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Variable chemical defence in the checkerspot butterfly Euphydryas gillettii (Lepidoptera: NymphaIidae)
Author(s) -
BOWERS M. DEANE,
WILLIAMS ERNEST H.
Publication year - 1995
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.1365-2311.1995.tb00449.x
Subject(s) - nymphalidae , biology , lepidoptera genitalia , iridoid , botany , butterfly , population , glycoside , ecology , demography , sociology
.1 Like other checkerspots, Euphydryas gillettii butterflies may contain the defensive chemicals, iridoid glycosides, which are sequestered from their hostplants during larval feeding. 2 We analysed the iridoid glycoside content of E.gillettii adults from two different populations, Warm Lake, Idaho, and Granite Creek, Wyoming, that have different patterns of hostplant use. 3 Gas chromatographic analysis of thirty butterflies from the Wyoming population showed that they contained a mean of 1.27 (±0.19 SE) % dry weight iridoid glycosides. Notably, 20% of these butterflies contained no detectable iridoid glycosides. 4 In contrast, nineteen butterflies from the Idaho population contained a mean of 3.89 (±0.38 SE) % dry weight iridoid glycosides, and all butterflies contained iridoid glycosides. 5 These results illustrate how the chemical defence of herbivorous insects varies according to differential use of potential hostplants.