Executive summary: This post summarizes a study that sequenced the genome of the Chinese mantis, finding that it and other arthropods possess genes associated with nociception (the ability to perceive noxious stimuli), challenging the long-held view that insects like mantises lack pain sensation.
Key points:
The study found that the Chinese mantis genome contains genes known to encode ion channels involved in sensing mechanical, thermal, and chemical noxious stimuli, suggesting mantises likely have the capacity for nociception.
A survey of 40 arthropod genomes found that the presence of nociceptive ion channel genes is widespread across the arthropod phylogeny, including in insects farmed for human use.
The findings call into question the argument that the lack of behavioral response to injury in sexually cannibalistic mantises indicates an absence of pain perception.
Understanding the genetics of nociception in farmed insects could inform welfare practices, as the presence or absence of certain nociceptive genes may indicate an insect’s ability to perceive different types of noxious stimuli.
Further research is still needed to confirm the expression and function of these nociceptive genes in the mantis peripheral nervous system.
The study highlights the importance of using genetic data as a starting point to re-evaluate longstanding assumptions about insect sentience and pain perception.
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Executive summary: This post summarizes a study that sequenced the genome of the Chinese mantis, finding that it and other arthropods possess genes associated with nociception (the ability to perceive noxious stimuli), challenging the long-held view that insects like mantises lack pain sensation.
Key points:
The study found that the Chinese mantis genome contains genes known to encode ion channels involved in sensing mechanical, thermal, and chemical noxious stimuli, suggesting mantises likely have the capacity for nociception.
A survey of 40 arthropod genomes found that the presence of nociceptive ion channel genes is widespread across the arthropod phylogeny, including in insects farmed for human use.
The findings call into question the argument that the lack of behavioral response to injury in sexually cannibalistic mantises indicates an absence of pain perception.
Understanding the genetics of nociception in farmed insects could inform welfare practices, as the presence or absence of certain nociceptive genes may indicate an insect’s ability to perceive different types of noxious stimuli.
Further research is still needed to confirm the expression and function of these nociceptive genes in the mantis peripheral nervous system.
The study highlights the importance of using genetic data as a starting point to re-evaluate longstanding assumptions about insect sentience and pain perception.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.