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| Investigating the effects of juvenile hormone on behavior and morphology in adult bean beetles � |
| Raneem Samman, Isabella Wojewski, Flavia Barbosa. Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois, United States |
Juvenile hormone (JH), an insect hormone produced and released�during the juvenile and adult stages, is a critical regulator of both development and physiology. JH has previously been linked to resource allocation trade-offs between wings and gonads during immature stages in multiple species, including bean beetles (Callosobruchus maculatus). However, the effects of JH on behavior are not fully understood. This study hypothesizes that the effects of JH will depend on timing. Specifically, we predict that JH manipulation during adulthood will modulate behavioral traits, while exerting limited effects on morphological traits such as wing and gonad size. Upon emergence from pupae, we administered either a JH analog or an inhibitor to both male and females, allowed them to mate and measured a suite of mating behaviors. �Concurrently, we measured gonad and wing sizes. The results support the hypothesis, where JH manipulation during early adulthood led to behavioral changes but not morphological changes. Particularly, males treated with the JH analog had shorter latency to mate and longer courtship bouts, while females showed lower latency to kick males at the end of matings. |