Open AccessDiel activity and reproductive isolation in a diverse assemblage of Neotropical skippers (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae)
Author(s) -
DEVRIES PHILIP J.,
AUSTIN GEORGE T.,
MARTIN NOLAND H.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
biological journal of the linnean society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.906
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1095-8312
pISSN - 0024-4066
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2008.01037.x
Subject(s) - diel vertical migration , biology , lepidoptera genitalia , transect , ecology , assemblage (archaeology) , reproductive isolation , zoology , population , demography , sociology
A sample of over 400 co‐occurring species of Neotropical Hesperiidae attracted to artificial lures was used to test for temporal structure among species and explore potential consequences of temporal partitioning within assemblages. Five years of intermittent transect samples at the same site revealed that diel activity was significantly partitioned among subfamilies, genera and species within this species assemblage. Calculations of reproductive isolation indicate that partitions in activity times are sufficient to provide significant prezygotic reproductive isolation among some congeneric species pairs. Temporal patterns in this assemblage are considered in light of field observations and temporal partitions are examined as a potential isolating barrier among insects. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 2008, 94 , 723–736.