title: Trade-offs underlying polyphagy in a facultative ant-tended florivorous butterfly: the role of host plant quality and enemy-free space.
abstract: The underlying mechanisms mediating the use of multiple host plants were investigated in Parrhasius polibetes (Lycaenidae), a florivorous and facultative myrmecophilous butterfly. Plant traits such as presence of ant-treehopper associations as a source of enemy-free space, flower bud dimensions, toughness, thickness, trichomes, and the corresponding performance and wear of P. polibetes mandibles were examined for three natural hosts: Schefflera vinosa (Araliaceae), Pyrostegia venusta (Bignoniaceae) and Luehea grandiflora (Malvaceae). Parasitism levels of larvae found on the three hosts were also determined. Almost all Luehea had ant-treehopper associations, and all larvae found on this host were non-parasitized. Parasitism was low in larvae found on Schefflera, half of which hosted ant-treehopper associations. No ant-treehopper association was found on Pyrostegia, where parasitism was significantly higher compared to other hosts. In the laboratory, P. polibetes performed well on Schefflera, followed by Pyrostegia. No larvae survived when fed with Luehea. Flower buds of Luehea were thicker and tougher than those of Schefflera and Pyrostegia. Indeed, mandibles of larvae reared on Luehea showed substantial wear, whereas those reared either on Schefflera or Pyrostegia presented no significant damage. Additionally, we suggest that co-occurrence with ant-treehopper associations on a plant provides parasitoid-free space for P. polibetes larvae. Our results support the hypothesis that ecological trade-offs among host plants (i.e., food quality and enemy-free space) promote polyphagy in natural populations of P. polibetes. Host morphological traits seem to play a relevant role in P. polibetes performance. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing the costs of polyphagy in a myrmecophilous butterfly.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil. dani_rodrig@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Lucas A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Kaminski
authors.forename: André V L
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Paulo S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000502:physiology*; D002080:Butterflies / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D035264:Flowers / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D063245:Plant Development; D010944:Plants / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology; D011157:Population Dynamics
references.citation: Oecologia. 1993 Jun;94(3):441-445
references.pmid: 28313683
references.citation: Naturwissenschaften. 2004 Dec;91(12):557-70
references.pmid: 15551026
references.citation: Oecologia. 1994 Sep;99(1-2):132-140
references.pmid: 28313958
references.citation: Oecologia. 2009 Jun;160(3):551-61
references.pmid: 19271241
references.citation: Oecologia. 2008 Aug;157(1):69-82
references.pmid: 18493799
references.citation: Oecologia. 1981 Feb;48(1):60-63
references.pmid: 28309933
references.citation: Oecologia. 2000 Aug;124(2):156-165
references.pmid: 28308174
references.citation: Am Nat. 2009 Jul;174(1):134-40
references.pmid: 19456265
references.citation: Braz J Biol. 2007 Feb;67(1):91-9
references.pmid: 17505754
references.citation: Insect Biochem Mol Biol. 2005 May;35(5):391-411
references.pmid: 15804574
references.citation: Annu Rev Entomol. 2002;47:361-93
references.pmid: 11729079
references.citation: Science. 1981 Mar 13;211(4487):1185-7
references.pmid: 17755156
references.citation: PLoS One. 2009;4(3):e4796
references.pmid: 19274098