Position
PhD Student
Organisation
Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge
Ladybird research keywords
Melanic polymorphism, phenotypic plasticity, sexual selection, Harmonia axyridis, Adalia bipunctata, A. decempunctata, thermal melanism, evolutionary
genetics.
Description of work
My Ph.D. is a study of polymorphism in three species of ladybird, including the
invasive harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis. As ladybirds are aposematic
(brightly coloured in order to advertise a chemical defence), the presence of conspicuously
different colour patterns seems contradictory. The theory of Müllerian mimicry predicts
that individuals of distasteful species, such as ladybirds, would resemble each
other, generally with bright "memorable" colours, in order to accelerate the rate
at which naïve predators learn of their unpalatability and thereafter avoid them;
i.e. they should be monomorphic. My work aims to elucidate the selective forces
responsible for the maintenance of polymorphism in each species. Possible candidates
for this include thermal melanism (darker forms being maintained due to a thermal
advantage at colder temperatures) and sexual selection (certain morphs being perceived
by potential mates as more attractive).
Key publications
Michie, L.J., Disney, R.H.L., Hall, R.J., Ware, R.L. & Majerus, M.E.N., (in
press). First occurrence of Phoridae (Diptera) and live Harmonia axyridis (Pallas)
(Col.: Coccinellidae) eclosing from the same pupae. The Entomologist’s Record
Ware, R.L., Evans, N., Malpas, L., Michie, L.J., O’Farrell, K. & Majerus, M.E.N.
(2008) Intraguild predation by the invasive ladybird Harmonia axyridis : 1. British
and Japanese coccinellid eggs. Neobiota, 7: 263-275. |
LJ's favourite ladybird is the
scarce 7-spot ladybird |
