ASSIGNMENT 101

Name: Subarna Hoque Ria

ID : 2020-1-77-020

Section: 03

Course Name: GEB 101 (Basic biology)

Faculty Member: DMMB

Subject: Variation in colour and spot pattern in Asian ladybird beetles

Variation in colour and spot pattern in Asian ladybird beetles

Many ladybirds have attractive colour patterns consisting of black and red. This
prominent colour pattern is thought to function as a warning that indicates to predator
that they are very bitter and unpalatable. A research team led by at the National
Institute for Basic Biology in Japan focused on the multicoloured Asian ladybird beetle
Harmonia axyridis (also known as the harlequin ladybird), which lives mainly in Siberia
and East Asia, and shows >200 colour patterns within a species. The divergence in
colour has always has been the centre of attraction to biologists.

The necessity of colour and spot variety in Asian ladybird beetles :

Some animals have warning colours to advertise poisonous colour or distasteful
properties. It is called “aposematic colouration”, conspicuous colours and
arrangements of colour patterns help potential predators to identify and avoid these
creatures after testing or experiencing them once.

Rather than trying to blend in, ladybird beetles make a counterintuitive effort. Ladybird
beetle's colour reveals how toxic they are to top predators, but also that birds
understand the signals that the ladybirds are giving. Birds are less likely to attack more
conspicuous ladybirds. The bright colouration of different ladybird species acts as a
warning signal, telling potential predators to beware of the foul-smelling, poisonous
chemicals they use for defence.
The researchers measured toxicity using a biological assay, by counting the number
of dead Daphnia --tiny crustaceans -- in water containing the different ladybird toxins.
The results show that five common ladybird species each have different levels of toxic
defence. Those species with the most colourful and conspicuous colours against the
natural vegetation where they live are also the most toxic. ladybirds present honest
signals to predators because their colour reveals how well defended they are.

(Various kind of Asian ladybird beetles)

The mechanism of colour and spot variation in Asian ladybird beetles:
Many animal species comprise discrete phenotypic forms. A common example in
natural populations of insects is the occurrence of different colour patterns, which has
motivated a rich body of ecological and genetic research. The occurrence of dark,
melanic, forms displaying discrete colour patterns is found across multiple taxa, but
the underlying genomic basis remains poorly characterized. In numerous ladybird
species (Coccinellidae), the spatial arrangement of black and red patches on adult
elytra varies wildly within species, forming strikingly different complex colour patterns.
In the harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis, more than 200 distinct colour forms have
been described, which classic genetic studies suggest result from allelic variation at
a single, unknown, locus. Here, The combination of whole-genome sequencing,
population-based genome-wide association studies, gene expression, and functional
analyses to establish that the transcription factor ‘Pannier’ controls melanic pattern
polymorphism in H. axyridis. Pannier is necessary for the formation of melanic
elements on the elytra. Allelic variation in pannier leads to protein expression in
distinct domains on the elytra and thus determines the distinct colour patterns in H.
axyridis. Recombination between pannier alleles may be reduced by a highly
divergent sequence of ∼170 kb in the cis-regulatory regions of the pannier, with a 50
kb inversion between colour forms.
This most likely helps maintain the distinct alleles found in natural populations. Thus,
we propose that highly variable discrete colour forms can arise in natural populations
through cis-regulatory allelic variation of a single gene.

The effects of Asian ladybird beetles in the environment :

Ladybugs control pests in the gardens. They are the most popular and widely used
beneficial insects for commercial and home use. They do not infest wood, destroy
fabrics, eat food or damage other property. These lady beetles cannot sting and do
not carry disease. Ladybugs are capable of consuming up to 50 to 60 aphids per day
but will also eat a variety of other insects and larvae. However not all lady beetles are
beneficial to human.

(The picture shows how to distinguish harmful and harmless ladybugs by their
spots and physical differences)
Multi-coloured Asian lady beetles can be a nuisance when they occur in large
numbers inside homes. Some can bite hard enough to break human skin, causing
minor, short-lived discomfort. They can secrete a strong-smelling yellowish liquid from
the joints of their legs. This liquid can stain light coloured surfaces.
 (Asian Lady Beetle Stain)

In the fall season, they start to swarm and look for a warm and dry place to spend the
winter, leading a house to an infestation. Recent studies suggest that infestations can cause
allergies in some individuals, ranging from eye irritation to asthma

So, controlling ladybugs is also important when they invades homes.

References:
• www.wikipidia.org
• www.sciencedaily.com
• www.google.com
• www.extension.umn.edu
• www.sciencedirect.com