The scent of offspring: chemical profiles of larvae change during development and affect parental behavior in a burying beetle.

ABSTRACT: Chemical cues and signals, especially in insects, play a pivotal role in mediating interactions between individuals. Past studies have largely focused on adult semiochemicals and have neglected those of juvenile stages. Especially in the context of parental care, the larval odor might have a profound impact on parenting behavior, guiding parents in how much resources they should allocate to the different developmental stages. However, whether ontogenetic changes occur in subsocial species and whether larval-emitted scents influence parent-offspring interactions is largely unknown. Using 3 different sampling techniques, we analyzed the cuticular and VOC profile of the 3 larval instars of the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides, which is known for its elaborate parental care. We f

SUBMITTER: Sahm J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11319877 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep-Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature