Lycaenids parasitizing symbiotic plant-ant partnerships

Abstract

Many species of the paleotropic plant genus Macaranga (Euphorbiaceae) live in symbiosis with the ant genus Cremastogaster (Myrmicinae), especially with C. borneensis. The ants protect their plants from many herbivorous enemies. The plants provide food-bodies and nesting space in the internodes. In addition the ants care for honeydew producing scale insects in these spaces. The caterpillars of several species of the genus Arhopala (Lycaenidae) parasitize on this symbiosis system. With the aid of their myrmecophilic organs the caterpillars overcome the aggressivity of the ants and feed on the Macaranga leaves without disturbance. Moreover the caterpillars and their pupae are protected against parasites and predators by the ants. As the female butterflies oviposit the eggs only in low numbers upon young leaves, the plants are not seriously affected.The larvae of the three Arhopala species; A. amphimuta, A. moolaiana, and A. zylda are adapted to their host plant species Macaranga triloba, M. hulletti, and M. hypoleuca by means of color, shape, and behavior. In addition, the different larval stages change their appearance according to the parts of the plant on which they feed and rest. These cryptic adaptations point to a distinct monophagy of these butterflies.The state of phylogenetic relationship within the three lycaenids is parallel to the relationship among the three host plants.

Studies of a South East Asian ant-plant association: protection of Macaranga trees by Crematogaster borneensis

“…On ant-occupied plants caterpillars were rare with the exception of some species of Arhopala (Lycaenidae, Theclini). In these cases the ants were servile as they were rewarded from the myrmecophilous organs of the larvae (Maschwitz et al 1984). Most of the remaining 2S% of herbivore-damaged, ant-occupied plants were affected by Arhopala.…”

Host ant specificity of large blue butterflies Phengaris (Maculinea) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) inhabiting humid grasslands in East-central Europe

“…Most of the relationships between ants and lycaenid butterflies seem to be mutualistic (Pierce, 1987;Fiedler, 1991Fiedler, , 2001) but in some cases, larvae of certain butterfly species can exploit ant nests as a food resource and shelter and behave as well specialized social parasites (Cottrell, 1984;Maschwitz et al, 1984;Fiedler, 2001). Probably, the most studied parasitic myrmecophilous relationship is the one between Phengaris Doherty, 1891 (a junior synonym -Maculinea van Eecke, 1915, see Fric et al, 2007 butterflies and Myrmica Latreille, 1804 ants (Thomas & Settele, 2004).…”

The Host Genera of Ant-Parasitic Lycaenidae Butterflies: A Review

“…First, there are a few myrmecophilous lycaenid species that feed obligately on myrmecophytic ant plants. The best documented examples are certain SE Asian Arhopala species on ant-trees of the genus Macaranga [12,13]. These caterpillars cause substantial feeding damage to the ant-trees and thereby likely inflict costs to the Crematogaster ants that inhibit these trees.…”