Lioptilodes friasi (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) Niche Breadth in the Chilean Mediterranean Matorral Biome: Trophic and Altitudinal Dimensions

Abstract

Understanding the factors driving the diet breadth of phytophagous insects remains one of the main questions in ecological research. In this study we explored the diet breadth and plant-insect associations in the plume moth Lioptilodes friasi Vargas & Parra (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae). This phytophagous insect was originally described in association with a single host species, Haplopappus foliosus (Asteraceae), a native shrub of the Chilean Mediterranean matorral. In order to address the breadth of host plant choice, we surveyed other Haplopappus species growing along the elevation gradient of central Chile from sea level to 2600 m. We were able to obtain L. friasi adults from five additional Haplopappus species: Haplopappus chrysantemifolius and Haplopappus decurrens from the coastal zone, Haplopappus multifolius and Haplopappus schumanii from the mid-elevation zone, and Haplopappus scrobiculatus at high elevation. Our results demonstrate that the genus-specialized endophagous herbivore L. friasi has a wider distribution and climatic tolerance than previously described. Its biogeographical range extends from the lowland coastal habitats up to the Andean subnival level. We propose that shared flower phenotypic traits such as morphology and chemical composition may have allowed the colonization of closely related Haplopappus species in central Chile, the expansion of which is limited by the harsh high elevation conditions.

Pollination Mechanisms are Driving Orchid Distribution in Space

“…Although hypotheses testing association of species richness and niche breadth with altitude are frequently referred to in the literature, e.g. [37][38][39][40][41] and so on, there are only a few such studies, like that of Tsiftsis et al 9 , on orchids. None of these studies distinguished between pollination strategies (nectariferous/nectarless).…”

Ecological convergence in phytochemistry and flower–insect visitor interactions along an Andean elevation gradient

“…(3) Finally, we asked whether there is ecological convergence within elevation bands in the outcome of interactions with seed predators and pollinators, quantified as the ratio between seed predation and seed production? A decline in the number of insect visitors was previously observed from low to high elevation (Vargas et al, 2018), likely due to the characteristic drastic changes in climatic conditions along the Andean elevational gradients (Luebert & Pliscoff, 2006). Based on this, we expected that the cost-benefit ratio will increase with elevation.…”

“…Considering that morphological floral head traits are highly comparable across Haplopappus species (Klingenberg, 2007 ), we hypothesized that it is the variation in floral fragrances that is involved in shaping diversification in Haplopappus insect recruitment. In other words, we expected that the observed differences in flower VOCs across species and sites to be functionally relevant, in particular in relation to major insect visitor species (Vargas et al, 2018 ). Accordingly, because lower‐elevation sites bear the highest abundance and diversity of insects, we expected low‐elevation Haplopappus species to be more attractive to floral visitors than high‐elevation species.…”

A new species of Stenoptilia Hübner (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) associated with Neobartsia peruviana (Orobanchaceae) in the Andes of northern Chile

“…Although surveys for plume moths are generally focused on the adult stage, searching for their immature stages on plants provides interesting additional information about their natural history, enabling further research involving both the plume moth and its host plants (e.g. Matthews, 2006;Vargas et al, 2018). Host plant records are known for 23 species of Stenoptilia, many of which feed on plants of only one or two families; the most polyphagous species is the Palearctic Stenoptilia bipunctidactyla (Scopoli, 1763), whose larvae feed on plants of at least nine families (Matthews and Lott, 2005).…”