Elizabeth Schaldenbrand
Research Mentor: Delbert Green
Mentor Department: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, LSA
Author(s): Elizabeth Schaldenbrand, Delbert A. Green II
Session: Afternoon Session (12:00 PM – 1:00 PM)
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Abstract
Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) possess an atypical number of neuroblasts in the mushroom bodies, a brain region associated with memory and learning. This trait is rare among lepidoptera and appears restricted to migratory species, suggesting it may represent a specialized adaptation for long-distance migration. To investigate this, the first reference staging tables for monarch brain development across larval and pupal stages are being developed using HCR and confocal microscopy to map expression of Piwi and synapsin mRNA. These staging tables will establish a baseline resource for studying how larval environment shapes neural development and whether atypical neuroblast patterning underlies migratory capability, with broader implications for understanding the evolution of complex traits in insects facing increasing environmental pressures.
