Cognition and brain gene expression vary with sex and body size in a polyphenic dung beetle (Onthophagus taurus)
Individual variation in cognition can have critical fitness consequences for animals. Therefore, it is important to understand the relationship between cognition and ecologically relevant life history traits that vary within species. Furthermore, we lack a unified understanding of how these traits are integrated mechanistically with the cognitive outcomes they are associated with. We examined the…
A recent study explores the intricate connections between cognition, brain gene expression, and ecologically relevant traits in a polyphenic dung beetle species, Onthophagus taurus. The investigators examined the relationship between cognitive performance on various tests and factors such as sex, reproductive male polyphenism influenced by nutrition, and body size.
To conduct their research, the team assessed three cognitive abilities in large fighter males, small sneaker males, and their corresponding large and small females. These tests included an associative learning assay, a spatial cognition assay, and a detour task. Following the trials, they subjected the beetles' brains to RNA sequencing to analyze gene expression patterns.
The results revealed that sex played a significant role in determining performance on the spatial cognition assay, while body size, which is closely tied to early life nutrition, influenced performance on the detour task. However, the associative learning assay did not yield substantial findings. These findings provide valuable insights into the complex interplay between cognition, brain function, and the ecologically relevant traits observed in this species.
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