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Polyphagy and Obligate Myrmecophily in the Butterfly Hallonympha paucipuncta (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) in the Neotropical Cerrado Savanna
Author(s) -
Kaminski Lucas A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
biotropica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.813
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1744-7429
pISSN - 0006-3606
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7429.2007.00379.x
Subject(s) - obligate , myrmecophily , biology , lepidoptera genitalia , butterfly , ecology , larva
This study analyzes host plant use and obligate myrmecophily in Hallonympha paucipuncta , an endemic butterfly of the Cerrado. Larvae of H . paucipuncta are polyphagous, using at least 19 species of plants in 10 families. All larvae found were being tended by Crematogaster ants. Spatial distribution of larvae and tending ants were strongly aggregated, suggesting an influence of ants on oviposition and/or larval survival. Implications of obligate myrmecophily in the evolution of polyphagy in Riodinidae are discussed.