Phenological Variation in Chemical Defense of the Pipevine Swallowtail, Battus philenor

Abstract

Larvae of the pipevine swallowtail, Battus philenor, feed on plants in the genus Aristolochia, which contains aristolochic acids, toxic alkaloids unique to the Aristolochiaceae. Pipevine swallowtails sequester these compounds and, as a consequence, are chemically defended against many natural enemies. In California, the primary aristolochic acid present in the butterfly is aristolochic acid I. Newly eclosed adult females possess greater amounts of these sequestered toxins compared to males. However, over the course of the flight season, the aristolochic acid content of females in the population declines, whereas male aristolochic acid content remains relatively constant. Transference of sequestered aristolochic acids to eggs by females might explain the decline of these sequestered chemical defenses observed over time. We found no evidence that males transfer aristolochic acids to females via the spermatophore. The possibility that females at the end of the flight season may be automimics of males is discussed. Temporal variation in the aristolochic acid defenses exhibited by this pipevine swallowtail population is both age- and sex-dependent.