to their position in the AL glomeruli AM1, AL1, and AL 3 innervated by
sensory neurons of the antenna. In the mushroom bodies, strong NOS-immunostaining was
found in the peduncles, the medial, and vertical lobes. Currently we are analyzing citrulline
and cGMP immunostaining.
133
Poster NB.25
Anatomical identification and characterization of CCAP neurons in the brain of Drosophila
melanogaster.
RONJA HENSGEN, MAREIKE SELCHO AND CHRISTIAN W EGENER
Animal Physiology-Neurobiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg
The endogenous clock employs peptidergic systems to regulate circadian behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. To understand how communication between the clock and peptidergic
neurons leads to control and modulation of a variety of behavioral processes, we focused on
the anatomical investigation of CCAP (crustacean cardioactive peptide) neurons in Drosophila.
CCAP neurons have been shown to play a role in the circadian timing of adult eclosion.
Therefore, we used specific transgenic flies and immunohistochemical methods to visualize
single CCAP cells in the brain of pharate flies. We identified four distinct CCAP clusters (defined by the position of their cell bodies) that prominently innervate the dorsal protocerebrum
and the suboesophageal ganglion. Many CCAP neurons project via the median bundle. The
branching patterns of CCAP neurons in the dorsal protocerebrum suggest contacts with clock
neurons, namely PDF-tri cells or dorsal neurons (DN). The arborizations of CCAP neurons in
the suboesophageal ganglion and deutocerebrum could indicate communication with PDF-tri
cells or other PDF-expressing clock neurons. Our results will provide an anatomical basis to
analyze the circadian control of the peptidergic network orchestrating eclosion behavior.
Funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (WE 2652/5-1)
Poster NB.26
Compensatory Head Movements in Blowflies Walking Freely on Differently Structured
Substrates.
DANIEL KRESS1, MARTIN EGELHAAF1
1
Neurobiology & Cluster of Excellence ‘Cognitive Interaction Technology’ (CITEC), Bielefeld University
Visually guided insects such as ants, flies and bees depend heavily on the quality of visual signals in order to obtain functionally relevant information about their environment. To support visual information processing, these species evolved a large variety of physiological adaptations
and behavioral strategies like compensatory head movements. During self-movement, head rotations compensate for changes in body attitude in order to stabilize the orientation of the visual
reference system and thus the gaze. However, it is still an open question how walking insects
cope with uneven structured substrates that may affect body orientation and gaze control. Therefore, we analyzed by stereo high-speed video compensatory head movements of blowflies walking freely on differently structured substrate types. We found that even a pronounced asperity of
the ground structure with bumps of almost the size of the animal were largely compensated by
the walking machinery of the blowfly, which leads to body roll and pitch movements not much,
but significantly larger than those on even ground. Pitch and roll fluctuations of the head were
even smaller compared to body fluctuations on all tested substrates, emphasizing the significance of compensatory head/body coordination in flies walking on differently structured substrates. In order to assess the influence of the visual system on this compensatory performance,
we filmed blowflies walking on different substrates in total darkness (under unperceivable infrared illumination). Interestingly, blowflies changed their walking style in the dark and seemed to
use their forelegs as sensors to get mechanosensory information. However, head and body fluctuations were similar to those under normal light conditions, indicating that the control system
mediating compensatory head movements works fine without visual input.
The project is supported by the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP).
134
Poster NB.27
The fine structure of homing behaviour in bees and its consequences for optic flow processing.
MARCEL MERTES1, LAURA DITTMAR1, MARTIN EGELHAAF1, NORBERT BOEDDEKER1
1
Neurobiology & Center Of Excellence ‘Cognitive Interaction Technology’(CITEC), Bielefeld University
Bees can memorize the spatial location of important places using a visual representation of the
goal environment that they acquire while performing learning flights. Salient objects close-by
serve as landmarks and help to find the goal location. Which visual cues define a landmark under natural conditions and how are landmarks represented in the bee’s brain?
We used two high-speed cameras to record bumblebees approaching and departing from a food
source that was located between three landmarks in an indoor flight-arena. Similar to honeybees, the fine structure of bumblebees’ head and body movements during learning and return
flights leads to optic flow fields that are characterized by a large proportion of translatory components. These components are especially important for distance estimation, a prerequisite for
navigation. Our experiments also reveal that the presence of objects (landmarks) guides the way
to a learned location.
Using a computer 3D-model of the flight arena we reconstructed what the bees saw during such
learning and return flights. These reconstructions of original flight trajectories were then used as
visual stimuli to analyse under what conditions motion sensitive neurons in the bee brain reliably
respond to landmarks. Intracellular recordings show that the presence of landmarks affects the
responses of motion processing neurons in the bee’s lobula.
Recent behavioural experiments show that landmark texture does not play a role when the texture does not provide positional information. In agreement with this, we find that object texture
seems to have a minor influence in the neuronal representation of objects during phases where
the bee mainly experiences translational optic flow.
Poster NB.28
Cold/Menthol - induced activation of primary cultured neurons via ectopically expressed
TRPM8 – channels in Drosophila melanogaster.
CHRISTINA KARTHAUS, CHRISTIAN WEGENER
Animal Physiology-Neurobiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg
There are various genetic tools to specifically activate neurons in the fruitfly Drosophila
melanogaster. Recently it was shown by a behavioural assay that an ectopically expressed rat
TRPM8 (transient receptor potential)-channel is able to activate peptidergic neurons and peptide
release (Peabody et al., 2009). The TRPM8-channel functions as a cold receptor localized in the
plasma membrane, and is permeable for cations like calcium and can be stimulated by menthol
and cold. In this study, we physiologically characterised neuronal activation by ectopically expressing TRPM8 by the GAL4-UAS system in primary cultures of the larval fruitfly CNS. After
stimulation with cold or bath-applicated menthol, neuronal activity was monitored by calcium imaging with Fura-2. We found that neurons respond stronger to low temperatures than to menthol.
Neurons expressing three copies of the channel were activated by menthol concentrations below
1 mM, while neurons expressing only one copy of the channels activated around 1 mM menthol.
At this menthol concentration, calcium increases could not been elicited in control neurons from
either the GAL4- or UAS-parental strains. Also low temperature did not result in calcium responses in these control neurons. Our study indicates that ectopically expressed TRPM8 is suitable as a genetic tool to artificially activate Drosophila neurons of interest.
Funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (WE 2652/5-1).
135
Poster NB.29
Acetylation-dependent modulation of memory in the honeybees: towards the identification of the regulated genes.
Katja Merschbächer and Uli Müller
Dept. 8.3-Biosciences - Zoology and Physiology, Saarland University, Saarbrücken
Regulation of gene expression plays an important role in learning and memory formation. In addition to the regulation of genes by learning induced activation of the transcription machinery
gene expression is at the same time modulated by the chromatin structure, which comprises
DNA and histones. The latter modulation mainly depends on DNA methylation and histone modifications. Hyperacetylation of histone tails is catalyzed by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and
leads to an open chromatin structure facilitating the transcription process. Histone deacetylases
(HDACs) catalyze hypoacetylation and lead to a closed chromatin structure. Although it has
been shown in both, mammals and invertebrates, that elevation of acetylation by the HDAC inhibitor TSA (trichostatin A) facilitates memory formation, only little is known regarding the genes
implicated in this process. Most work in mammals focuses on the acetylation-dependent regulation of a BDNF gene (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) that critically contributes to learning and
memory formation. Since the modulation of gene expression by acetylation is a conserved
mechanism, and since BDNF is not found in invertebrates, other genes will have to carry out a
homologous function. Moreover it is very likely that acetylation-dependent processes regulate
other genes implicated in learning.
We aim for a direct identification of mRNAs the expression of which is affected by the acetylation
status in vivo. In vivo labelling of newly synthesized mRNA instead of stady-state mRNA followed
by its isolation, identification, and quantification allows for better detection of genes potentially
involved in acetylation-dependent modulation of memory.
136
Physiology
137
Talk PH.1
Molecular basis of the limited aphid immune response against bacteria.
BORAN ALTINCICEK1
1
INRES-Phytomedicine, University of Bonn
Our recent studies based on transcriptome and whole-genome sequence analyses suggested
that the bacterial immune defense in aphids is limited when compared to other insect species. To
better understand the basis underlying aphid immune tolerance to beneficial bacteria and immune defense to pathogenic bacteria, we characterized the aphid immune responses in more
detail. We identified immune-competent haemocytes that we named prohemocytes, granulocytes
and oenocytoids in the hemolymph of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum. Granulocytes were
capable of phagocytizing bacteria and oenocytoids exhibited melanotic activity. However, Escherichia coli K-12 bacteria, usually cleared in the hemolymph of other insect species, were capable of growing exponentially and killing pea aphids within a few days. Further experiments with
mutant E. coli K-12 strains revealed a potential role for reactive oxygen species-mediated defenses in the otherwise reduced aphid immune system. In investigating the transcriptional immune response of a further aphid species, the green peach aphid Myzus persicae, we found evidence for the transfer of a rare lipoprotein A (RlpA)-like protein gene from fungi to aphids. The
upregulation of this gene during bacterial infection was part of a generally limited immune response and may underlie an alternative immune defense mechanism in aphids. (DFG-funded
with the Heisenberg-Fellowship program AL902/4-1).
Talk PH.2
Immune response mechanisms in the intestinal epithelium of Drosophila melanogaster.
CHRISTINE FINK AND THOMAS ROEDER1
1
Department of Zoophysiology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel
The focus of research has recently moved towards understanding etiological factors underlying
inflammatory diseases of barrier epithelia such as Morbus Crohn and Colitis ulcerosa. From recent studies it is known that the epithelium itself and the innate immune system within this epithelium have a major impact on the course of inflammatory bowel diseases. Using the fruit fly
Drosophila melanogaster, which has been established as a valuable model for various aspects
of innate immune responses, we tried to elucidate which signaling pathways are involved in
epithelial defense mechanisms in the intestinal epithelium and how chronic inflammatory processes are initiated. The single layered epithelium of midgut is mainly made of enterocytes, which
are characterized by their absorptive function. Using the ternary GAL4/GAL80/UAS-system we
could specifically activate relevant signal transduction pathways at defined time points in this cell
population only. Most important are central components of the innate immune system (the IMDpathway) and the insulin-signaling pathway (here the terminal transcription factor dFoxO). Using
DNA-microarray analyses, we analyzed the transcriptional response towards these interventions
and compared this response with the immune reaction to oral infections with the gram-negative
bacterium Serratia marcescens. In addition, we performed these infection experiments in dFoxO
and Imd-knockout to quantify the contribution of either of these pathways to the immune reaction. From these data we can conclude that adjacent to the pattern recognition receptor PGRPLE the transcription factor dFoxO is highly important for the development of epithelial inflammations. In addition we can show morphological changes in response to targeted activation of this
pathway as well as to oral infection.
138
Talk PH.3
The fruit fly’s response to starvation is sex-specific.
RENJA ROMEY, THOMAS ROEDER1
1
Department of Zoophysiology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel
The fat body of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is its major storage organ. In addition, it has
been shown that the fat body plays a central role for phenomena including weight cycling or
elongation of lifespan by dietary restriction (DR). To test this hypothesis, we used transcriptome
analyses of isolated fat bodies of virgin male and female flies at different time point before and
after starvation. Therefore, fat bodies of flies which were starved or which were starved and fed
again were subjected to whole genome microarray analysis. Additionally, we determined the
body weight of the flies during the experiment and the amount of fat by thin layer chromatography. The refeeding after a 24h starvation period caused a catch-up effect in both genders, in
weight and also in the amount of fat. The analysis of microarray data showed, that there is a persistent change in the gene expression pattern after starvation and refeeding in males and in females. Interestingly, these data also showed that there are gender-specific differences in the
response to starvation as well as in the response to refeeding. In females, for example, genes
involved in immune response are noticeable upregulated after refeeding compared to males. Our
data should be instrumental for identifying those genes that are critical for starvation-associated
phenomena including the weight cycling and even for understanding the increased life span induced by DR.
Talk PH.4
In search of the common thread - the molecular basis of stress response in fish.
JESSIKA TIEDKE, RALF THIEL, THORTSTEN BURMESTER
BIOCENTER GRINDEL AND ZOOLOGICAL MUSEUM, UNIVERSITY OF HAMBURG
Aquatic species must cope with temporal and regional variations of their environment, including
changes in oxygen saturation, salinity, pH or temperature. Anthropogenic activities causing pollution, climate change and habitat destruction lead to an increase of diversity and severity of environmental stressors, which have wide-ranging impacts on fish populations. By now, the effects
are difficult to predict. The aim of this study is to identify molecular markers that i. may be applied
to a wide range of species and ii. that facilitate predictions before the ecological damage becomes irreversible.
We first investigated the effect of environmental acidification on the zebrafish Danio rerio. Decreasing pH in rivers or lakes is mainly caused by acid rain due to anthropogenic emissions of
sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen (NOX) or as a side effect of eutrophication. Second, we focussed on the effects of hypoxia on the European flounder (Platichthys flesus) and the ruffe
(Gymnocephalus cernua). Seasonal hypoxia periods in estuaries are a natural effect caused by
temperature increases, nutrient input and vertical stratification of halo- and thermoclines. We
compared flounders and ruffes caught in the Elbe with individuals kept under laboratory conditions. We found that in zebrafish acidification causes an increase of globin mRNA levels, particularly myoglobin, and antioxidant enzymes, suggesting oxidative stress. Myoglobin levels are also
enhanced in flounders and ruffes from hypoxic environments. Thus, myoglobin might be a
stressor- and species independent stress marker in fish.
139
Talk PH.5
Yolk protein endocytosis during oocyte growth in the polychaete, Platynereis dumerilii.
ULRICH HOEGER, ANNE WERNER, MARIA VOLLBRECHT, ANKE KAUFMANN, SVEN SCHENK 1
1
Institut für Zoologie, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz
Storage of large amounts of yolk protein and lipids are the main sources contributing to the large
oocyte size in oviparous animals including polychaetes. Yolk is incorporated by receptor mediated endocytosis as the precursor, vitellogenin, and stored in yolk bodies until needed for embryonic development.
We have studied yolk protein endocytosis and yolk granule formation during oocyte growth in the
nereidid, Platynereis dumerilii using vitellin as a substitute for the natural form, vitellogenin. Endocytosis and subsequent fusion of endocytotic vesicles to yolk granules was followed by labeling vitellin with the fluorescent phospholipid analogs DiI and DiD. The vesicle formation was analyzed by deconvolution microscopy.
Incubation of isolated oocytes with labeled vitellin (50 µg/ml at 18°C) led to a rapid formation of
small endocytotic vesicles (< 0.5 µm diam.) on the oocyte surface within 15 min followed by the
progressive fusion to larger vesicles. In oocytes of all size classes studied (25-160 µm diam.),
the vesicle size reached after 3h was similar and about 1 µm in diam. The maximal yolk granule
size observed by light microscopy, however, was strongly dependent on the oocyte size reaching
only 1 µm diam. in small oocytes and 7 µm in full grown oocytes.
Our observations indicate two phases of yolk granule formation in the polychaete egg: a rapid
initial fusion phase (within hours) leading to vesicles whose maximal size depends on the phase
of oocyte growth and a slow fusion phase, which occurs in parallel to the oocyte growth which
takes about 20 days in Platynereis dumerilii.
Talk PH.6
Expression, purification and kinetic analysis of the nephrosin inhibitor of Cyprinus carpio.
KATHARINA MEYER, Jana Hedrich, Christioph Becker-Pauly, Walter Stöcker, Irene Yiallouros
Institute of Zoology, Cell and Matrix Biology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz
An endogenous inhibitor of the zinc endopeptidase nephrosin was found in lymphohematopoietic
tissues of Cyprinus carpio(1). The active form of the inhibitor (Mr 40 000) derives from the FetuinL precursor sequence (Mr 67 000) by proteolytic processing. Fetuin-L of Cyprinus carpio shows
a sequence identity of 20 % with human Fetuin-A (α2-HS glycoprotein). Both belong to the fetuin
family of the cystatin superfamily. We were able to identify Fetuin-A from human plasma as an
endogenous inhibitor for Meprin α and Meprin β.
Kinetic studies were carried out in order to compare the binding affinity of both inhibitors to enzymes of the Astacin-metalloprotease-family.
The mature nephrosin-inhibitor was expressed in E. coli M 15 [pREP4] cells and purified by NiNTA. After folding and dialysis the inhibitor was used for inhibition assays.
Moreover, bovine Fetuin-A was used for the determination of the inhibition constant Ki of Meprin α and β.
140
Talk PH.7
Stretch the mouse until it bursts: Meprin α and β are the first procollagen proteinases capable of processing both, the N- and C-propeptides of fibrillar collagen I.
CLAUDIA BRODER1, PHILIPP ARNOLD2, JUDITH S. BOND3, MORITZ A. KONERDING4,
CHRISTOPH BECKER-PAULY1
1
Institute of Zoology, Cell and Matrix Biology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz
Institute of Zoology, Molecular Animal Physiology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz
3
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State Univ. College of Medicine
4
Institute of Functional and Clinical Anatomy, University Medical Center of Johannes GutenbergUniversity Mainz
2
The major fibrillar collagen type I is synthesized as a precursor molecule with a central triple helical
domain flanked by short linear telopeptides and globular propeptides. The removal of the C-and Npropeptides is an essential step in fibril assembly and in the formation of connective tissue. For a
long time this was exclusively associated to ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with
thrombospondin motifs) -2, -3, and -14 and to BMP-1 (bone morphogenetic protein-1).
We previously reported that meprins release the C-propeptide of type III collagen in vitro in the same
manner as the C-procollagenase BMP-1, but more effectively. Here, we present for the first time that
both, meprin α and β process type I procollagen in vitro releasing the C- as well as the N-propeptide
and thereby inducing fibril formation which can be observed in specific immunoblotting and in transmission electron microscopy. Consequently, meprin α and β knockout mice exhibit an impaired arrangement and a reduced amount of dermal collagen fibrils compared to wildtype mice. This leads
not only to abnormal skin morphology but also to a markedly reduced tensile strength of the skin.
These results provide new information about meprins’ novel functions as C- and Nprocollagenases, indicating important roles in collagen fibrillogenesis, proper skin morphology
and in maintenance of normal tensile strength.
141
Talk PH.8
Seeking for the Proangiogenic Target of the Metalloprotease Meprin α.
JANA HEDRICH1, ELISA NITZSCHE1, IRIS BISCHOFF2, TAMARA JEFFERSON1, PHILIPP ARNOLD3, MARIO
DEJUNG3, ULRICH AUF DEM KELLER4, RONALD E. UNGER2, JUDITH S. BOND5, JÜRGEN BRIEGER6,
CHRISTOPH BECKER-PAULY1
1
Cell and Matrix Biology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz
Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Mainz
3
Molecular Physiology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz
4
Institute of Cell Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, ETH Hoenggerberg
5
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
6
Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Mainz
2
Recently, we could show that the specific knockdown of meprin α in zebrafish embryos revealed
severe defects in the formation of the vascular system. A comparable phenotype was observed
by Nasevicius et al. (2000) in a VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor)-A morpholino fish.
Interestingly, using the proteomics approach TAILS (terminal isotopic labeling of substrates) we
found a cleavage side for meprin α in VEGF-A165. In this regard we could validate the cleavage of
VEGF-A isoforms VEGF-A121 and VEGF-A189. So we hypothesized that meprin α might be necessary for VEGF-A activation, due to a cleavage that might be responsible for the detachment of
VEGF-A from the extracellular matrix.
Indeed, immunogold staining in tissue sections of meprin α knockout mice revealed more VEGFA clusters in the extracellular matrix compared to wildtype mice. However, in vitro and in vivo
studies with human umbilical vene cells (Huvecs), the mouse aortic ring assay and the HET
CAM assay did not approve an activation of VEGF-A by meprin α.
By the TAILS-method CTGF (connective tissue growth factor) another regulator of VEGF-A activity was found to be a meprin α substrate. CTGF binds to VEGF-A and thereby inhibits the angiogenic effect of VEGF-A. Cleavage of CTGF in the complex releases active VEGF-A. We could
identify a cleavage side for meprin α between the second and third domain of CTGF. By in vitro
and in vivo assays we could show, that the processing of CTGF in complex with VEGF-A revives
the angiogenic effect of VEGF-A.
142
Talk PH.9
Meprin β a novel target for neurodegenerative disorders? The metalloprotease meprin β
processes the amyloid precursor protein in vivo and generates non toxic N-terminal
fragments.
TAMARA JEFFERSON1, MIRSADA ČAUŠEVIĆ2, ULRICH AUF DEM KELLER3, OLIVER
SCHILLING4, SIMONE ISBERT2, REBECCA GEYER1, THORSTEN JUMPERTZ5, SASCHA
WEGGEN5, JUDITH S. BOND6, CHRISTOPHER M. OVERALL7, CLAUS U. PIETRZIK2, CHRISTOPH BECKER-PAULY1
1
Cell and Matrix Biology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz
Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Joh. Gutenberg-University Mainz
3
Institute of Cell Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, ETH Hoenggerberg
4
Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research, University of Freiburg
5
Department of Neuropathology, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf
6
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State Univ. College of Medicine
7
Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia Vancouver
2
Proteases are one of the largest enzyme families increasingly revealing novel biomarkers and
drug targets for pathological conditions such as cancer or neurodegenerative diseases. Quantitative proteomic techniques are powerful tools to identify, validate and gain better understanding of
protease substrates in their natural environment.
The metalloprotease meprin β exhibits biological activity in inflammation, angiogenesis, and connective tissue formation by the processing of growth factors and fibrillar collagens.
For the first time, we determined the amyloid precursor protein (APP) as a physiologically relevant substrate for meprin β. Processing of the transmembrane APP by the γ- and β-secretases
produces amyloid β peptides which are found in high quantities in Alzheimer´s disease (AD)
brains but the precise function of APP in vivo remains elusive.
We show that meprin β is the responsible protease releasing N-terminal APP fragments of 11
and 20 kDa size demonstrated in vitro, in cellulo, and in vivo. In human and mouse brain lysates
corresponding N-APP fragments were detected which were not present in meprin β deficient
mice, but increased in meprin β overexpressing cells. However, we did not determine meprin β
as the protease releasing extracellular APP fragments that mediate cell death via caspases, as
described previously (Nikolaev et al., 2009, Nature). The incubation of meprin-derived APP fragments revealed no obvious effect on the viability of primary neurons. Our data demonstrates
meprin β being a physiologically relevant enzyme in APP processing which might also be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders.
143
Talk PH.10
Torpor at high ambient temperatures in a neotropical didelphid, the gray short tailed
opossum Monodelphis domestica.
S. BUSSE, G. HELDMAIER, CW. MEYER
Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg
The gray short-tailed opossum, Monodelphis domestica (Didelphidae, Marsupialia), is a small
carnivorous marsupial which is distributed throughout the eastern and central parts of South
America. M. domestica is a well established animal model in fields of neuroscience, mammalian
ontogenesis, and cancer research. However, surprisingly little effort has been directed towards
understanding the basic metabolic physiology of this species. We here provide the first continuous tracings of core body temperature, activity patterns, and metabolic rate in captive M. domestica. For obtaining these parameters six short-tailed opossums (body mass: 54- 80 g) were intraabdominally implanted with E-Mitters for the simultaneous recording of core body temperature
and activity levels. Oxygen consumption rates were determined using indirect calorimetry. At an
ambient temperature of 26°C the mean daily body tem perature of the animals ranged from
31.6°C to 37.4°C. Body temperature dropped as low a s 28.6°C during the animals’ circadian
resting phase. Oxygen consumption and body temperature reduction indicated bouts of daily
torpor in some of the animals. The minimal rate of oxygen consumption was 24.8 ml O2 h-1,
equivalent to a reduction of 50% in resting metabolic rate at 26°C. Individual torpor bouts lasted
up to 9 hours. In summary the thermoregulatory strategies of M. domestica are more flexible
than previously thought. Moreover, our results add to the increasing body of evidence that torpor
is a metabolic strategy that is not just restricted to animals living in cold environments.
144
Talk PH.11
GMP reductase modulates purine nucleotide concentrations and uncoupling protein 1
(UCP1) activity.
TOBIAS FROMME1, SABINE MOCEK1, VERENA HIRSCHBERG1, ROLF DIEZKO3, ANDREAS DUNKEL2,
THOMAS HOFMANN2, MARTIN KLINGENSPOR1
1
Molecular Nutritional Medicine, ZIEL Research Center for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Technische
Universität München
2
Chair of Food Chemistry and Molecular Sensory Science, Technische Universität München
3
Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research, Philipps-Universität Marburg
In brown adipose tissue (BAT), uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) is the central component of nonshivering thermogenesis that provides heat to defend body temperature in the face of low ambient temperatures. UCP1 facilitates a proton flux across the mitochondrial inner membrane
thereby uncoupling respiration from ATP synthesis. In the resting state purine di- and triphosphate nucleotides (GDP, GTP, ADP, ATP) repress UCP1 activity, while adrenergically mediated
liberation of free fatty acids overcome this inhibition and activate UCP1 upon cold exposure. So
far, cold induced alterations in cellular nucleotide concentration are not thought to play a role in
UCP1 regulation.
In BAT, guanosine monophosphate reductase (GMPR) is strongly upregulated upon cold exposure on both the mRNA and the protein level. This enzyme catalyzes the reaction of GMP back
to the common presurcor of both guanosine and adenosine nucleotides, inosine monophosphate
(IMP). We aimed to unravel a possible role of GMPR and an altered purine nucleotide metabolism in the regulation of UCP1 activity.
Concordant with its molecular function, forced expression of GMPR in a heterologous expression
system led to a shift in the ratio between adenosine and guanosine nucleotides without a disturbance in overall cellular energy balance. In the presence of UCP1, however, the GMPR mediated A/G shift was accompanied by a loss in triphosphate nucleotides indicating an impaired energy supply. Furthermore, in the presence of both UCP1 and GMPR cells displayed an increased
basal and fatty acid induced proton leak respiration. Both findings imply that the enzymatic action
of GMPR leads to an increased UCP1-mediated proton leak by altering purine nucleotide concentrations.
145
Talk PH.12
Development of a novel methodology for the expression of heterologous proteins in insects.
1
1
GUSTAVO R. MAKERT , STEFAN CHABIERSKI
1, 2
1
THIAS GIESE , SEBASTIAN ULBERT
1
2
, NICOLAS DELAROQUE1, MICHAEL SZARDENINGS1, MAT-
Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig
present address: Institute for Molecular Vaccines, Heidelberg
This study describes an efficient and simple method to express foreign proteins in insects via
feeding of plasmid DNA. For the proof of principle, the housefly Musca domestica, the mealworm
Tenebrio molitor, the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, and the honeybee Apis mellifera were fed with
a plasmid encoding the enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP). Purified plasmid DNA was
delivered with the specific feed of the different arthropod species. Enhanced green fluorescence
protein expression was detected over a period of several days by fluorescence microscopy. Because auto fluorescence was high in some tissues we have also developed Western blots. The
EGFP was found in a variety of tissues in all insects analyzed, and no toxic side effects were
observed. In order to analyze the capability of this method to fed functional nucleic acid and
thereby induce gene expression, DNA plasmids encoding the spider-derived insect-specific neurotoxin Atracotoxin Hv1a (ACTX) were also developed to feed the mealworm Tenebrio molitor.
The difference in survival rate between insects fed with negative control plasmids (EGFP) and
ACTX plasmids was statistically significant. In summary, this method permits the transfection of
insect cells in vivo leading to the expression of recombinant proteins through oral application of
DNA plasmids without applying chemicals, synthetic or semi-synthetic diet. These results demonstrate a new method to transiently transfect insects, which is applicable in several fields of biotechnology, including recombinant protein expression and insect pest control strategies.
Talk PH.13
Sildenafil mediates cGMP-independent ∆F508-CFTR restoration whereas wt-CFTR activation follows the NO-dependent cGMP-pathway.
GERALDINE LEIER1, NADINE BANGEL-RULAND1, KATJA SOBCZAK 1, W OLF-MICHAEL W EBER1
1
Institute of Animal Physiology, University of Muenster; Germany
Besides its function in the therapy of erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension,
the phosphosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor Sildenafil (SL) seems to have a potent effect in cystic fibrosis (CF). This inherited disease is due to a defective cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. In this project we determined the SL effect and whether SL acts
through a cGMP dependent pathway on the mutant protein ∆F508-CFTR. Therefore the proteinkinase G was blocked by its inhibitor KT5823 as well as the guanyl cyclase by the inhibitor
1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ). SL was injected into CFTR expressing Xenopus laevis oocytes and cAMP mediated current (Im), conductance (Gm) and capacitance (Cm)
were analysed. We detected a restored Im and Gm in ∆F508-CFTR expressing oocytes. In addition, we showed an increased Im, Gm and Cm in wt-CFTR oocytes, which could be inhibited by
ODQ and KT5823. In Western blot and immunofluorescence approaches SL induced an insertion of CFTR molecules into the plasma membrane of human bronchial epithelial ∆F508-CFTR
(CFBE41o-) and wt-CFTR (16HBE14o-) cells. Ussing chamber experiments revealed an activity
increase (wt-CFTR) and a restoration (∆F508-CFTR) by SL. ODQ and KT5823 were able to
block the increase but not the insertion of CFTR molecules by SL. Taken together, these experiments show that SL acts as a corrector and a potentiator of CFTR. Beyond this, the CFTR
correction seems to act independently of cGMP, whereas the potentiating effect may be mediated through a cGMP dependent pathway.
146
Talk PH.14
Talk cancelled
Talk PH.15
Challenges to the brains of diving mammals and the molecular defences.
MARCO SCHNEUER1, NICOLE U. CZECH-DAMAL1, URSULA SIEBERT2, LARS P. FOLKOW3, ARNOLDUS S.
BLIX3, THORSTEN BURMESTER1
1
2
3
Research and Technology Centre Büsum, University of Kielmany
Department of Arctic Biology, University of Tromsø
Diving mammals (e.g. whales and seals) are routinely exposed to severe oxygen deficiency
when submerged. However, they survive these critical conditions and exercise remarkable diving
depths and durations during foraging. Few physiological adaptations of the diving brain have
been reported and much less is known how it copes with the challenges of a hypoxic environment at the molecular level. On the one hand, the brain must ensure a continuous supply with O2
to meet its high energy demand; on the other hand it must be protected from reactive oxygen
species (ROS). We have investigated the expression and distribution of neuroglobin (Ngb), a
respiratory protein associated with the CNS. Our results show 10 to 21-fold higher Ngb mRNA
levels in the brains of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and minke whales (Balaenoptera
acutorostrata) compared to that of a cow. By contrast, Ngb levels in the brains of the hooded
seal (Cystophora cristata) and harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) do not differ from that of
their terrestrial relatives (ferrets). In seals, we observed an unusual localisation of Ngb in astrocytes, while in other mammals (including whales) this protein essentially resides in neurons. We
have also studied the expression of selected antioxidant enzymes. While their levels in whale
and cow brains do not significantly differ, in the deep-diving hooded seal we measured an increased superoxide dismutase 2 levels compared to the ferret. We suggest species-specific adaptation of O2 supply and ROS defence, which may be related to diving behaviour.
147
Talk PH.16
Mucins in osmoregulation – osmosensors or structural components in the cuticula of
C. elegans.
ANNE-KATRIN ROHLFING1; YANA MITEVA2, TODD LAMITINA2, OTTO BAUMANN1
1
2
Institut für Biochemie und Biologie, Zoophysiologie, Universität Potsdam
Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania
Typically, mucins are defined as highly glycosylated proteins secreted by epithelial tissues to
form a protective layer against environmental agents – the mucus. Recent studies revealed an
additional role of mucins in eukaryotic cell signalling. The high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway of yeast can be activated either by the detection of hyperosmotic stress through the mechanically two component osmosensor Sln1 or the osmosensory mucins Msb-2 and Hkr-1. Both
branches of the osmosensory pathway are able to activate a p38 MAP kinase pathway which
finally induces the accumulation of the osmolyte glycerol.
In C. elegans, we identified the mucin protein OSM-8. Due to a point mutation a truncated version of OSM-8 is expressed in the mutant strain osm-8(n1518). This mutation, as well as RNAi
knockdown of osm-8, leads to an accumulation of high levels of the osmolyte glycerol under isotonic conditions. The reaction is similar to the stress response seen in wild type animals exposed
to hyperosmotic stress and coincident with the activation of the HOG pathway by mutation in
Msb-2 / Hkr-1. OSM-8 is expressed in the hypodermis previous to each molt and most likely secreted into the cuticle. TEM images of osm-8(n1518) revealed that the cuticle layers are thinner
and the strouts less compact then in wild type animals. Taken together the mucin protein OSM-8
seems to be necessary for correct cuticle formation and OSM-8 could either be part of a osmosensory complex as seen in yeast or loss of OSM-8 function is disrupting a osmosensory complex by malformation of the cuticle.
Talk PH.17
Archazolid A binds to the equatorial region of the c-ring of the vacuolar H+-ATPase.
MARKUS HUSS1
1
Tierphysiologie, University of Osnabrück
V-ATPases present a family of heteromultimeric proteins, which translocate protons via eukaryotic plasma and endomembranes and energize a multitude of secondary transport processes. Therefore it is not astonishing that V-ATPases are involved in serious diseases such as
osteoporosis or cancer. The investigation of this enzyme family as a potential drug target is one
of the most challenging topics in V-ATPase research.
The macrolactone archazolid is a highly specific V-ATPase inhibitor with a nanomolar IC50 value.
The binding site of archazolid is presumed to overlap with the binding site of plecomacrolides such
as bafilomycin in subunit c of the VO complex. Using a derivative of archazolid for photoaffinity labeling we confirmed binding of archazolid to subunit c. To investigate the binding site of archazolid, we
established in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutations in the putative binding pocket of bafilomycin
and showed that only tyrosine 142 interfered with archazolid. Using a fluorescent derivative of
DCCD, we found that in contrast to the plecomacrolides, the binding site for archazolid comprises
the glutamate, essential for proton translocation, within subunit c. In conclusion the archazolid binding site does not correspond to the plecomacrolide binding pocket in the cytosolic part of the membrane bilayer, but resides within the equatorial region of subunit c.
148
Talk PH.18
Activation and oligomerisation of ovastacin.
ANDRÉ HILDEBRAND, W ALTER STÖCKER AND IRENE YIALLOUROS
Institute of Zoology, Cell and Matrix Biology, University of Mainz
Ovastacin is an extracellular protease that was found by scanning human and mouse genomic
databases. It can be assigned to the astacin family by the characteristic zinc binding region
HExxHxxGxxHE and the Met-turn (SVMHY). Astacins are found in prokaryotes, invertebrates
and vertebrates and participate in processes like digestion (crayfish astacin), embryonic development and tissue differentiation (e.g. tolloid / Bmp1-like proteases) or hatching (e.g. AEA,
Astacus egg astacin, or LCE and HCE, the choriolysins from fishes). Ovastacin contains a signal
peptide, a prodomain, the catalytic domain and a C-terminal domain. The catalytic domain of
ovastacin shows high similarity to the astacin hatching enzymes. No similarity to any known sequence pattern was found for the C-terminal sequence. The enzyme is expressed during the
maturation of the mouse oocyte and after fertilization in the development stages from the zygot
to the blastocyst.
For functional and structural studies of ovastacin we expressed the protein in insect cells. The
protein is labelled with a C-terminal Strep-tag. We are studying the mouse full length enzyme
and constructs of the active protease with and without the C-terminal domain. With a serine protease we successfully activated the pro ovastacin. First substrates were identified. The purified
full length protein is able to form huge oligomeric structures.
149
Poster PH.1
Staphylococcal hemolysin A decreases transepithelial electrical resistance in cultured
human airway epithelial cells (16HBE14o-).
FANNY W ESTENDORF, SABINE ZIESEMER, JAN-PETER HILDEBRANDT1
1
Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Zoological Institute, Biotechnikum, Ernst Moritz Arndt-University
Staphylococcus aureus is a facultative human pathogen which is able to modulate the host immune system and may cause serious diseases like pneumonia or sepsis. S. aureus produces
several virulence-associated factors, with the pore-forming hemolysin A (Hla) being one of the
most prominent ones (Menestrina (1986) J Membr Biol 90, 177-190). We have recently shown
that treatment of human airway epithelial cells with recombinant Hla results in the formation of
paracellular gaps in the intact layer of cultured cells (Diss. Sabine Below 2009, urn:nbn:de:gbv:9000607-1). In this study, we used an Ussing chamber to measure the transepithelial electrical
resistance (TEER) in confluent sheets of human airway epithelial cells (16HBE14o-) during
treatment with recombinant Hla. Cells (5 x 105 cells per transwell support) were seeded on 6.5
mm Costar® Transwell® permeable supports and cultivated for five days (37 °C, 95 % relative
humidity, 5 % CO2) to confluency. TEER measurements were performed over a total period of
220 min in a vertical Ussing chamber system (EP Devices, Belgium). We superfused the cells
from both sides with aerated cell culture medium containing 10 % serum ± 2 µg/ml Hla from the
apical or from the basolateral side to investigate potential differences in Hla sensitivity due to
differential expression of potential Hla docking partners in the two plasma membrane compartments. Both, apical as well as basolateral application of Hla resulted in significant decreases in
TEER in comparison with the controls without Hla. This confirmed the microscopic observations
that Hla compromises the barrier function of the airway cell layer. According to our observations
there seemed to be no difference in loss of TEER when cells had been treated with Hla from the
apical or from the basolateral side. This may indicate that there is no side-specific expression of
an Hla docking partner in 16HBE14o- cells.
150
Poster PH.2
Staphylococcal hemolysin A induces elevations in cytosolic calcium levels and changes
in cell shape in cultured human airway epithelial cells.
SUSANN RÄTH1, SABINE ZIESEMER1, KATRIN HARDER1, JAN-PETER HILDEBRANDT1
1
Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Zoological Institute, Ernst Moritz Arndt-University
The staphylococcal hemolysin A (Hla) generates ion-permeable pores in host cells (Menestrina
(1986) J Membr Biol 90, 177-190). Treatment of human airway epithelial cells with recombinant
Hla results in sustained increases in cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]i) (Eichstaedt et al. (2009) Cell Calcium 45, 165-176) and activation of MAP kinases (Below et al. (2009) Am J Physiol Lung Cell
Mol Physiol 296, L470-L479). Here, we used time lapse microscopy of human airway epithelial
cells (16HBE14o-, S9, A549) to investigate whether Hla-treatment of monolayers of cultured
cells induces changes in cell shape. Whether these alterations are associated with the activation
of signaling pathways downstream of elevations of [Ca2+]i was tested using inhibitors of
calmodulin (calmidazolium, 5 µmol/l) or calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (KN-93, 5
µmol/l). Cells were cultured on Ibidi Hi-Q4 cell culture plates (Nikon, Düsseldorf, Germany) until
confluent, incubated with 2 µg/ml Hla and viewed for up to 24 h in the Nikon Biostation IM time
lapse microscope. Stills from the movies at each full hour were used to calculate the degree of
coverage of the cell culture plate in order to semi-quantify changes in cell shape and attachment.
In 16HBE14o- and in A549 cells, Hla induced individual cells to withdraw from portions of the
culture support resulting in opening of paracellular gaps. While the response was sustained in
these cells, it was only transient (2-4 h) in S9 cells. Co-application of calmidazolium attenuated
the effects of Hla in 16HBE14o- cells, but not in A549 cells, and suppressed the transient Hlaeffect in S9 cells. Co-application of KN-93 attenuated the response to Hla in A549 cells and the
transient effect on S9 cells, but had no effect on the Hla-response of 16HBE14o- cells. The results indicate that at least portions of the changes in cell shape and remodeling of cell-cell and
cell-matrix contacts depend on elevated levels of [Ca2+]i.
151
Poster PH.3
Staphylococcus aureus toxins accelerate focal adhesion turnover in cultured human airway epithelial cells (16HBE14o-).
REGINE DRESS1, THOMAS VOLKSDORF1, MELANIE GUTJAHR1, JAN-PETER HILDEBRANDT1
1
Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Zoological Institute, Biotechnikum, Ernst Moritz Arndt-University
Staphylococcus aureus colonizes mucosal body surfaces and may induce serious diseases such
as pneumonia. It produces exotoxins like hemolysin A (Hla) or hemolysin B (Hlb). Hla generates
ion-permeable pores in the host cell membrane (Menestrina (1986) J Membr Biol 90, 177-190),
while Hlb functions as a sphingomyelinase (Wiseman & Caird (1967) Can J Microbiol 13,369-376)
and alters cell function by ceramide production. We have shown that treatment of human airway
epithelial cells with recombinant Hla results in prolonged activation of MAP kinases (Below et al.
(2009) Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 296, L470-L479) and changes in cell layer integrity
(Räth, unpublished results). Cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions are mediated by focal adhesions
(FAs), whose turnover is regulated by focal adhesion kinase (FAK).
In this study, we investigated the activation of FAK in human airway epithelial cells (16HBE14o-)
upon Hla- or Hlb-treatment. In addition, we studied the effects of Hla-mediated changes in intracellular calcium on FAK signal transduction. Cells were cultured to confluency and incubated without
(controls) or with ionomycin, A23187 or thapsigargin ± 2 µg/ml Hla or 5000 ng/ml Hlb, respectively.
We used phospho-specific FAK antibodies in Western blot analyses to identify changes in sitespecific phosphorylations in FAK indicative of assembly or disassembly of FAs.
We observed that Hla as well as Hlb-treatment of cells resulted in increased FAK-phosphorylation
at sites which are known to induce degradation of FAs. Hlb seemed to have stronger effects than
Hla. As indicated by confocal immune fluorescence analysis, disassembly of focal adhesions did
not result in decreases in total numbers of FAs, indicating that both toxins induce higher FAturnover rates. This may facilitate changes in cell shape and cell layer integrity.
152
Poster PH.4
Restoring CFTR function in cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells by mRNA transfection.
YVONNE KNIEPER, NADINE BANGEL-RULAND, BARBARA LECIEJEWSKI, KATJA SOBCZAK, GERALDINE
LEIER, WOLF-MICHAEL W EBER
Institute of Animal Physiology, University of Muenster
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is caused by a mutation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance
regulator (CFTR). The most common mutation ∆F508 leads to protein degradation preventing
the functional expression of this Cl- channel.
In this study we transfected human CF airway epithelial cells (CFBE41o-) with wild type (wt)
CFTR-mRNA to investigate the insertion and functional expression of CFTR into the apical
membrane. Therefore, we carried out Ussing chamber measurements to demonstrate the restoration of CFTR function and in parallel performed protein biochemical experiments to verify the
increase of CFTR protein amount in the apical plasma membrane.
After transfection with wtCFTR-mRNA Ussing chamber experiments revealed an increased
CFTR current following cAMP activation (74%) when compared to untransfected cells. This current appeared to be almost identical to the current of control cells expressing wtCFTR
(16HBE14o-). Furthermore, the CFTR activation was sensitive to the specific Cl- channel blocker
CFTRinh172, which decreased nearly 100% of the generated CFTR current and also reduced
the electrophysiological parameters capacitance and conductance, significantly.
In addition, the protein biochemical approaches showed a markedly increased CFTR protein
amount in the apical membrane. Using immunofluorescence techniques we demonstrated that
the transfection of CFBE41o- cells using wtCFTR-mRNA led to an increase of CFTR expression
by about 250% in comparison to untransfected CFBE41o- cells.
These data clearly indicate a successful restoration of impaired CFTR function in CF epithelia
cells by transfection with wtCFTR-mRNA.
153
Poster PH.5
Field potentials and single cell recording in the nucleus lateralis (Torus semicircularis) in
Gnathonemus petersii.
ANDREAS LUNDT, TIM RUHL AND GERHARD VON DER EMDE
Institute of Zoology, Department of Neuroethology/ Sensory Ecology, University of Bonn
The weakly electric Fish, Gnathonemus petersii, is able to detect and distinguish objects with its
electric sense, a process called active electrolocation. With an electric organ it produces electric
organ discharges (EOD), which create an electric field surrounding its body. Changes of the local
EOD caused by objects in the fish’s vicinity are detected with epidermal electroreceptor organs.
The information from the electroreceptor cells is projected by afferent fibres to the first station of
central electrosensory processing in the medulla, the electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL). Efferents from all three zones of the ELL project to the nucleus lateralis (NL) of the torus semicircularis of the mesencephalon. It is assumed that discrimination between living (capacitive) and
non-living (resistive) objects is based on neural processing in the NL. Our aim is to investigate
the mechanism of how the NL processes EOD amplitude and waveform information for object
discrimination.
In this study, we used recordings of field potentials in the NL to study responses to amplitude
and waveform changes caused by capacitive and resistive objects. Histological localisations of
specific processing areas in the NL and characterization of cell types were done by ChicagoSky-Blue and BDA injections. In addition, extracellular recordings of single cell responses to
EOD stimuli carrying information about different types of objects were conducted. Our first results indicate that various areas in the NL respond differently to amplitude and waveform
changes caused by capacitive and resistive objects. Neural responses are very plastic and appear to require certain complex combinations of amplitude and waveform information.
Poster PH.6
α-Glycerotoxin: characterization of an unusual neurotoxin from venomous annelids.
SANDY RICHTER1, JÖRG HETMANK1, LARS HERING2, GIAMPIETRO SCHIAVO3, CHRISTOPH BLEIDORN1
1
Animal Evolution and Development, University of Leipzig
1
Molecular Neuropathobiology Laboratory, Cancer Research UK London Research Institute
1
Toxins are widespread in many different groups of animals. The investigation of such toxins had
often yielded the discovery of agents relevant for the development of new therapeutics. In a recent study (Meunier et al. 2002, EMBO J 21: 6733-6743) it has been found that some bloodworm
species are able to produce a neurotoxin with unique features. This neurotoxin has been termed
α-Glycerotoxin and causes the specific activation of CaV2.2 channels with high specificity. Additionally, its effects are completely reversible. The combination of the high specificity and reversibility of α-Glycerotoxin could it make to an important tool in basic neuroscience and medicine.
Glyceridae are carnivorous polychaetes which use their evertable pharynx for prey catching. The
pharynx is equipped with four teeth which are connected with venom-producing glands. We conducted mRNA-seq, as well as whole genome shotgun sequencing of gland tissue from Glycera tridactyla using Solexa sequencing technology. Using amino acid data from protein sequencing of
short fragments of purified glycerotoxin we were able to identify the protein in our sequence data.
Using PCR-experiments and genome walking we were able to characterize part of the DNA sequence of the 320 kDa protein. So far, we found no evidence for intronic sequences in this protein
and also the presence of a poly-A tail of the mRNA remains unclear - both features are unusual for
eukaryotic proteins. Moreover, it seems that this protein exists in more than one variant.
154
Poster PH.7
Visual search in barn owls
JULIUS ORLOWSKI
Institut für Biologie II, Lehrstuhl für Zoologie/Tierphysiologie, RWTH Aachen
Animals have only limited computational resources to process sensory information. Attention is
the process which selects the most vital information to be processed first. Some of these
mechanisms underlying attention are understood in humans and primates. Attention directs the
gaze to salient objects, while other visible information is apparently discarded. It is much less
well understood how attention works in non-primate species. We study these processes in barn
owls. Barn owls have frontally oriented eyes with a large binocular field of view. Their eyes are
tubular and rigidly mounted in the skull. Since eye movements are limited to less than 2°, the
owls need to move their head to look at visual targets. Thus, gaze may be tracked with a head
mounted microcamera, the OwlCam.
In the experiments reported here, barn owls were not given an explicit task. They were confronted with open field scenes containing one target differing from similar distractors in one feature such as contrast, shape or orientation. The free viewing barn owls looked significantly
longer, more often, and earlier at the target object compared to the distracters. This is reminiscent of observations in humans and primates on overt search behavior in bottom-up search
tasks. Given the similarity in these processes between species with a large phylogenic distance,
these findings indicate that visual search processes are similarly optimized in many species, despite their different brain anatomy.
Poster PH.8
Oxygen supply from the bird's eye perspective: Globin E is a respiratory protein in the
chicken retina.
THORSTEN BURMESTER1, MIRIAM BLANK1, LAURENT KIGER2, ANKE THIELEBEIN1, FRANK GERLACH1,
THOMAS HANKELN3, MICHAEL C. MARDEN2
1
INSERM U779, University of Paris 11
Institute of Molecular Genetics, Johannes-Gutenberg-University Mainz
2
3
The visual process in the vertebrate eye requires high amounts of metabolic energy and thus
oxygen. Oxygen supply of the avian retina is a challenging task because birds have large eyes,
thick retinae and high metabolic rates, but neither deep retinal nor superficial capillaries. Respiratory proteins like myoglobin may enhance oxygen supply to certain tissues and thus the mammalian retina harbours high amounts of neuroglobin. Globin E (GbE) was recently identified as
an eye-specific globin of chicken (Gallus gallus). Orthologous GbE genes were found in zebra
finch and turkey genomes, but appear to be absent in non-avian vertebrate classes. Analyses of
globin phylogeny and gene synteny showed an ancient origin of GbE, but did not help to assign it
to any specific globin type. We show that the photoreceptor cells of the chicken retina have a
high level of GbE protein, which accumulates to ~10 µM in the total eye. Quantitative real-time
RT-PCR revealed a ~50,000-fold higher level of GbE mRNA in the eye than in the brain. Spectroscopic analysis and ligand binding kinetics of recombinant chicken GbE show a pentacoordinated globin with an oxygen affinity of P50 = 5.8 Torr at 25 °C and 15 Torr at 41 °C. The
autoxidation rate is slow and similar to that of myoglobin. Together these data suggest that GbE
helps to sustain oxygen supply to the avian retina.
155
Poster PH.9
Does hemocyanin have a respiratory function in Collembola?
SVEN FLACHSBARTH1, CHRISTIAN PICK1, THORSTEN BURMESTER1
1
It had long been assumed that respiratory proteins are absent in the Hexapoda. Only recently,
we found that hemocyanin occurs in the hemolymph of many ametabolous and hemimetabolous
hexapod taxa, but have been lost in the Eumetabola. Thus, the presence of a respiratory is not
correlated with the evolution of an efficient tracheal system. In the ovoviviparopus cockroach
Blaptica dubia (Blattaria), expression of hemocyanin is restricted to early developmental stages,
suggesting a specific role in the embryos, e.g. an enhanced O2 supply within the oothecae.
However, in stoneflies (Plecoptera), silverfish (Zygentoma), and springtails (Collembola) hemocyanin are expressed throughout the life cycle, indicating a general respiratory function similar to
that in other arthropods. Springtails populate different habitats and live either subterraneous,
ground-dwelling or arboreal. This choice of habitat seems to correlate with the presence of
hemocyanin, which has been found in subterraneous and ground-dwelling, but not in arboreal
Collembola. This implies a reliance on hemocyanin to increase the oxygen supply in habitats
with varying oxygen availability, making springtails the ideal subject to further understand the
function of hemocyanin in hexapods. Here we have investigated the short- and long-term effect
of both mild and severe hypoxia on the mRNA expression of hemocyanin in the subterraneous
springtail Folsomia candida. Preliminary results indicate significant effects of hypoxia on hemocyanin expression.
Poster PH.10
Characterisation of the hemocyanin from the chilopod Scolopendra subspinipes dehaani.
SAMANTHA SCHERBAUM1, PETER REHM1, THORSTEN BURMESTER1
1
Institute of Zoology and Zoological Museum, Biocenter Grindel, University of Hamburg
Hemocyanins are copper-containing, respiratory proteins of many arthropods. They belong to a
superfamily of proteins, which also contains the copper protein phenoloxidase and the copperless hexamerin, hexamerin receptor and pseudohemocyanin. Hemocyanins are well studied in
Chelicerata and Crustacea, but within the Myriapoda the presence of respiratory proteins has
long been considered unnecessary due to their tracheal system. Only the existence of hemocyanin in the chilopod Scutigera coloeptrata and S. longicornis was demonstrated and attributed to
their extremely high activity and a peculiar blind ending tracheal system. However hemocyanin
was later also identified in the Spirostreptidae (Diplopoda) despite of a normal tracheal system.
Hemocyanins of both Scutigera and Spirostreptus form 6x6mers.The hemocyanin of S. coloeptrata displays a low oxygen affinity and a high cooperativity indicative for a function in oxygen
transport while Diplopoda hemocyanin has a high oxygen affinity and a low cooperativity indicative for a storage function. However, today little is known on the distribution and diversity of myriapod hemocyanins. We have identified a hemocyanin in the chilopod Scolopendra subspinipes
dehaani. This protein consists of at least three distinct subunit types, which have clear orthologs
in S. coloeptrata. Thus chilopod hemocyanins diversified into distinct subunit types early in the
evolution of this taxon, before the Scutigeromorpha and Scolopendromorpha diverged at least
400 million years ago. In addition, we identified three putative phenoloxidase sequences.
156
Poster PH.11
Gene expression during hypoxia in three-spined sticklebacks.
PEDRO LUBIANA, JESSICA TIEDKE, THORSTEN BURMESTER, MIRIAM BLANK1
1
Biocenter Grindel and Zoological Museum, University of Hamburg
Reduced dissolved oxygen in the water is an important stressor in the environment of fish. Both
acute and chronic hypoxia (O2 <2 mg l-1) are caused by natural and anthropogenic factors, such
as eutrophication, climate- and season-related warming of water temperature and pollution. Hypoxia is an increasing threat in coastal areas. Fish facing low oxygen conditions respond by various compensating mechanisms including behavioural and physiological responses as well as
changes of gene expression.
The three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) is a model-organism in ecology and
evolution and is widespread in temperate waters of the northern hemisphere. Previous studies
suggest sticklebacks to be highly adaptive to different environmental conditions. In this study, we
aimed to unravel hypoxia induced alterations in gene expression using quantitative real-time
PCR. We exposed sticklebacks to acute hypoxia and followed the tissue-specific gene expression of different genes belonging to a number of functional categories. The genes are expected
to be regulated in the course of hypoxic insult and include general and hypoxia stress markers
(heat shock protein 70, hypoxia inducible factor1-α), markers of the energy metabolism
(phosphoglycerate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase), respiratory proteins (neuroglobin, myoglobin)
and ROS scavenging enzymes (superoxide dismutase). From our results we expect to identify
general molecular mechanisms that are involved in the adaptation to hypoxic stress in fish.
Poster PH.12
Globin X as putative scavenger of ROS.
JONAS KOCH, THORSTEN BURMESTER, MIRIAM BLANK
Globin X (GbX) is a recently discovered heme-protein that is distantly related to neuroglobin
and that is restricted to fish and amphibians. In the zebrafish (Danio rerio), GbX is mainly expressed in neuronal tissues. Unlike other globins, GbX is anchored in the cell membrane via
N-terminal myristoylation and palmitoylation. The function of GbX is still uncertain. We have
tested whether GbX is involved in the protection from reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS
are highly reactive derivates of oxygen (e.g. H2O2, OH·or O3), which can cause damage to the
cells by oxidation of DNA, proteins or (membrane-) lipids. To test whether GbX can detoxify
ROS, we have established two GbX-overexpressing neuronal cell lines (HN33). While the first
cell line contains the native GbX (including the membrane-binding motifs), the other cell line
include GbX without the myristoylation and palmitoylation sites. ROS stress was induced by
paraquat and H2O2. Cell viability was measured and compared with cell lines overexpressing
neuroglobin, cytoglobin and myoglobin. The results will allow to identify the specific role of
GbX (and other globins) in ROS metabolism.
157
Poster PH.13
The marine Platyhemlminth Macrostomum lignano as transparent model organism for optical investigations using fluorescent dyes.
ULF BICKMEYER1 AND THOMAS ROEDER2
1
2
Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in the Helmholtz Society Bremerhaven
Zoologisches Institut, Abteilung Zoophysiologie Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel
Macrostomum lignano is a flatworm known for his outstanding regeneration potential and stem cell
system. A pluripotent stem cell type is responsible for development and renewal of all cell types of
the animal. Our interest originates from applications of marine alkaloids and commercial dyes,
which we want to use for investigations of pH regulation in the context of a possible future ocean
acidification scenario. Primary experiments show the applicability of Macrostomum lignano as a
model for application of fluorescence dyes. Not all marine animals are easy to use for such purposes because of efficient removal and detoxification mechanisms of potentially toxic secondary
metabolites, and in this context especially dyes. Our preliminary experiments show promising data
regarding acidic compartments of the animals and allowed for Ca++ signal measurements in intact
and moving animals. Individuals can be cultivated at room temperature and adults are about 1,5mm
of length. It is transparent and therefore an object of interest for optical investigations of many kind.
As this organism is amenable to pharmacological and genetic (RNAi) interventions, it is an ideally
suited marine organism that should allow us to decipher the reactions to a dramatically changing
environment from the organismal up to the molecular level.
Poster PH.14
Structural investigations and cleavage sites in GARP, a protein involved in the Treg mediated immune suppression.
SVEN FRIDRICH AND W ALTER STÖCKER
Institute of Zoology / Cell and Matrix Biology / University of Mainz
Regulatory T-Cells (Treg) are a subset of CD4+ T-Cells, which suppress potentially autoreactive helper
T-Cells. However, the molecular details of the way how the Tregs suppress other T-Cells are still unclear. Recently, evidence has been provided for the surface protein GARP (glycoprotein-A repetitions
predominant) to be involved in the suppressive capability of Tregs: GARP is a leucine rich repeat containing
protein also named LRRC32. It is a membrane bound surface molecule without a cytosolic part. The only
reported function of GARP is the ability to bind latent transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), which is
involved in the suppression of cell proliferation. In order to fulfill its suppressive capacity, the latent
TGF-β has to be converted in its active form. At present it is unknown how this occurs.
More is known about the scenario in the extracellular matrix, where latent TGF-β is bound to
structural proteins like fibrillin via the latent TGF-β binding protein (LTBP). From this complex,
active TGF-β is released by proteolytic cleavage of LTBP by an astacin-metalloprotease called
bone morphogenetic protein (BMP1). Interestingly, another BMP1-substrate from the ECM,
biglycan, also contains leucin rich repeats.
We hypothesize, a protease dependent mechanism might be involved in the activation and release of active TGF-β by Tregs either by cleaving the latent complex itself or shedding of GARP.
In order to detect possible candidate proteases, mRNA from resting and stimulated CD4+/CD25and regulatory T-cells were isolated and the expression profiles of different metalloproteases,
including ADAMS, MMPs and astacins were analyzed. These results have provided a first hint
toward the type of proteases, which possibly trigger TGF-ß release from T-cells.
158
Poster PH.15
Identification of an animal sucrose transporter.
HEIKO MEYER, OLGA VITAVSKA AND HELMUT W IECZOREK
Department of Biology and Chemistry, University of Osnabrück
According to a classic tenet, sugar transport across animal membranes is restricted to monosaccharides. Here, we present the first report of an animal sucrose transporter, SCRT, which we detected in Drosophila melanogaster at each developmental stage. We localized the protein in apical
membranes of the late embryonic hindgut as well as in vesicular membranes of ovarian follicle
cells. The fact that knockdown of SCRT expression results in significantly increased lethality demonstrates an essential function for the protein. Experiments with Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a
heterologous expression system revealed that sucrose is a transported substrate. Because the
knockout of SLC45A2, a highly similar protein belonging to the mammalian solute carrier family 45
(SLC45) causes oculocutaneous albinism and because the vesicular structures in which SCRT is
located appear to contain melanin, we propose that these organelles are melanosome-like structures and that the transporter is necessary for balancing the osmotic equilibrium during the polymerization process of melanin by the import of a compatible osmolyte. In the hindgut epithelial cells,
sucrose might also serve as a compatible osmolyte, but we cannot exclude the possibility that
transport of this disaccharide also serves nutritional adequacy.
159
Poster PH.16
Aminoglycoside-mediated Suppression of Obesity Associated Stop Mutations in the
Leptin Receptor and Melanocortin-4-Receptor Gene.
FLORIAN BOLZE1, HARALD BRUMM2, JAN ROZMAN1, 3, RALF KÜHN4, SABINE MOCEK1, WOLFGANG
WURST4, HEIKE BIEBERMANN2 & MARTIN KLINGENSPOR1
1
Molecular Nutritional Medicine, Else Kröner-Fresenius Center and ZIEL-Research Center for Nutrition
and Food Science, Technische Universität München,
2
Institute of Experimental Pediatric Endocrinology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin
3
Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH)
4
Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH)
Several inherited diseases are triggered by nonsense mutations leading to the formation of truncated proteins. Aminoglycosides such as gentamicin, G418 and amikacin have the ability to mediate a read-through of stop mutations during translation thus resulting in a rescue of protein expression and activity. So far no attention has been directed to obesity associated stop mutations
as targets for nonsense suppression. Herein we focus on the characterization of stop mutations
in the leptin receptor (LEPR) and the melanocortin-4-receptor (MC4R) gene: LEPRW31X and
MC4RW16X were detected in obese human subjects; LeprY333X and LeprY763X were identified in a
chemically-induced db333/db333 mouse mutant and in the Koletsky rat respectively.
The stop mutated Lepr alleles showed a full loss-of-function phenotype characterized by disrupted leptin-induced signalling in vitro. Incubation of the cell cultures with gentamicin or G418
reactivated leptin sensitivity of the Lepr variants with different efficiencies most likely due to the
different types of premature stop codons: The highest suppression susceptibility was observed
for LeprY763X (TAG) followed by LeprW31X (TGA) and LeprY333X (TAA).
Cell culture assays revealed a complete loss-of-function of Mc4rW16X (TGA) characterized by impaired plasma membrane expression and defect agonist-induced activity. This phenotype was
rescued by G418 demonstrating that Mc4rW16X is prone to nonsense suppression. Moreover we
generated an obese Mc4rW16X knockin mouse line by gene targeting. In a first therapeutic trial
amikacin did not ameliorate obesity of Mc4rX16 knockin mice most likely due to the low ability of
aminoglycosides to cross the blood-brain-barrier.
Ongoing experiments will help to establish nonsense suppression therapy for obesity and other
diseases caused by stop mutations in genes expressed in the brain.
This work was supported by NGFNplus to Martin Klingenspor (01GS0822), Wolfgang Wurst
(01GS0823) and to Heike Biebermann (01GS0825). We also would like to thank the BMBF/DLR for
their support to Wolfgang Wurst (01GS0858).
160
Poster PH.17
Metabolic Phenotyping of the Obese Mouse Mutant Line Mc4rW16X.
NADINE RINK1, FLORIAN BOLZE1, RALF KÜHN2, WOLFGANG WURST2, MARTIN KLINGENSPOR1
1
Molecular Nutritional Medicine, Else Kröner-Fresenius Center and ZIEL-Research Center for Nutrition
and Food Science, Technische Universität München
2
Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH)
Loss-of-function mutations in the Melanocortin-4-receptor (MC4R) are responsible for obesity in
about 6% of early onset-obese patients. Here we aim in vivo to characterize the stop mutation
MC4RW16X which was identified in obese subjects. Therefore we generated a knockin mouse line
carrying the Mc4rW16X allele by homologous recombination.
Metabolic phenotyping of Mc4rW16X knockin mice revealed elevated body weight due to an increase
in fat mass compared to wildtypes starting at the age of 6 weeks. We determined energy balance
by measuring energy intake and energy expenditure and conclude that hyperphagia and not hypometabolism causes obesity in Mc4rW16X knockin mice. Moreover we observed a trend towards a
lower respiratory exchange ratio indicating a higher fatty acid oxidation in Mc4rW16X knockin mice.
These results confirm that the novel knockin mouse line Mc4rW16X is a suitable animal model to
study the physiological causes for the development of monogenic obesity and evaluate treatments.
Poster PH.18
Amphionides reynaudii (Crustacea: Malacostraca) – Re-study of a species in a phylogenetically relevant position.
VERENA KUTSCHERA1, CAROLIN HAUG2, JOACHIM T. HAUG2, ANDREAS MAAS1, & DIETER W ALOSZEK1
1
2
Biosystematic Documentation, University of Ulm, Helmholtzstr. 20, 89081 Ulm
Department of Geology and Geophysics, Kline Geology Laboratory, Yale University
Malacostraca is a highly diverse taxon of Crustacea, comprising many large and often calcified
representatives such as shrimps, lobsters and crabs. Despite many attempts and proposals, the
internal relationships of Malacostraca are still controversially discussed. One important aspect of
these discussions concerns the systematic position of Amphionides reynaudii (Milne-Edwards,
1832). This rare deep-sea species has been described by Milne-Edwards on the basis of a few
specimens. Literature data on the morphology of this species are relatively scarce and provide
only line drawings. A. reynaudii possesses a large, translucent shield, long and thin pereiopods,
and a shrimp-like tail with pleopods that appear rather immature. A. reynaudii superficially
resembles phyllosoma larvae of spiny lobsters, but other aspects of its morphology have also
been compared to those developed in carideans and penaeids. Newer phylogenetic analyses
resolve A. reynaudii as sister taxon to Decapoda. We present here first results of our ongoing reinvestigations of A. reynaudii, not only of adult specimens, but also of several specimens
representing different immature stages. The specimens were documented using different light
microscopic methods including fluorescence microscopy, and software enhancement such as
composite imaging. With these investigations, we aim at contributing to the ongoing discussion
on malacostracan phylogeny and evolution.
161
162
Zoological Systematics
163
Talk ZS.1
The complete mitochondrial genomes of three sea spiders (Arthropoda: Pycnogonida)
and their phylogenetic implications.
LARS DIETZ1, CLAUDIA ARANGO2, CHRISTOPH MAYER3, RALPH TOLLRIAN1, FLORIAN LEESE1, 4
1
Lehrstuhl für Evolutionsökologie und Biodiversität der Tiere, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Queensland Museum, South Brisbane
3
Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig
4
British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge
2
Pycnogonids (sea spiders) are a group of marine arthropods whose phylogenetic position is controversial. In previous studies, there has also been some disagreement about the internal phylogeny of the group. We present complete or almost complete mitochondrial genomes of three
Southern Ocean pycnogonids belonging to different families: Colossendeis megalonyx, Austropallene cornigera, and Pallenopsis patagonica. Gene order and tRNA structure as well as sequence data are discussed in a comparative phylogenetic context. Corroborating earlier phylogenetic studies, our data suggest a basal position of the colossendeid lineage. A close relationship of Austropallene to nymphonids is strongly supported by sequence data and several
gene order synapomorphies. There is no support for a close relationship for Pallenopsis to this
group, and it appears to be closer to Ammotheidae. Based on the results of our phylogenetic
analyses, we also discuss the position of pycnogonids within Arthropoda.
Talk ZS.2
Plasticity of body segmentation: an immunocytochemical study of the nervous system in
Myzostoma cirriferum (Myzostomida).
CONRAD HELM1, PAULA A. STEVENSON2, GEORG MAYER3, CHRISTOPH BLEIDRON1
1
Institut für Biologie, Molekulare Evolution und Systematik der Tiere, Universität Leipzig
Institut für Biologie, Tier- und Verhaltensphysiologie, Universität Leipzig
3
Institut für Biologie, Evolution und Entwicklung der Tiere, Universität Leipzig
2
Myzostomids are minute, soft-bodied marine worms, which have been living in association with
echinoderms since the Carboniferous. Due to the long history of their host-specific adaptation,
they have developed a highly specialised body plan. While some of their morphological characters show similarities to annelids (e.g., trochophore-like larvae and parapodia-like structures), the
results of recent molecular analyses are inconclusive regarding their phylogenetic position as
they are regarded as either the sister group of Annelida or Platyzoa. The organisation of the
nervous system might be of key importance for clarifying the phylogenetic position of Myzostomida within the Lophotrochozoa as it shows a mixture of serially repeated and nonsegmental structures, which might be remnants of an ancestrally segmented body plan. We
therefore used immunocytochemical methods and confocal laser scanning microscopy and analysed the distribution of several neuronal markers, including serotonin, dopamine and synapsin,
in juvenile and adult specimens of Myzostoma cirriferum. Our data support the hypothesis of a
segmented origin of Myzostomida. Here, we discuss the plasticity of segmentation in animal evolution and draw conclusions on the phylogenetic position of myzostomids.
164
Talk ZS.3
Refining phylogenetic graphs by multiple regression.
UDO REMPE1
1
Zoologisches Institut, Universität Kiel
The phylogenetic relationships between m species can be described by a phylogenetic tree
with (2•m-3) edges with lengths lj (j=1,2,...,(2•m-3)). The phylogenetic distance ui,k between a
pair (i,k) of species (i=1,2,...,m-1;k=i+1,i+2,...m) can be treated as an observed regressand
which is estimated as ûi,k. Each regressand ui,k is associated with a path running from the terminal node i to the terminal node k and a vector of regressors xi,k,j with values 1, if edge j is
contained in the path and value 0 otherwise. Hence ûi,k=Σj=1(2•m-3)(lj•xi,k,j). There is no additive
constant. An interior edge j (j=m+1,m+2,...,(2•m-3)) connects two nodes P and Q. From each
of the nodes two subtrees originate. Therefore the edge connects four subtrees which can be
called A, B, C, and D. Instead of an edge the four subtrees can be connected by a rectangle
with a long edge j with length lj and a shorter edge (j+m-3) with length lj+m-3. If this edge is contained in a path running from i to k then an additional regressor xi,k,j+m-3 has a value 1 and the
value 0 otherwise. Therefore we can estimate the phylogenetic distance ui,k by ûi,k=Σj=1(3•m6)
(lj•xi,k,j). The multiple regression program has to consider that the observed regressands ui,k
are of different precision and are correlated. After fitting such a partial median phylogenetic
graph non significant edges can be removed step by step by use of a backward-elimination. If
not all regressors h>(2•m-3) are eliminated (and regressors g=(h-m+3) are not eliminated)
some of the rectangles persist and the phylogenetic relationships are not resolved unequivocally. If regressors with number h≤(2•m-3) and h>m are eliminated (and all regressors g>(2•m3) are eliminated) we get trees which are not dichotomous ones.
165
Poster ZS.1
Decapoda of the Chilean fjords: taxonomy and biogeography.
ROLAND MEYER1 AND ROLAND R. MELZER1
1
The decapod fauna of the southern Chilean fjord region (41°- 55° South) is partially well investigated by several large expeditions, e.g. the Lund university Chile expedition 1948-1949. However only easily accessible areas were hitherto studied and sampled. The aims of this work are
to extend the sampling area to the benthos communities of scuba-accessible depths of the inner
fjords, to include relatively unexplored subantarctic regions with its unique environmental conditions, e.g. eurybathy, and to establish a taxonomic and biogeographic survey of Decapoda fauna
from the Chilean Fjords.
About 600 decapod samples representing 16 decapod families were collected predominantly by several expeditions carried out by the Huinay Scientific Field Station from 2005 to
now. In addition to determination, and taxonomic revision, distribution patterns of different
species are given and set in a biogeographic context. Selected morphological features of
several species are reinvestigated and combined with molecular data in order to check species state and delimitations.
Poster ZS.2
Testing DNA barcoding with morphology: the Pilumnus example (Decapoda, Pilumnidae).
ULLA OLIVEIRA-BIENER1, ROLAND R. MELZER1, MICHAEL A. MILLER2
1
2
Zoologische Staatssammlung, München
kmbioservices, Freising
A DNA barcoding analysis of Mediterranean Pilumnus samples resulted in 4 clearly differentiated
and disparate haplotype clusters. These clusters were each found by the use of either distance,
parsimony, likelihood, or bayesian computational analysis algorithms.
The haplotype diversity h within the clusters oscillated between 1.000 (clade III) and 0.9390 (clade
I) with a mean value of 0.9647. This means that the clusters consist of specific haplotypes in 47.83
% up to 100 %. Astonishingly, these findings did not correspond to geographic patterns. Therefore,
haplotype diversity was not interrelated with collection site distances of the samples.
To test these groupings against morphology derived taxonomic units we established a set of distinctive characters corresponding to the actual literature. This set proved its power for species
identification reliability when testing it on the basis of a sample size N>100.
The cladogram computed with morphological data resulted in only 3 clades, corresponding to the
three actually accepted species, viz. Pilumnus hirtellus, P. spinifer, and P. villosissimus.
Bringing the two analyses concepts together we found, that the molecular tree resembles the
morphological tree except the fact, that the genes show more resolution in respect to the morphologically as P. hirtellus determined specimens. Here, a more differentiated picture is drawn
by the molecules and further investigations will show, whether until now overseen morphological
characters can be found to support the molecular findings.
166
Poster ZS.3
Amphionides reynaudii (Crustacea: Malacostraca) – Re-study of a species in a phylogenetically relevant position.
VERENA KUTSCHERA1, CAROLIN HAUG2, JOACHIM T HAUG2, ANDREAS MAAS1 & DIETER W ALOSZEK1
1
2
Kline Geology Laboratory,Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, USA
Malacostraca is a highly diverse taxon of Crustacea, comprising many large and often calcified
representatives such as shrimps, lobsters and crabs. Despite many attempts and proposals, the
internal relationships of Malacostraca are still controversially discussed. One important aspect of
these discussions concerns the systematic position of Amphionides reynaudii (Milne-Edwards,
1832). This rare deep-sea species has been described by Milne-Edwards on the basis of a few
specimens. Literature data on the morphology of this species are relatively scarce and provide
only line drawings. A. reynaudii possesses a large, translucent shield, long and thin pereiopods,
and a shrimp-like tail with pleopods that appear rather immature. A. reynaudii superficially
resembles phyllosoma larvae of spiny lobsters, but other aspects of its morphology have also
been compared to those developed in carideans and penaeids. Newer phylogenetic analyses
resolve A. reynaudii as sister taxon to Decapoda. We present here first results of our ongoing reinvestigations of A. reynaudii, not only of adult specimens, but also of several specimens
representing different immature stages. The specimens were documented using different light
microscopic methods including fluorescence microscopy, and software enhancement such as
composite imaging. With these investigations, we aim at contributing to the ongoing discussion
on malacostracan phylogeny and evolution.
Poster ZS.4
Pycnogonida of the Chilean fjords: taxonomy and biogeography.
ANDREA WEIS1 AND ROLAND R. MELZER1
1
The Pycnogonida or sea spiders are an extraordinary group of exclusively marine arthropods.
While the Antarctic pycnogonid fauna is intensely studied at the moment, the aim of our project is
to extend the spectrum on hitherto relatively unexplored subantarctic regions. An interesting area
is therefore the 90.000 km (!) long Southern Chilean coastline with its impressive fjord regions.
This area was completely covered by glaciers during the last ice age and was subsequently
recolonized by benthic communities.
This study displays samples predominantly collected from expeditions of the Huinay Scientific
Field Station from 2005 to now. We present 10 species from 5 of the 11 pycnogonid families,
namely: Achelia assimilis (Haswell, 1884); Tanystylum cavidorsum Stock, 1957; Tanystylum
sp.; Colossendeis macerrima Wilson, 1881; Colossendeis megalonyx Hoek, 1881; Callipallene
margarita (Gordon, 1932); Pallenopsis patagonica (Hoek,1881); Pallenopsis sp.; Anoplodactylus californicus Hall, 1912 and Austrodecus sp. The few species found in the Chilean fjord regions so far are particularly interesting due to their extraordinary and unexpected distribution
pattern. In this study we document the morphology and sample locations of the different species contributing to a taxonomic and biogeographic survey of Pycnogonida from the Chilean
Fjords.
167
Poster ZS.5
Variation in gene order and control region organisation of spider mitochondrial genomes.
KATHRIN FAHREIN1, JULIETTE ARABI2, LARS PODSIADLOWSKI3
1
2
3
Inst. Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin
Museum National d’histoire Naturelle, Paris
Inst. Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology, Universität Bonn
Complete mitochondrial genomes of three araneid species (Liphistius erewan (Mesothelae),
Phyxioschema suthepium (Opistothelae, Mygalomorphae), and Pholcus phalangioides (Opistothelae, Araneomorphae)), were sequenced. All three presented mt-genome sequences are
rather short compared to other chelicerates. Reasons for this may be the smaller size of ribosomal RNA genes and tRNA genes, which are often lacking the D-arm or the T-arm and fully
paired acceptor stems. In all three species we found the 37 genes usually present in the mitochondrial genome of Bilateria, in addition the mt-genome of P. suthepium seems to bear a tRNA
pseudogene. In the mt-genome of the Mesothelae (L. erewan) gene order is the same as for
Limulus polyphemus, which is as well hypothesized to represent the ground pattern of arthropods. In both Opistothelae, P. suthepium and P. phalangioides, we detected several rearrangements of tRNAs of which many are shared with other Opistothelae and some are only found in
single clades, representing good apomorphic characters for spider phylogeny. The mitochondrial
control region possibly underwent at least one duplication / random loss event, in addition the
direction of mt-genome replication must have changed in the common ancestor of Opistothelae,
an explanation derived from the reversed GC bias in this group.
Poster ZS.6
Near intron pairs (NIPs) and the phylogeny of beetles and related insects.
CARINA EISENHARDT1, JÖRG LEHMANN2, PETER F. STADLER2,3, VEIKO KRAUSS2
1
2
3
Department of Computer Science, University of Leipzig
Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig
Today, the reconstruction of the organismal evolutionary tree is based mainly on molecular sequence data. However, the resolution is sometimes insufficient, particular in deep branches. We
found a new phylogenetic marker class which we called near intron pair (NIP). This marker is
derived by insertion of a novel intron located less than 50 nt from an evolutionary older intron
position. Since correct splicing is impeded by very small exons, such near intron pairs (NIPs)
very rarely coexist. The gain of the novel intron is nearly always associated with the loss of the
old intron. In cases of intron migration both events are directly connected. Therefore, it should be
possible to characterize one of the introns as ancient (plesiomorphic) and the other as novel (derived or apomorphic). Suitable phylogenetic informative intron distributions are investigated in
representative species of holometabolic insect orders. Additionally, we evaluate the two hypothetical pathways to NIPs (consecutive intron loss and intron gain versus intron migration) and
determine the relative age of the novel intron positions. Evaluating 38 NIPs localized in 23
genes, we found one case, where the Neuropterida share a synapomorphic intron position with
coleopterans exclusively. This supports a sistergroup-relationship between Neuropterida and
Coleoptera (Neuropteriformia). In addition, we found one common derived intron of Strepsiptera
with Polyphaga excluding the Adephaga. This suggests a position of the Strepsiptera inside the
Coleoptera. Furthermore, we found that all derived intron positions are of moderate age. Some
evidence point out that at least two of these novel intron positions resulted from intron migration
and did not involve the insertion of novel introns.
168
List of Participants
169
180
List of Authors
181
Adam, Iris: P NB.1
Ahlrichs, Wilko: T EB.24, P EB.20, P EB.15
Ahrens, Dirk: T EB.4, T EB.23
Altincicek, Boran: T PH.1
Amey-Özel, Monique: T NB.8
Andreas, Maas: T MO.10
Andres, Claudia: P EC.1
Arabi, Juliette: P ZS.5
Arango, Claudia: T ZS.1
Arendt, Andreas: P NB.20
Arnold, Christopher: P MO.1
Arnold, Georg J.: T EC.17
Arnold, Philipp: T, PH.7, T PH.8
Atema, Jelle: T EB.09
Ayasse, Manfred: T BB.4
Bachmann, Thomas: P MO.3, P MO.4
Bakker, Theo C. M.: T EB.25, P BB.12, P BB.13,
P BB.20, P BB.21, P BB.22, P BB.7, P EB.21,
P EC.6, P EC.8
Baldauf, Sebastian A.: T EB.25, P BB.12 , P
BB.13, P BB.21, P BB.7
Bangel-Ruland, Nadine: T PH.13, P PH.4
Bauch, Christina: P EB.17
Bauer, Hans-Günther: P EC.5
Bauer, Silke: S EC.2
Baulechner, Dennis: T EB.7
Baumann, Otto: T PH.16
Baumgartener, Werner: P MO.11
Becker, Annette: T EB.16
Becker, Nina: T EB.7
Becker-Pauly, Christioph: T PH.6, T, PH.7, T
PH.8, T PH.9
Beckmann, Felix: T MO.2, P MO.2
Behr, Katharina: P BB.5
Benda, Jan: P NB.5
Bersau, Nicole: P BB.12
Bicker, Gerd: T NB.5
Bickmeyer, Ulf: P PH.13
Biebermann, Heike: P PH.16
Binzer, M.: P NB.23
Bischof, Hans-Joachim: P BB.19, P NB.2
Bischof, Horst: T BB.13
Bischoff, Iris: T PH.8
Blank, Miriam: P PH.12, P PH.11, P PH.8
Blaul, Birgit: T BB.10
Blazek, Stefan: P MO.4
Bleidorn, Christoph: T EC.10, T ZS.2, P DB.1, P
MO.7, P PH.6
Blix, Arnoldus S.: T PH.15
Blum, Martin: P NB.18
Boeddeker, Norbert: P NB.27
182
Boehm, Ulrich: P NB.9
Boesen, Michael: P NB.16
Bohrmann, Johannes: P DB.4
Bolek, Siegfried: T BB.5
Bolze, Florian: P PH.16, P PH.17
Bond, Judith S.: T, PH.7, T PH.8, T PH.9
Bornemann, Gerhild: P EB.10
Borner, Janus: P EB.13
Borst, Alexander: Public lecture.1
Bradler, Sven: S ZS.2
Bramer, Christiane: P EB.9
Bräunig, Peter: P MO.11
Bredow von, Christoph-Rüdiger: P DB.9
Brendonck, Luc: T EC.18
Bretman, Amanda: PT.1c
Brieger, Jürgen: T PH.8
Broder, Claudia: T, PH.7
Brose, Sören: P EB.1
Bruchhaus, Iris: P EB.13
Brumm, Harald: S BB.1,P PH.16
Brummer, Michael: P EB.2
Brunkhorst, Sven: T EB.16
Bucher, Martin: P EC.3
Büntge, Anna: T EB.18
Burmester, Thorsten: T PH.4, T PH.15, P
EB.13, P PH.8, P PH.9, P PH.10, P
PH.11, P PH.12
Busse, S.: T PH.10
Caballes, Ciemon Frank: T EC.15, T MO.7
Castro-Prieto. Aines: T EB.8
Čaušević, Mirsada: T PH.9
Chabierski, Stefan: T PH.12
Christ, P.: P NB.21, P NB.22
Clauss, Marcus: P EC.3
Codron, Daryl: P EC.3
Collatz, Jana: P NB.19
Coquillard, Patrick: T EB.1
Cordes, Nils: P EB.11
Czech-Damal, Nicole U.: T PH.15
Damen, Wim G.M.: T DB.9, P DB.7
Daun-Gruhn, Silvia: S NB.2
Dechmann, Dina: T EB.21
Deckert, Jürgen: P EB.9
Dehnhard, Nina: T EC.3
DeJung, Mario: T PH.8
Delaroque, Nicolas: T PH.12
Demongin, Laurent: T EC.3
Denzau, Susanne: P BB.6
Deppermann. Jana: T EB.09
d'Ettorre, Patrizia: T EB.3
Didwischus, Nadine: T NB.5
Diesner, M.: P NB.22
Dietz, Lars: T ZS.1
Diezko, Rolf: T PH.11
Dippel, S.: P NB.23
Dipper, Tobias: P BB.4
Dircksen, Heinrich: T NB.1
Distler, Jutta: T DB.1
Dittmar, Laura: T NB.14, P NB.27
Dobler, Susanne: T EB.17, P EB.9
Dorresteijn, Adriaan W.C.: T DB.8
Dötterl, Stefan: T BB.11
Dress, Regine: P PH.3
Dunkel, Andreas: T PH.11
Eccard, Jana A.: T BB.3, T BB.12, T EB.2, P
BB.14, P BB.16, P BB.18
Egelhaaf, Martin: P NB.26, P NB.27
Eggermann, Julia: P BB.23
Eickhoff, René: T NB.5
Eisenhardt, Carina: P ZS.6
Ekesi, Sunday: T EC.14
Emde v. d., Gerhard: P BB.5, P BB.4, P NB.3, P
NB.6, P PH.5
Encarnação, Jorge A.: T EB.7, T EC.2
Engelhardt v., Nikolaus: P BB.19
Engelhardt, Antje: S BB.2
Engelmann, Jacob: T NB.15, P NB.6
Engqvist, Leif: T EB.13
Esser, Elisabeth: P EC.8
Fabrizi, Silvia: T EB.4, T EB.23, P EB.15
Fahrein, Kathrin: P ZS.5
Fertschai, I.: P BB.1
Findeisen, Eva: P EC.3
Fink, Christine: T PH.2
Fischer, Alexander: P NB.10
Fischer, Martin S.: T MO.4
Fischer, Stefan: T MO.9
Flachsbarth, Sven: P PH.9
Foerster, Katharina: T EB.10
Folkow, Lars P.: T PH.15
Frank, S.: P NB.23
Friauf, Eckhard: P NB.16, P NB.10, P NB.17
Fricke, Hans: T EB.26
Fridrich, Sven: P PH.14
Friedrich, Marc: P EB.3
Fritz, Uwe: T EC.8
Fröbius, Andreas C.: T DB.8
Fröhlich, Thoms: T EC.17
Fromme, Tobias: T PH.11
Fussy, Jennifer: T EB.27
Gantert, Cornelia: P EB.1
Gawalek, Petra: T NB.11, T NB.12
Gebhardt, Katharina: P EB.20
183
Gebhardt, Kristina: P BB.4
Gerberding, Matthias: P DB.2, P NB.18
Gergs, René: P EC.5
Gerhard, Eike: T EB.16
Gerlach, Frank: P PH.8
Gerlach, Gabriele: T EB.09, T EB.19, P
EB.20, P EC.4
Gerth, Michael: T EC.10
Gertz, Simone: P NB.6
Gerullis, Peggy: P BB.11
Geyer, Rebecca: T PH.9
Ghanem, Simon J.: T EC.4
Giese, Matthias: T PH.12
Godlewska, Elzbieta: S NB.2
Gómez-Sena, Leonel: T NB.15
Görlich, Andreas: P NB.17
Götz, B.: P NB.22
Götze, Iris N.: P NB.9
Goyer, David: P NB.8
Grabowska, Martyna: S NB.2
Grewe, Jan: P NB.5
Griese, Eddie: P EB.4
Griesemer, Desiree: P NB.10
Grize, S.: T EB.11
Guenther, Anja: T BB.1
Gurniak, Christine B.: P NB.17
Gutjahr, Melanie: P PH.3
Haas, Anabel: P EC.2
Hacker, Kerstin: P EB.1, P EB.4, P EB.5
Hagenbucher, Steffen,: P NB.18
Hahn, Ingo J.: T EC.1
Hamm, Daniel: T MO.8
Hammel, Jörg U.: T MO.2, P MO.1, P
MO.2
Hankeln, Thomas: P PH.8
Hanselmann, Almut: P EC.5
Harder, Katrin: P PH.2
Hartbauer, Manfred: T EC.11, P BB.1
Hasse, Christian: P DB.3
Hassel, Monika: P DB.3
Hassel, Monika: Plenary talk.3
Haug Carolin: T MO.3, P MO.10, P PH.18,
P ZS.3
Haug, Joachim T: Horst-Wiehe-Award, T
MO.3, P MO.10, P PH.18, P ZS.3
Hausen, Harald: P DB.1
Hedrich, Jana: T PH.6, T PH.8
Hedwig, Berthold: P NB.15
Heldmaier, G.: T PH.10
Helm, Conrad: T ZS.2P DB.1, P MO.7
Henle, Klaus: P EC.1
Hensgen, Ronja: P NB.25
Herde, Antje: T BB.3, T BB.12, T EB.2, P BB.16,
P BB.18
Hering, Lars: P PH.6
Heß, Martin: P MO.6
Hesse, Bettina: T MO.4
Hesse, Saskia: P BB.21, P BB.7
Hesselbarth, Nico: P EC.1
Hesselberg, Thomas: T BB.14
Hetmank, Jörg: P PH.6
Heuer, C.: P NB.23
Hiermes, Meike: P BB.22
Hildebrand, André: T PH.18
Hildebrandt, Jan-Peter: P PH.1, P PH.2, P PH.3
Hinz, Cornelia: T EB.19, P EB.20
Hirschberg, Verena: T PH.11
Hirschenhauser, Katharina: S EB.1
Hochkirch, Axel: S EC.1, T EC.7
Hoeger, Ulrich: T PH.5
Hofferberth, John: T EB.6, T EB.19, P EB.2
Hoffmeister, Thomas S.: T EB.2, T EB.16, T
EC.14, P BB.15, P EB.14, P EC.9, P EB.3
Hofmann, Thomas: T PH.11
Hofmann, Volker: T NB.15
Hollfelder, Dominik: T DB.3
Holz, Sabine: P MO.6
Hötzl, Thomas: P BB.26
Hötzl, Thomas: T BB.13
Huggenberger, Stefan: T MO.5
Hummel, Jürgen: P EC.3
Hunt, John: T EB.22
Huss, Markus: T PH.17
Imhof, Hannes: T EC.15, T MO.7
Isbert, Simone: T PH.9
Jäckel, Regina: T EB.17
Jahn, Henry: T MO.2, P MO.2
Jarau, Stefan: T BB.8
Jastroch, Martin: S PH.1
Jefferson, Tamara: T PH.8, T PH.9
Jumpertz, Thorsten: T PH.9
Jussen, David: S DB.1
Kaben-Dobbeck, : P EC.4
Kaiser, Thomas M.: P EC.3
Kalko, Elisabeth K.V.: T EC.5
Kaltenpoth, Martin: P EB.3
Karthaus, Christina: P NB.28
Kasper, Verena: T EC.13
Kastberger, Gerald: T BB.13, P BB.26
Kästle, Matthias: P DB.2
Kaufmann, Anke: T PH.5
Kehl, Siegfried: T BB.11
Kelber, Christina: T NB.4
Keller, auf dem, Ulrich: T PH.8, T PH.9
184
Kern, Martina: P NB.24
Kettler, Lutz: P NB.7
Khadjeh, Sara: T DB.9
Kiger, Laurent: P PH.8
Klaumann, Ina: P BB.24, P BB.25
Klein, Barrett Anthony: T BB.15
Kleineidam, Christoph J.: P BB.17, P BB.2
Kleinschmidt, Birgit: P EB.12
Kleven, Oddmund: P EB.18
Klingenspor, Martin: T PH.11, P PH.16, P
PH.17
Kniel, Nina: T EB.27
Knieper, Yvonne: P PH.4
Knipper, Marlies: P NB.16
Knopp, Tatjana: T BB.3, T BB.12, T EB.2,
P BB.16
Koch, Jonas: P PH.12
Kolawole, Olatunji: P EB.13
Kollmann, Martin: P NB.21, P NB.22, P
NB.23
Kölsch, Gregor: S EB.2
Konerding, Moritz A.: T, PH.7
König, B.: T EB.12
Koppik, Mareike: T EB.16
Kraemer, Philipp: P EC.4
Kraft, Karoline: S DB.1
Krammer, Hans-Joachim: T EB.4
Kranner, Ilse: T BB.13
Krauss, Veiko: P ZS.6
Krebbers, Julia: P NB.11
Kress, Daniel: P NB.26
Krüger, Julia: P DB.4
Krumpholz, Katharina: P MO.11
Krupczynski, Philipp: P BB.10
Kruuk, Loeske: T EB.5
Kugel, Dominic: T BB.7
Kühbandner, Stefan: P EB.4, P EB.5
Kühn, Ralf: P PH.16, P PH.17
Kühnel, Yvette M.: P DB.8
Kumar, Devesh: P NB.9
Kunz, Katrin: P BB.3
Kunz, Thomas H.: S DB.1, T EC.4
Künzel, Thomas: P NB.8
Kupczik, Kornelius: S MO.2
Kupfer, Alexander: P EB.22, P EC.7
Kuriakose, Dany: P BB.6
Kurtz, Rafael: S NB.1
Kutschera, Verena: T MO.10, P MO.10, P
PH.18, P ZS.3
Kutzki, Olaf: T NB.3
Laforsch, Christian: T EC.15, T EC.16, T
EC.17, T EC.18, T MO.7
Lamitina, Todd: T PH.16
Lampert, Kathrin P.: T EB.26
Lang, Andreas: P NB.14
Lange, Matthias: T EB.16
Langen, Kathrin,: P BB.20
Larsen, Janni: T EB.3
Laurenzano, Claudia: T EB.12
Lbik, Dawid: P DB.5
Leciejewski, Barbara: P PH.4
Leese, Florian: T ZS.1
Lehmann, Gerlind U.C.: T EC.12
Lehmann, Jörg: P ZS.6
Lehmann, Tobias: P MO.8
Leier, Geraldine: T PH.13, P PH.4
Leinders-Zufall, Trese: Plenary talk.4, P NB.9
Leitner, Stefan: T. EC.9
Liesenjohann, Monique: P BB.14
Liesenjohann, Thilo: T BB.3, T BB.12, T EB.2, P
BB.16
Lindholm, A.: T EB.11
Linek, Nils: P BB.15
Lötters, Stefan: T BB.6
Lubiana, Pedro: P PH.11
Ludynia, Katrin: T EC.3
Lukas, Rüttiger: P NB.16
Lumsden, Andrew: T DB.6
Lundt, Andreas: P PH.5
Maas, Andreas: P MO.10, P PH.18, P ZS.3
Machnik, Peter: P NB.4
Madhusudan Man Singh: T BB.13
Mai, Oliver: P NB.9
Makert, Gustavo R.: T PH.12
Malec, Pawel: P EB.6
Marden, Michael C.: P PH.8
Markert, Alexandra: P EC.4
Matuszak, Anja: P EC.5
Maurer, Michael: T BB.13
Mayer, Christoph: T ZS.1
Mayer, Georg: S ZS.1, T ZS.2
Mayer, Uwe: P NB.2
McGregor, Alistair P.: P DB.7
Medina, Mónica: Plenary talk.5
Mehlis, Marion: P EB.21, P EC.8
Meiners, Torsten: T. EC.9
Melzer, Roland R.: P MO.8, P ZS.1, P ZS.2, P
ZS.4
Menzel, Florian: P EB.7
Merkel, Katharina: T EC.14
Merschbächer, Katja: P NB.29
Mertes, Marcel: P NB.27
Meuthen, Denis: P BB.13
Meyer, CW.: T PH.10
185
Meyer, Heiko: P PH.15
Meyer, Katharina: T PH.6
Meyer, Roland: P ZS.1
Meyer-Rochow, V. Benno: T MO.9
Michalik, Peter: P MO.9
Michel, André: T MO.5
Milinkovitch, Michel C.: Plenary talk.2
Miller, Michael A.: P ZS.2
Miteva, Yana: T PH.16
Mocek, Sabine: P PH.16
Mocek, Sabine: T PH.11
Möckel, Lars: P MO.1
Möhl, Bernhard: P NB.14
Montero, Inka: T EB.14
Mueller, Thomas: T DB.4
Müller, Caroline: T BB.2
Müller, Carsten H.G.: T MO.8
Müller, Josef K.: P EB.8
Müller, Stefan: P BB.9
Müller, Uli: T NB.9, P NB.14, P NB.29
Murthy, Sri Girish Srinivasa: T EB.14
Nagel, Manuel: P BB.2
Nehring, Volker: T EB.3
Neusel, Gesche: P BB.5
Nickel, Michael: T MO.1, T MO.2, P MO.1,
P MO.2
Niehuis, Oliver: T EB.20, T EB.24
Niessner, Christine: T NB.13
Nitzsche, Elisa: T PH.8
Nkusi, Etienne: P NB.3
Nöbel, Sabine: T EB.15
Nolte, Andreas: T NB.11, T NB.12
Nyakatura, John A.: T MO.4, P MO.5
Oelschläger, Helmut H. A.: T MO.5
Oliveira-Biener, Ulla: P ZS.2
Onichtchouk, Daria: T DB.5
Orlowski, Julius: P PH.7
Otte, Kathrin A.: T EC.17
Ottenheym, Tobias: T EB.25
Overall, Christopher M.: T PH.9
Päckert, Martin: P EB.16
Pälchen, Katrin: P MO.1
Panfilio, Kristen: S DB.2
Panzer, Katrin: T EB.16
Pechmann, Matthias: T DB.9, P DB.5, P
DB.6, P DB.7
Peters, Elisabeth: P BB.24, P BB.25
Petschenka, Georg: P EB.9
Peukert, Daniela: T DB.6
Pfeifer, Kathrin: T DB.8
Pick, Christian: P EB.13, P PH.9
Pietrzik, Claus U.: T PH.9
Podsiadlowski, Lars: P ZS.5
Poisbleau, Maud,: T EC.3
Pothmann, Daniela: T EB.20
Pottelbergh Van, Nisse: T EC.18
Prpic, Nikola-Michael: T DB.9, P DB.5, P DB.6, P
DB.7
Prum, Richard O.: T EB.5
Quillfeldt, Petra: T EC.3, P EC.5
Rabus, Max: T EC.18
Raccuglia, Davide: T NB.9
Rahn, Anna K.: P EC.6
Räth, Susann: P PH.2
Redelfs, Silke: P NB.21
Reher, Stephanie: P BB.22
Rehm, Peter: P PH.10
Reichle, Christian: T BB.8
Reineke, Doris: T EC.11
Reineke, Sandra: P DB.2
Reinhard, Sandy: P EB.22
Reinhold, Klaus: T EB.28, P EB.11
Rempe, Udo: T ZS.3
Renner, Sandra: P EC.7
Richard, Hugues: P NB.1
Richter, Sandy: P PH.6
Rick, Ingolf P.: P EC.8
Riebli, Thomas: P EB.19
Rink, Nadine: P PH.17
Rischawy, Ingo: P BB.8
Rodríguez-Muñoz, Rolando: PT.1b
Roeder, Thomas: T PH.2, T PH.3, P PH.13
Rohlfing, Anne-Katrin: T PH.16
Röhrig, Corinna: T EB.15
Römer, H.: P BB.1, P NB.13
Römer, Uwe: T EC.1
Romey, Renja: T PH.3
Ronacher, Bernhard: T BB.9
Rössler, Wolfgang: T NB.4
Röthe, Juliane: T EC.10
Rottler, Ann-Marie: T BB.4
Rozman, Jan: P EB.17, P PH.16
Ruf, Irina: P EC.3
Ruhl, Tim: P NB.3, P PH.5
Ruploh, Tim: P BB.19
Ruppert, Hans: T EC.4
Rusche, Maria: P EB.18
Rust, Marco B.: T NB.7, P NB.17, P NB.16
Ruther, Joachim: T BB.10, T EB.6, T EB.20, P
EB.2, P EB.4, P EB.5
Rüther, Matthias: T BB.13
Sakaluk, Scott K.: T EB.22
Salzburger, Walter, WALTHER-ARNDT- AWARD
Sassoè-Pognetto, Marco: P NB.17
186
Schachtner, Joachim: P NB.21, P NB.22, P
NB.23, P NB.24
Schad, Julia: T EB.21
Schaefer, H. Martin: T EB.5, P EC.2
Scharff, Constance: P NB.1
Scharpf, Elvira: P MO.6
Schartl, Manfred: T EB.26
Schauer, Christian: P NB.9
Scheck, Juan Ignacio Sanguinetti: T NB.15
Schedwill, Petra: P EB.8
Scheiblich, Hannah: T NB.5
Schemel, Sina: P MO.7
Schenk, Sven: T PH.5
Scherbaum, Samantha: P PH.10
Schiavo, Giampietro: P PH.6
Schilling, Oliver: S PH.2, T PH.9
Schinko, Alexander P. B.: P NB.18
Schlegel, Martin: P EC.1
Schlupp, Ingo: T EB.29
Schmidt, A. K. D.: P NB.13
Schmidt, Joachim: S NB.2
Schmitt, Thomas: T EB.20, T EB.24, T
EC.13, T NB.4
Schmitz, Philip: P BB.23
Schmitz-Diaspero, Heike E.: P EC.9
Schmoll, Tim: P EB.15, P EB.18
Schnellhammer, Irene: T DB.7
Schneuer, Marco: T PH.15
Scholpp, Steffen: T DB.6
Schöneich, Stefan: P NB.15
Schoppmeier, Michael: T DB.2
Schubart, Christoph D.: T EB.12, T MO.8
Schulte, Lisa M.: T BB.6
Schulte, Ulrich: T EC.7
Schulze, Wolfram: P NB.4
Schupp, Peter: T EC.15, T MO.7
Schurmann, Daria: T BB.7, P NB.18
Schuster, Andrea: P BB.18
Schuster, Stefan: P BB.10, P BB.11, P
BB.8, P BB.9, P NB.4
Schütz, S.: P NB.23
Schwager, Evelyn E.: T DB.9
Schweickert, Axel: P NB.18
Searle, J. B.: T EB.11
Seebass, Christian: P BB.24, P BB.25
Seeley, Thomas D.: T BB.15
Seibert, Janina: S DB.1
Selcho, Mareike: P NB.25
Siebert, Ursula: T PH.15
Siegert, M.: P BB.1
Sigl, Robert: T EC.15, T MO.7
Singh, Madhusudan Man: P BB.26
Slate, Jon: PT1d
Smolla, Marco: P BB.17
Sobczak, Katja: T PH.13, P PH.4
Sommer, Carolin: P NB.18
Sommer, Robert, S: T EC.8
Sommer, Simone: T EB.8, T EB.21
Stadler, Peter F.: P ZS.6
Stange, Nicole: T BB.9
Steidle, Johannes L. M.: T BB.7, P EB.4, P EB.6,
P NB.18, P B.19, P EB.1, P EB.5
Steiger, Sandra: T EB.22
Stelzer, Claus-Peter: T EB.30
Stengl, Monika: T NB.11, T NB.12, P NB.20
Stern, Michael: T NB.5
Stevenson, Paula A.: T ZS.2
Stöcker, Walter: T PH.6, T PH.18, P PH.14
Stökl, Johannes: T EB.6, P EB.2
Stournaras, Kalliope E.: T EB.5
Strauss, Johannes: T NB.1
Südekum, Karl-Heinz: P EC.3
Sultan, Marc: P NB.1
Svatoš, Aleš: P EB.3
Szardenings, Michael: T PH.12
Tarrant, Ann M.: T EB.09
Tautz, Diethard: T EB.14, T EB.18
Tellers, Philipp: P NB.12
Ter Maat, Andries: T. EC.9
Teschke, Meike: T EB.14, T EB.18
Thelen, Manuel: P EC.8
Thiede, Jenny: P EB.13
Thiel, Andra: P BB.15, P EB.14
Thiel, Ralf: T PH.4
Thielebein, Anke: P PH.8
Thiercelin, Nicolas: T EB.12
Thünken, Timo: T EB.25, P BB.12, P BB.13, P
BB.20, P BB.21, P BB.7
Tiedke, Jessica: T PH.4, P PH.11
Tietje, Kristin: P EB.20
Tietze, Dieter Thomas: P EB.16
Todt, Christiane: S MO.1
Tolasch, Till: T BB.11
Tollrian, Ralph: T ZS.1
Tregenza, Tom: Plenary talk.1
Tremmel, Martin: T BB.2
Trenczek, Tina E.: P DB.8
Trillmich, Fritz: T BB.1
Tropea, Cameron: P MO.3
Turetzek, Natascha: T DB.9, P DB.6
Übernickel, Kirstin: T EC.5
Uhl, Gabriele: P BB.3, P BB.12
Uhlig, Jennifer: P BB.15
Ulbert, Sebastian: T PH.12
187
Unger, Ronald E.: T PH.8
Urbach, Rolf: S DB.1
Veith, Michael: T BB.6, T EC.7
Vergara, Pablo M.: T EC.1
Vet, Louise E.M.: T EB.2
Vitavska, Olga: P PH.15
Vöcking, Oliver: P MO.9, P MO.12
Voigt, Christian C. T EC.4, T EB.21, T
EC.12, P EC.5
Voigt, Cornelia, T. EC.9, T NB.10
Volksdorf, Thomas: P PH.3
Volland, Dagmar: S DB.1
Vollbrecht, Maria: T PH.5
Wachter, Bettina: T EB.8
Waddoup, Dominique: P BB.26
Wagner, Hermann: P MO.3, P MO.4, P
NB.11, P NB.12, P NB.7, P NB.8
Wajnberg, Eric: T EB.1
Walbaum, Wiebke: T EB.23
Walentek, Peter: P NB.18
Waloszek, Dieter: T MO.10, P MO.10, P
PH.18, P ZS.3
Walz, Henriette: P NB.5
Waterkeyn, Aline: T EC.18
Weber, Sabrina: T DB.6
Weber, Wolf-Michael: T PH.13, P PH.4
Weddle, Carie B.: T EB.22
Weeda, Anne C.: P EB.14
Wegener, Christian: P NB.25, P NB.28
Weggen, Sascha: T PH.9
Wehrmann, Achim: P EC.4
Weidenmüller, Anja: P BB.17, P BB.2
Weigand, Lisa: P NB.24
Weigert, Anne: P DB.1
Weihmann, Frank: T BB.13, P BB.26
Weihmann, Tom: T MO.6
Weis, Andrea: P ZS.4
Weiss, Brigitte: T EB.10
Wellbrock, Arndt: P EB.17
Werner, Anne: T PH.5
Westendorf, Fanny: P PH.1
Wieczorek, Helmut: P PH.15
Wiedenhoeft, John: P NB.1
Wilson, Rory: Plenary talk.6
Wiltschko, Roswitha: T NB.13
Wiltschko, Wolfgang: P BB.6
Wimmer, Ernst A.: T DB.9, P NB.23
Winkel, Wolfgang: T EB.5
Wirth, Marcus: P NB.11
Witke, Walter: P NB.17
Witte, Klaudia: T EB.15, T EB.27, P BB.23,
P EB.17
Wittlinger, Matthias: T BB.5, T NB.6
Wittmann, Jan P.: T EB.28
Wolf, Florian: T MO.2
Wolf, Harald: T BB.5, T NB.2, T NB.6
Wolf, Michael: P NB.17
Wolinska, Justyna: T EC.16
Wurdack, Mareike: T EB.24
Wurst, Wolfgang: P PH.16, P PH.17
Yiallouros, Irene: T PH.6, T PH.18
Ziesemer, Sabine: P PH.1, P PH.2
Zimmermann, Anika-Maria: P NB.17
188

001_Abstracts final Linie - Deutsche Zoologische Gesellschaft eV

Transcrição

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