For a long time, scientists thought that organisms could not transmit physical characteristics to their offspring. But they were wrong. Recent studies have shown that, for example, worms are able to inherit from parents their behavior and reaction to certain stimuli.
Butterfly Legacy
According to the results of the study, it became clear that butterflies inherit parental traits and characteristics. This is especially true for brown butterflies Bicyclus anynana.
The study involved doctors of biological sciences, associate professors and scientists. They found that brown butterfly caterpillars, like adults, prefer new smells when exposed to them at an early age or during development.
In addition, new aromatic preferences appear in caterpillars, even if there was no impact. Here we are talking about direct heredity, that is, parents gave them their preferences.
The essence of the study
So, in the process of research, caterpillars and butterflies underwent new smells that they usually did not experience in their natural habitat. The caterpillars were fed corn leaves soaked in banana and mango juice.
Feeding with such food was carried out throughout their development. Most of the caterpillars ate only leaves, which were soaked in juice for a long time.
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Another interesting experiment was conducted with young female butterflies. Insects were introduced to the pheromones of male butterflies, prompting them to mate. It turned out that the females exposed were preferred in the future for mating males with pheromones already familiar.
Amazing findings
The research results showed that insects act not only at the level of instincts, they are able to draw a lesson from past experience and adjust their behavior. This ability is crucial for survival and reproduction.
But do not forget that scientists were more interested in the behavior of caterpillars. So the offspring of brown butterflies shows the same preferences for new smells, they are interested in the unusual taste of food. We can say with confidence that butterflies have a hereditary factor.
Scientists have suggested that this process of inheritance is necessary to facilitate the evolution of insects, to diversify the diet and select partners. The influence of this mechanism of inheritance on the evolution of insects is still unknown. There are only assumptions.
