Phenological relationships of Eunica bechina (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) and its host plant, Caryocar brasiliense (Caryocaraceae), in a Neotropical savanna

Autor(es)

Muniz, Danilo G. ^[1] ; Freitas, Andre V. L. ^[1] ; Oliveira, Paulo S. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Dept Biol Anim, Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment; v. 47, n. 2, p. 111-118, 2012.
• Citações Web of Science: 10

Resumo

Herbivorous insects frequently fluctuate numerically throughout the year in response to variation in the availability and quality of plant resources. Here, we investigate the phenological relationship between the butterfly E. bechina and its host plant C. brasiliense in the Brazilian cerrado savanna. Abundance of E. bechina immature stages followed the temporal pattern of leaf production by the host plant, with increased numbers in the beginning of the rainy season (September-November). Ant visitation to extrafloral nectaries of C. brasiliense also increased in the humid period, following the production of new leaves and flower buds. Ant abundance, however, apparently had no major effect on the temporal occurrence pattern of Eunica immatures on host plants. Nevertheless, recent data on antagonistic and mutualistic ant-butterfly interactions have revealed that ants do affect host plant choice by butterflies in the ant-rich cerrado savanna. Future investigation in insect seasonality in cerrados should take into account not only climate and plant phenology, but also direct and indirect effects at the ant-plant-herbivore interface. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 11/18580-8 - Estudos sobre formigas neotropicais: interações com insetos herbívoros, ecologia comportamental e organização social
• Beneficiário: Paulo Sergio Moreira Carvalho de Oliveira
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 11/50225-3 - História natural, filogenia e conservação de lepidópteros neotropicais
• Beneficiário: André Victor Lucci Freitas
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa BIOTA - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 08/54058-1 - Ecologia e comportamento de formigas neotropicais
• Beneficiário: Paulo Sergio Moreira Carvalho de Oliveira
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 04/05269-9 - Borboletas da Mata Atlântica: biogeografia e sistemática como ferramentas de conservação de biodiversidade
• Beneficiário: André Victor Lucci Freitas
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Jovens Pesquisadores