this post was submitted on 18 Nov 2023
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Science Memes

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[–] fossilesque@mander.xyz 19 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

Here's the paper:

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0001736

Insects that undergo complete metamorphosis experience enormous changes in both morphology and lifestyle. The current study examines whether larval experience can persist through pupation into adulthood in Lepidoptera, and assesses two possible mechanisms that could underlie such behavior: exposure of emerging adults to chemicals from the larval environment, or associative learning transferred to adulthood via maintenance of intact synaptic connections. Fifth instar Manduca sexta caterpillars received an electrical shock associatively paired with a specific odor in order to create a conditioned odor aversion, and were assayed for learning in a Y choice apparatus as larvae and again as adult moths. We show that larvae learned to avoid the training odor, and that this aversion was still present in the adults. The adult aversion did not result from carryover of chemicals from the larval environment, as neither applying odorants to naïve pupae nor washing the pupae of trained caterpillars resulted in a change in behavior. In addition, we report that larvae trained at third instar still showed odor aversion after two molts, as fifth instars, but did not avoid the odor as adults, consistent with the idea that post-metamorphic recall involves regions of the brain that are not produced until later in larval development. The present study, the first to demonstrate conclusively that associative memory survives metamorphosis in Lepidoptera, provokes intriguing new questions about the organization and persistence of the central nervous system during metamorphosis. Our results have both ecological and evolutionary implications, as retention of memory through metamorphosis could influence host choice by polyphagous insects, shape habitat selection, and lead to eventual sympatric speciation.

[–] RootBeerGuy@discuss.tchncs.de 9 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Yes, a paper that they retain "memories". I didn't doubt that. I doubted the "turns completely into goo and then solidifies as butterfly" part. And from what I can tell after skimming the introduction of the paper this is only covering the behavioural aspect.

[–] fossilesque@mander.xyz 7 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

It's a good question! :) Just put the paper here just in case.

[–] Collatz_problem@hexbear.net 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Goo is somewhat metaphorical, but most internal organs get completely disassembled and reassembled in new forms. Neural tissue just changes the least.

[–] RootBeerGuy@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 10 months ago

Yeah, but again, this says "turns completely into goo" and thats not at all what you are describing either. Its just over-sensationalising an already impressive process. But I can see I am alone with that opinion, so whatever. Total goo it is.

[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

So, if you happen to know them… I have a question.

How doped up on hormones are they? Like, maybe they’re just having the time of their life, Brain riding high on dopamine or whatever butterfly’s have for pleasure, and they don’t even realize what’s going on.

Then, when they pop out and realize what they’ve been doing run off to the shower trying not to think about it