Two heads are better than one: false head allows Calycopis cecrops (Lycaenidae) to escape predation by a Jumping Spider, Phidippus pulcherrimus (Salticidae)

Abstract

The deflection of attack from vital organs to the wing margin is regarded as an important adaptation in hairstreak butterflies. However, this “lose-little-to-save-much” strategy akin to the detachable lizard's tail had never been tested experimentally. The present study tests the “false head” hypothesis by exposing a hairstreak butterfly, Calycopis cecrops, as well as many other Lepidoptera species as controls, to the attacks of the jumping spider, Phidippus pulcherrimus. The results unambiguously indicate that the “false head” is a very efficient strategy in deflecting attacks from the vital centres of the hairstreak butterfly whereas other similar-sized Lepidoptera fall easy prey. Predator fatigue resulting from unsuccessful attacks was also observed, suggesting that jumping spiders can learn to avoid attacking prey they cannot capture, which would increase the efficiency of the “false head” as a defensive mechanism.