Insect species display a large range of inter- and intraspecific variation in learning and memory retention. Variation in associative learning ability has also been reported for three species in the parasitoid wasp genus Nasonia, most notably between Nasonia vitripennis and Nasonia giraulti, for which inbred isogenic strains have been established and studied intensively. We addressed the question how learning and memory of such isogenic strains compare to the phenotypes found in genetically diverse strains of these species. We recorded memory retention of both isogenic and genetically diverse strains of two species at 4–120 h after either olfactory or visual conditioning. Memory retention typically declined over time, but the pattern of decline differed consistently between strains. The isogenic N. vitripennis strain formed long-lasting (>5 days) memory, whereas the isogenic N. giraulti strain lost its memory after 48 h. Yet, genetically diverse strains of both species formed long-lasting memory. Memory retention patterns of strains were independent of sensory modality of the conditioned stimulus for all strains. These results show that there is variation for associative learning and memory within the two species, but not clear interspecies differences in memory retention. Without a better overview of the natural variation in learning abilities within a species, individual strains, especially isogenic strains with low genetic variability, are not necessarily representative of the species in general.

中文翻译：

---

应变差异而非物种差异导致 Nasonia 联想学习能力的变化

昆虫物种在学习和记忆保持方面表现出大范围的种间和种内变异。还报道了寄生蜂属 Nasonia 中三个物种的联想学习能力的变化，最显着的是 Nasonia vitripennis 和 Nasonia giraulti，为此已经建立并深入研究了近交同基因株。我们解决了此类等基因菌株的学习和记忆与在这些物种的遗传多样性菌株中发现的表型相比如何的问题。我们在嗅觉或视觉调节后 4-120 小时记录了两个物种的同基因和遗传多样性菌株的记忆保留。记忆力保留通常会随着时间的推移而下降，但不同菌株之间的下降模式始终不同。等基因 N. vitripennis 菌株形成持久 (> 5 天）记忆，而同基因 N. giraulti 菌株在 48 小时后失去记忆。然而，这两个物种的遗传多样性品系形成了持久的记忆。菌株的记忆保留模式与所有菌株的条件刺激的感觉方式无关。这些结果表明，两个物种内的联想学习和记忆存在差异，但在记忆保留方面没有明显的种间差异。如果没有更好地了解物种内学习能力的自然变异，个体菌株，尤其是具有低遗传变异性的同基因菌株，通常不一定代表物种。菌株的记忆保留模式与所有菌株的条件刺激的感觉方式无关。这些结果表明，两个物种内的联想学习和记忆存在差异，但在记忆保留方面没有明显的种间差异。如果没有更好地了解物种内学习能力的自然变异，个体菌株，尤其是具有低遗传变异性的同基因菌株，通常不一定代表物种。菌株的记忆保留模式与所有菌株的条件刺激的感觉方式无关。这些结果表明，两个物种内的联想学习和记忆存在差异，但在记忆保留方面没有明显的种间差异。如果没有更好地了解物种内学习能力的自然变异，个体菌株，尤其是具有低遗传变异性的同基因菌株，通常不一定代表物种。