Abstract
Host-ant specificity of Maculinea alcon, an endangered obligatory myrmecophilous lycaenid butterfly, was studied at two sites in southern Poland (�� witokrzyskie Mts near Kielce). M. alcon larvae and pupae were found in nests of both Myrmica vandeli and M. scabrinodis, which is the typical host in Poland and Southern Europe. To our knowledge this is the first record of M. vandeli as a host of M. alcon. Our results show that M. and M. vandeli are about equally suitable as hosts. We hypothesize that both host ant species are closely related and have similar chemical profiles, and that the M. alcon scabrinodis-vandeli populations we studied belong to the M. alcon scabrinodis race. More than half of the M. alcon pupae, both from M. vandeli and M. scabri- nodis nests, were parasitized by a single wasp species of the genus Ichneumon, which also suggests that the cuticular chemistry of the two ant species is similar.
Highlights
The Alcon Blue, Maculinea alcon (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775), is a representative of the Palaearctic genus Maculinea van Eecke, 1915, which includes about seven obligatory myrmecophilous species (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)
Three Myrmica ant species were recorded at both sites within foraging range of G. pneumonanthe plants (Table 1)
M. vandeli has not previously been recorded as a host of M. alcon. This is the first record of this species being the major host-ant of any Maculinea species
Summary
The Alcon Blue, Maculinea alcon (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775), is a representative of the Palaearctic genus Maculinea van Eecke, 1915, which includes about seven obligatory myrmecophilous species (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). All of these are initially herbivorous as caterpillars, feeding on specific host plants, but spend their last (fourth) instar in Myrmica Latreille, 1804 ant colonies as social parasites (Thomas, 1995). Because of their extraordinary life history and sensitivity to environmental change, Maculinea butterflies are locally and globally endangered (van Swaay & Warren 1999; Munguira & Martin, 1999). Among the other four European species of the genus Maculinea, only M. rebeli Hirschke, 1904 has the same “cuckoo” habit of parasitism, and the remaining species exploit Myrmica colonies by eating the ant brood (Thomas, 1995)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
