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Beak marks on the wings of butterflies and predation pressure in the field
Author(s) -
Ota Masato,
Yuma Masahide,
Mitsuo Yoshito,
Togo Yuki
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
entomological science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1479-8298
pISSN - 1343-8786
DOI - 10.1111/ens.12076
Subject(s) - beak , predation , biology , butterfly , lepidoptera genitalia , zoology , transect , ecology
Beak marks on butterfly wings have been used as an indicator of predation pressure. The relationship between butterflies and their predators in the field was examined to evaluate the beak mark rate as an indicator of predation pressure. Transect censuses were conducted to measure the beak mark rate on butterflies from M ay to N ovember, 2010, in S higa P refecture, J apan. A total of 1216 butterflies of 42 species from five families were observed during the study period. The beak mark rate in the P apilionidae was significantly higher than those of all other families. Analysis of the monthly fluctuations in the beak mark rate and relative abundance of predators revealed that the higher beak mark rates observed for two butterfly families ( P apilionidae and N ymphalidae) were significantly and positively related to predation pressure, while no significant relationship was found for other families ( L ycaenidae, P ieridae and H esperiidae). Beak marks in larger butterflies ( P apilionidae and N ymphalidae) can be used as an indicator to evaluate the relative intensity of predation pressure in the field.