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Possible Evolution of Mutualism Between Mechanitis Caterpillars and an Ant in Northeastern Costa Rica

Material type: TextSeries: ; Biotropica, 10(1), p.77-78, 1978Contained works:
  • Young, Allen M
Subject(s): Online resources: Abstract: Mechanitis isthmia Bates is an ithomiine butterfly (Nymphalidae)of wet and dry forest regions of Costa Rica. A widespread genus throughout much of tropical America, Mechaiitis is well known for cluster ovi-position and gregariousness of caterpillars on the host plants, Solanum spp. (Solanaceae)(Ajmat and Teran 1970). It has been proposed that the gregarious habits of the caterpillars provide a protection against tri-chomes on at least one species of Solanum (Rathcke and Poole 1975), but little else is known about the adaptive significance of such behavior. Owing to the apparent toxic properties of many Solanaceae and the coevolved relationship of Ithomiinae with these plants (Ehrlich and Raven 1965), it would not be surprising to discover that this relationship was being exploited by other insect.
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Mechanitis isthmia Bates is an ithomiine butterfly (Nymphalidae)of wet and dry forest regions of Costa Rica. A widespread genus throughout much of tropical America, Mechaiitis is well known for cluster ovi-position and gregariousness of caterpillars on the host plants, Solanum spp. (Solanaceae)(Ajmat and Teran 1970). It has been proposed that the gregarious habits of the caterpillars provide a protection against tri-chomes on at least one species of Solanum (Rathcke and Poole 1975), but little else is known about the adaptive significance of such behavior. Owing to the apparent toxic properties of many Solanaceae and the coevolved relationship of Ithomiinae with these plants (Ehrlich and Raven 1965), it would not be surprising to discover that this relationship was being exploited by other insect.

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