Mimicry in the Butterflies of North America.

Poulton, Edward B.

doi:10.1093/aesa/2.4.203

Cited by 51 publications

(34 citation statements)

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“…It is the model for a conspicuous Batesian mimicry ring in eastern North America: the papilionids Papilio troilus L., P. glaucus L. (dark-form females) and P. polyxenes Fabricius and the nymphalids Limenitis astyanax Fabricius and Speyeria diana (Cramer) (females) have similar blue fields on the upper surfaces of the hindwings and orange spots along the margins of the undersides (Haase 1893; Poulton 1909). Male Callosamia promethea Drury (Saturniidae), whose resemblance to B. philenor is less striking, have also been included by some authors (Sternburg et al 1977).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sequestration of aristolochic acids by the pipevine swallowtail, Battus philenor (L.): evidence and ecological implications

Sime¹,

Feeny²,

Haribal³

2000

Chemoecology

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It has long been assumed that the North American pipevine swallowtail, Battus philenor (L.) (Papilionidae, Troidini), is protected from natural enemies by aristolochic acids sequestered from its Aristolochia food plants. This study confirmed that populations of B. philenor from Virginia and east Texas sequester these compounds. A comparison of the aristolochic acid profiles of the Virginia butterflies and their A. macrophylla food plants revealed several differences. The aristolochic acid fraction of the foliage was dominated by aristolochic acids I and II, whereas the insects had a much lower proportion of aristolochic acid II and contained, in addition, substantial amounts of aristolochic acids Ia and IVa, which were not detected in the plants. The eggs, larval integument, osmeterial glands, pupal cuticle, and adults (wings and bodies) all contained aristolochic acids. These findings help explain the abundant ecological data indicating that both immature and adult B. philenor are unpalatable and protected from natural enemies.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sequestration of aristolochic acids by the pipevine swallowtail, Battus philenor (L.): evidence and ecological implications

Sime¹,

Feeny²,

Haribal³

2000

Chemoecology

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“…Ever since the phenomenon of mimicry was first described [1], [2], it has drawn a great deal of attention, and it has been intensively studied as an example of Darwinian (co)evolution [3]–[8]. In Batesian mimicry, a palatable species (the Mimic) benefits from its resemblance to an unpalatable species (the Model), whose aposematic signal is therefore degraded in time; in this way, it is a parasitic relationship [1], [5], [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimal-Foraging Predator Favors Commensalistic Batesian Mimicry

2008

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BackgroundMimicry, in which one prey species (the Mimic) imitates the aposematic signals of another prey (the Model) to deceive their predators, has attracted the general interest of evolutionary biologists. Predator psychology, especially how the predator learns and forgets, has recently been recognized as an important factor in a predator–prey system. This idea is supported by both theoretical and experimental evidence, but is also the source of a good deal of controversy because of its novel prediction that in a Model/Mimic relationship even a moderately unpalatable Mimic increases the risk of the Model (quasi-Batesian mimicry).Methodology/Principal FindingsWe developed a psychology-based Monte Carlo model simulation of mimicry that incorporates a “Pavlovian” predator that practices an optimal foraging strategy, and examined how various ecological and psychological factors affect the relationships between a Model prey species and its Mimic. The behavior of the predator in our model is consistent with that reported by experimental studies, but our simulation's predictions differed markedly from those of previous models of mimicry because a more abundant Mimic did not increase the predation risk of the Model when alternative prey were abundant. Moreover, a quasi-Batesian relationship emerges only when no or very few alternative prey items were available. Therefore, the availability of alternative prey rather than the precise method of predator learning critically determines the relationship between Model and Mimic. Moreover, the predation risk to the Model and Mimic is determined by the absolute density of the Model rather than by its density relative to that of the Mimic.Conclusions/SignificanceAlthough these predictions are counterintuitive, they can explain various kinds of data that have been offered in support of competitive theories. Our model results suggest that to understand mimicry in nature it is important to consider the likely presence of alternative prey and the possibility that predation pressure is not constant.

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“…It causes the dark coloration found in an enormous array of insects and vertebrates (see Majerus, 1998). Batesian mimicry (Poulton, 1909;Brower, 1958) and industrial melanism (Kettlewell, 1973) are classical examples of adaptive melanism. Additional adaptive properties of melanin include functional camouflage [e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A sex-linked allele, autosomal modifiers and temperature-dependence appear to regulate melanism in male mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki)

Horth

2006

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARY About 1% of male mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) express melanic(mottled-black) body coloration, which differs dramatically from the wild-type, silvery-gray coloration. Here, I report on the genetic inheritance pattern of melanic coloration, which indicates Y-linkage, and at least one autosomal modifier. Phenotypic expression of melanism is also affected by temperature. Expression is constitutive (temperature insensitive) in some populations, inducible (temperature sensitive) in others. Constitutive and inducible expression occur among geographically proximal populations. However,males from any single population demonstrate the same constitutive or inducible expression pattern as one another. The F1 males from inter-population crosses demonstrate temperature-related expression patterns like their sires'. As well, the sex ratio of melanic males' progeny differs among populations. Here, inter-population crosses demonstrate a sex-ratio bias in the same direction as intra-population crosses of the sire population. About 20% of the male progeny of melanic sires express the wild-type phenotype. These silver F1 males sire only silver offspring, suggestive of loss of the melanin gene in F1 males from crossover between sex chromosomes,or control by additional modifiers, or involvement of additional factors. In nature, melanic males persist at very low frequencies. The data collected here on heritability indicate that genetic factors contribute to the rarity of melanic male mosquitofish.

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Mimicry in the Butterflies of North America.

Cited by 51 publications

References 0 publications

Sequestration of aristolochic acids by the pipevine swallowtail, Battus philenor (L.): evidence and ecological implications

Sequestration of aristolochic acids by the pipevine swallowtail, Battus philenor (L.): evidence and ecological implications

Optimal-Foraging Predator Favors Commensalistic Batesian Mimicry

A sex-linked allele, autosomal modifiers and temperature-dependence appear to regulate melanism in male mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki)

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