Sexual dimorphism in visual and olfactory brain centers in the perfume-collecting orchid bee Euglossa dilemma (Hymenoptera, Apidae).

ABSTRACT: Insect mating behavior is controlled by a diverse array of sex-specific traits and strategies that evolved to maximize mating success. Orchid bees exhibit a unique suite of perfume-mediated mating behaviors. Male bees collect volatile compounds from their environment to concoct species-specific perfume mixtures that are presumably used to attract conspecific females. Despite a growing understanding of the ecology and evolution of chemical signaling in orchid bees, many aspects of the functional adaptations involved, in particular regarding sensory systems, remain unknown. Here we investigated male and female brain morphology in the common orchid bee Euglossa dilemma Bembé & Eltz. Males exhibited increased relative volumes of the Medulla, a visual brain region, which correlated with larger

SUBMITTER: Brand P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6174972 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature