Ant-lepidopteran associations along African forest edges
详细信息 查看全文
- 作者：Alain Dejean ; Frédéric Azémar ; Michel Libert ; Arthur Compin…
- 关键词：Alchornea ; Euphorbiaceae ; Cuckoo strategy ; Lepidoptera ; Myrmecophily ; Territorially dominant arboreal ants
- 刊名：The Science of Nature
- 出版年：2017
- 出版时间：February 2017
- 年：2017
- 卷：104
- 期：1-2
- 全文大小：
- 刊物类别：Biomedical and Life Sciences
- 刊物主题：Life Sciences, general; Environment, general;
- 出版者：Springer Berlin Heidelberg
- ISSN：1432-1904
- 卷排序：104
文摘
Working along forest edges, we aimed to determine how some caterpillars can co-exist with territorially dominant arboreal ants (TDAAs) in tropical Africa. We recorded caterpillars from 22 lepidopteran species living in the presence of five TDAA species. Among the defoliator and/or nectarivorous caterpillars that live on tree foliage, the Pyralidae and Nymphalidae use their silk to protect themselves from ant attacks. The Notodontidae and lycaenid Polyommatinae and Theclinae live in direct contact with ants; the Theclinae even reward ants with abundant secretions from their Newcomer gland. Lichen feeders (lycaenid; Poritiinae), protected by long bristles, also live among ants. Some lycaenid Miletinae caterpillars feed on ant-attended membracids, including in the shelters where the ants attend them; Lachnocnema caterpillars use their forelegs to obtain trophallaxis from their host ants. Caterpillars from other species live inside weaver ant nests. Those of the genus Euliphyra (Miletinae) feed on ant prey and brood and can obtain trophallaxis, while those from an Eberidae species only prey on host ant eggs. Eublemma albifascia (Erebidae) caterpillars use their thoracic legs to obtain trophallaxis and trophic eggs from ants. Through transfer bioassays of last instars, we noted that herbivorous caterpillars living in contact with ants were always accepted by alien conspecific ants; this is likely due to an intrinsic appeasing odor. Yet, caterpillars living in ant shelters or ant nests probably acquire cues from their host colonies because they were considered aliens and killed. We conclude that co-evolution with ants occurred similarly in the Heterocera and Rhopalocera.