Facultative Myrmecophily (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Hops Blue Butterfly,<i>Celastrina humulus</i>(Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Kubik, Tristan D.; Schorr, Robert A.

doi:10.3157/021.127.0514

Cited by 4 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Celastrina humulus is a univoltine species, with adults appearing in host plant patches from mid-June through early July in our study area (Puntenney and Schorr 2016). Larvae of C. humulus feed on the pollen-bearing flowers of their hosts (Kubik and Schorr 2018). While feeding, C. humulus larvae form a protection mutualism with several species of ants in the Camponotus , Myrmica , Pogonomyrmex , Tapinoma , and Formica genera (Puntenney and Schorr 2016, Kubik and Schorr 2018).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Larvae of C. humulus feed on the pollen-bearing flowers of their hosts (Kubik and Schorr 2018). While feeding, C. humulus larvae form a protection mutualism with several species of ants in the Camponotus , Myrmica , Pogonomyrmex , Tapinoma , and Formica genera (Puntenney and Schorr 2016, Kubik and Schorr 2018). The main arthropod predators of C. humulus are damsel bugs (Nabidae) as well as several taxa of spiders (A. Fahland, personal observation).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The main arthropod predators of C. humulus are damsel bugs (Nabidae) as well as several taxa of spiders (A. Fahland, personal observation). This mutualism is facultative, with ant associations present in 30% of host plant patches surveyed by Kubik and Schorr (2018). While detailed life history studies have not been conducted specifically for C. humulus, individuals likely overwinter as pupae in the soil surrounding host plants as in other Celastrina species of North America (Pratt et al 1994, Schmidt andLayberry 2016).…”

Section: Natural History Of Study Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1A; Schorr et al 2020). Several species of ants form mutualisms with C. humulus larvae, although these interactions are observed only in ∼30% of host-plant patches (Kubik and Schorr 2018). We evaluated the role of host-plant flowering phenology in governing the ant–larvae mutualism using several approaches.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Host-plant phenology mediates facultative ant mutualism in the rare butterfly, Celastrina humulus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Mooney,

Fahland,

Nolan

et al. 2023

Environmental Entomology

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Host-plant phenology can directly and indirectly mediate the abundance of insect herbivores. Our objective was to determine how host-plant flowering phenology shapes a facultative ant–lycaenid mutualism. The focus of our research was the hops azure, Celastrina humulus Scott & D. Wright, a rare species whose larvae feed on the pollen-bearing inflorescences of Humulus lupulus var. neomexicanus. We used several approaches to evaluate the role of host-plant flowering phenology in this system. First, we monitored larvae over three study years (2020–2022) to parse the role of host-plant flowering phenology and other factors in shaping the likelihood of ant tending. Second, we tested larval performance at various phenological stages of the host plant. We also quantified variation in soluble proteins and secondary metabolites among inflorescences at varying phenological stages. Lastly, we treated artificial sugar–protein baits with extracts from different phenological stages of the host plant; this allowed us to assess how chemical variation among stages could impact ant recruitment. Monitoring results revealed that the likelihood of ant tending was lowest for larvae on host plants with early-stage inflorescences. These floral stages had the greatest concentrations of both soluble proteins and α-acids (humulone and cohumulone), and in the feeding trial, early-stage flowers enabled greater weight gain for larvae. However, extracts from early-stage flowers reduced ant recruitment to sugar–protein baits. Altogether, these results suggest that early-stage inflorescences enhance larval growth while also reducing the recruitment of mutualist ants. This shows an indirect mechanism whereby changing host-plant phenology can mediate herbivore populations through interactions with ants.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Natural History Of Study Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Host-plant phenology mediates facultative ant mutualism in the rare butterfly, Celastrina humulus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Mooney,

Fahland,

Nolan

et al. 2023

Environmental Entomology

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“…Lycaenidae species mainly inhabit mountains and forests, and some are adapted to high-altitude environments ( Hughes, 2000 ; Balint et al, 2022 ; Marabuto et al, 2022 ). Most lycaenid species (about 75%) are associated with ants, forming a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship (i.e., myrmecophily) ( Pierce et al, 2002 ; Nemet et al, 2016 ; Riva et al, 2017 ; Kubik and Schorr, 2018 ), and this relationship may be related to the geographical distribution ( Schmidt and Rice, 2002 ; Kaminski, 2008 ). However, little research has focused on the mechanism underlying environmental adaptation in Lycaenidae, and further analyses using molecular data are needed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative mitogenomic and evolutionary analysis of Lycaenidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera): Potential association with high-altitude adaptation

Chen

et al. 2023

Front. Genet.

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Harsh environments (e.g., hypoxia and cold temperatures) of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau have a substantial influence on adaptive evolution in various species. Some species in Lycaenidae, a large and widely distributed family of butterflies, are adapted to the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. Here, we sequenced four mitogenomes of two lycaenid species in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and performed a detailed comparative mitogenomic analysis including nine other lycaenid mitogenomes (nine species) to explore the molecular basis of high-altitude adaptation. Based on mitogenomic data, Bayesian inference, and maximum likelihood methods, we recovered a lycaenid phylogeny of [Curetinae + (Aphnaeinae + (Lycaeninae + (Theclinae + Polyommatinae)))]. The gene content, gene arrangement, base composition, codon usage, and transfer RNA genes (sequence and structure) were highly conserved within Lycaenidae. TrnS1 not only lacked the dihydrouridine arm but also showed anticodon and copy number diversity. The ratios of non-synonymous substitutions to synonymous substitutions of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) were less than 1.0, indicating that all PCGs evolved under purifying selection. However, signals of positive selection were detected in cox1 in the two Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau lycaenid species, indicating that this gene may be associated with high-altitude adaptation. Three large non-coding regions, i.e., rrnS-trnM (control region), trnQ-nad2, and trnS2-nad1, were found in the mitogenomes of all lycaenid species. Conserved motifs in three non-coding regions (trnE-trnF, trnS1-trnE, and trnP-nad6) and long sequences in two non-coding regions (nad6-cob and cob-trnS2) were detected in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau lycaenid species, suggesting that these non-coding regions were involved in high-altitude adaptation. In addition to the characterization of Lycaenidae mitogenomes, this study highlights the importance of both PCGs and non-coding regions in high-altitude adaptation.

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The Natural History of Caterpillar-Ant Associations

Pierce

Dankowicz

2022

Fascinating Life Sciences

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The caterpillars of many Lepidoptera are neither attacked nor tended by ants but nevertheless appear to be obligately ant-associated and benefit from the enemy-free space created by ants. Obligate myrmecophiles that do not attract ants through stridulatory or chemical signaling are limited to habitats where ants are reliably present for other reasons, either among ant-attended hemipterans, on ant-plants, or around ant nests. Particularly in the tropics, obligate ant associates that passively coexist with ants are more diverse than previously recognized, including, for example, hundreds of African species in the lycaenid subfamily Poritiinae. Mutualists and parasites of ants have been reported in eleven families: Tineidae, Tortricidae, Cyclotornidae, Coleophoridae, Crambidae, Erebidae, Notodontidae, Hesperiidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae, and Riodinidae. Altogether, myrmecophily has originated at least 30 times in Lepidoptera, and many groups may remain undiscovered. The butterfly families Lycaenidae and Riodinidae contain the vast majority of ant-associated species: larvae of at least 3841 (71%) of the ~5390 described Lycaenidae and 308 (20%) of the ~1562 described Riodinidae are known or inferred to be ant-associated, and both families possess specialized, convergently developed exocrine glands and stridulatory devices to communicate with ants. Many caterpillar-ant relationships previously characterized as mutualisms may actually be parasitic, as caterpillars can manipulate ants and ultimately exert a fitness cost. In the family Lycaenidae, highly specialized and obligate ant associations are found largely in the Old World tropics, Australia, and Southern Africa, where the stoichiometry of soil micronutrients, particularly sodium and phosphorus, climate, host plants, and geography may all selectively shape caterpillar-ant associations.

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Facultative Myrmecophily (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Hops Blue Butterfly,Celastrina humulus(Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Cited by 4 publications

References 13 publications

Host-plant phenology mediates facultative ant mutualism in the rare butterfly, Celastrina humulus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Host-plant phenology mediates facultative ant mutualism in the rare butterfly, Celastrina humulus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Comparative mitogenomic and evolutionary analysis of Lycaenidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera): Potential association with high-altitude adaptation

The Natural History of Caterpillar-Ant Associations

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