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Behavioral strategy of a lycaenid (Lepidoptera) caterpillar against aggressive ants in a Brazilian savanna

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Bächtold, A. Alves Silva, E.
Copyright Year	2012
Abstract	Myrmecophily is widespread in lycaenid butterflies, in which ants receive food resources and, in turn, protect caterpillars against natural enemies. This interaction ranges from obligate myrmecophily, in which immatures are invariably associated with ants and are dependent on ants for survival, and facultative myrmecophily, in which larvae are not dependent on ants for survival, but the presence of the latter may increase larvae survival. Lycaenids also include non-myrmecophilous butterflies, which do not have positive associations with ants and have developed strategies to avoid being attacked or preyed upon by them. In this study, we examined the relationship between the lycaenid Michaelus ira and two ant species associated with Distictella elongata (Bignoniaceae). This plant has extrafloral nectaries and is patrolled by Camponotus crassus and Ectatomma tuberculatum. Morphological analyses revealed that M. ira larvae have ant organs, such as dorsal nectary organs and perforated cupolas, structures associated with myrmecophily. We performed larval exposure experiments in the field, predicting that, in the absence of myrmecophily, the butterfly larva would present strategies to avoid ant attack. Results showed that larvae were attacked by both ant species. To escape ant molestation, larvae lived and fed inside silk-sealed D. elongata flower buds. We concluded that the M. ira bud-sheltering behavior was a defensive strategy against these ant species, while the dorsal nectary organs were apparently nonfunctional. Nonetheless, myrmecophily, in general, cannot be excluded in M. ira since relationships with other ant species may exist.
Starting Page	83
Ending Page	90
Page Count	8
File Format	PDF
ISSN	08739749
Journal	acta ethologica
Volume Number	16
Issue Number	2
e-ISSN	14379546
Language	English
Publisher	Springer-Verlag
Publisher Date	2012-12-07
Publisher Place	Berlin, Heidelberg
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Michaelus ira Myrmecophily Camponotus crassus Ectatomma tuberculatum Bud sheltering Distictella elongata Behavioural Sciences Zoology
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

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