Sodium uptake by puddling in a moth

Male Lepidoptera commonly visit stands of water to drink, a behavior known as puddling. Males of the notodontid moth Gluphisia septentrionis routinely puddle for hours, imbibing hundreds of gut-loads and voiding the fluid as repetitive anal jets. Cationic analyses showed puddling to lead to systemic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1995-12, Vol.270 (5243), p.1816-1818
Main Authors: Smedley, S.R. (Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.), Eisner, T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ABSORCION DE SUSTANCIAS NUTRITIVAS
ABSORPTION DE SUBSTANCES NUTRITIVES
Animal and plant ecology
Animal behavior
Animal nutrition
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
APPAREIL DIGESTIF
Autoecology
Biological and medical sciences
Body Composition
Butterflies & moths
COMPORTAMIENTO
COMPORTEMENT
COMPORTEMENT DE BOISSON
Drinking Behavior
Female
Female animals
Females
Food and nutrition
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gluphisia
HABITOS EN LA BEBIDA
Ions
Laboratories
Land
Leaves
LEPIDOPTERA
MACHO
MALE
Male animals
Males
Mating behavior
Moths
Moths - metabolism
Notodontidae
Potassium
Protozoa. Invertebrata
Puddles
Puddling
Salt
Salt (Food)
Salt in animal nutrition
Scientific Concepts
Sexual Behavior, Animal
SISTEMA DIGESTIVO
SODIO
SODIUM
Sodium - metabolism
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Summary:Male Lepidoptera commonly visit stands of water to drink, a behavior known as puddling. Males of the notodontid moth Gluphisia septentrionis routinely puddle for hours, imbibing hundreds of gut-loads and voiding the fluid as repetitive anal jets. Cationic analyses showed puddling to lead to systemic sodium gain, a potential benefit to Gluphisia, whose larval food plant is low in sodium. Male Gluphisia are specialized for puddling, possessing a wide oral slit and a highly expanded enteric surface. The acquired sodium is transferred to the female at mating, for eventual incorporation into the eggs. Sodium acquisition may be the primary function of puddling in Lepidoptera
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.270.5243.1816