Local host ant specificity of Phengaris (Maculinea) teleius butterfly, an obligatory social parasite of Myrmica ants

Abstract

1. Phengaris butterflies are obligatory social parasites of Myrmica ants. Early research suggested that there is a different Myrmica host species for each of the five European Phengaris social parasites, but more recent studies have shown that this was an oversimplification.2. The pattern of host ant specificity within a Phengaris teleius metapopulation from southern Poland is reported. A combination of studying the frequency distribution of Phengaris occurrence and morphometrics on adult butterflies were used to test whether use of different host species is reflected in larval development.3. Phengaris teleius larvae were found to survive in colonies of four Myrmica species: M. scabrinodis, M. rubra, M. ruginodis, and M. rugulosa. Myrmica scabrinodis was the most abundant species under the host plant but the percentage of infested nests was similar to other host ant species at two sites and lower in comparison to nests of M. rubra and M. ruginodis at the other two sites. Morphometric measurements of adult butterflies reared by wild colonies of M. scabrinodis and M. ruginodis showed that wing size and number of wing spots were slightly greater for adults eclosing from nests of M. ruginodis.4. Our results suggest that P. teleius in the populations studied is less specialised than previously suggested. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that P. teleius is expected to be the least specific of the European Phengaris species, as it has the largest and best defended fourth-instar caterpillars and, as a predatory species, it spends less time in the central larval chambers of the host colonies. The fact that individuals reared by M. ruginodis had wider hind wings may suggest that P. teleius had better access to resources in M. ruginodis than in M. scabrinodis colonies.

Different flight behaviour of the endangered scarce large blue butterfly Phengaris teleius (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) within and outside its habitat patches

“…The mean patch size was 2.9 ± 0.7 ha (range: 0.005-33 ha) and the distances between neighbouring patches were usually within the range of 100-300 m (Nowicki et al 2007). These foodplant patches constitute habitat patches of P. teleius, since the aforementioned host ant species are widespread and abundant in all meadow types in our study area (Witek et al 2008(Witek et al , 2010.…”

“…Having reached their fourth instar, the larvae drop to the ground and are taken by the workers of Myrmica ants to their nest, where they lead a parasitic life, feeding on ant brood (Thomas et al 1998). The host ants of P. teleius are several species of Myrmica: mostly M. scabrinodis, M. rubra and M. rugulosa (Thomas et al 1989;Wynhoff et al 2008;Witek et al 2010Witek et al , 2011. The study was carried out in the vast complex of wet meadows located in the Vistula River, west of the Kraków city centre (southern Poland; Fig.…”

What keeps ‘living dead’ alive: demography of a small and isolated population of Maculinea (= Phengaris) alcon

“…To complete their life cycle they require two crucial resources, which comprise specific foodplants, on which Maculinea larvae feed in their initial stages, and specific host ants of the genus Myrmica, in the colonies of which the larvae finish their development, acting as social parasites (Thomas 1995;Witek et al 2010). There is a controversy surrounding the taxonomic status of M. alcon, with its two distinct forms associated with wet meadows and xerothermic grasslands, regarded as separate species or, more frequently, merely as different ecotypes (Als et al 2004;Pecsenye et al 2007;Sielezniew et al 2012;Bereczki et al 2018).…”

Development of parasitic Maculinea teleius (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) larvae in laboratory nests of four Myrmica ant host species

“…It was shown that M. scabrinodis was the most abundant Myrmica species in the metapopulation system in the Kraków region but the percentage of infested nests was similar or even lower than those of nests of M. rubra or M. ruginodis. Moreover, a decrease of infested nests of M. scabrinodis has been observed during the last 20 years (Thomas et al, 1989;Witek et al, 2010). This trend could be the consequence of the arms-race between the parasite and its host, which was also observed in other interactions between social parasites and their hosts (Lorenzi and Filippone, 2000;Foitzik et al, 2003;.…”