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The relationship of body size to breadth of diet in some Lepidoptera
Author(s) -
WASSERMAN STEVEN S.,
MITTER CHARLES
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
ecological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.865
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1365-2311
pISSN - 0307-6946
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2311.1978.tb00913.x
Subject(s) - generalist and specialist species , biology , fecundity , lepidoptera genitalia , host (biology) , ecology , zoology , demography , habitat , population , sociology
. 1. We have explored the question of whether breadth of diet in moths is associated with adaptations other than host selection behaviour, with particular reference to body size. 2. Generalist species in Britain and New York are larger than specialist species. 3. This relationship is probably not due to latitudinal clines, nor to higher fecundity in generalist species. 4. We suggest that the large bodies of generalists buffer them against environmentally‐induced physiological stress.