Plasticity and Adaptive Radiation of Dermapteran Parental Behavior: Results and Perspectives
Abstract
The chapter describes the relationships between phenotypic plasticity through the development and intra- and inter-specific radiation specifically in regard to dermapteran parental behavior. Mainly adults, and specifically, dynamics of their reproductive cycle are concerned. The great majority of studies on behavioral ontogeny concern “higher” animals mainly mammals, where mother-infant relationships imply a type of social bond (psychosocial level) that is not found in insects (biosocial level). This chapter is also guided by the question of behavioral transformations linked with speciation, in particular Darwinian behavioral adaptations arising from the conventional Darwinian mechanism of selection upon genetic variation. It also describes the development of dermapteran parental behavior, then examines this process within the context of intra- and inter-specific adaptive radiation, and lastly, it discusses the theoretical implications of this epigenetic approach.