Oviposition of Minstrellus grandis (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) in a harmful ant-plant symbiosis

Kaminski, Lucas A.; Carneiro, Eduardo; Dolibaina, Diego Rodrigo; Casagrande, Mirna Martins

doi:10.1590/1809-4392202001801

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 20 publications

(24 reference statements)

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“…Species in the Pachythonina for which some life history information is known, present armored carnivorous caterpillars specialized in preying on honeydew-producing hemipterans (e.g., Pachythone spp. 31,53 ) and are thought to carry out ant-mediated oviposition on harmful ant-plant symbioses (i.e., use speci c ants as oviposition cues; e.g., Minstrellus grandis 33 , or prey on ant brood (e.g., P. agave; this study). Although scattered, the available information indicates that the Pachythonina species demonstrate morphological and behavioral traits that allow coexistence with extremely aggressive ants, including unusual associations with pseudomyrmecine and ponerine ants (Supplementary Table S1).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Approximately 20% of the known species of Riodinidae are involved in symbiotic associations with ants 30 . Several recent studies have played a role in unveiling the nature of riodinid-ant associations 20,[31][32][33] , con rming the evolution of social parasitism in this family (kleptoparasitism via trophallaxis with ants within their nest) 20 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Filling the gap: a new ant-butterfly symbiosis in the forest canopy

Pérez‐Lachaud

Rocha

Pozo

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Myrmecophilous butterflies can establish complex symbiotic relationships with ants. An elusive symbiotic caterpillar wandering among the brood of the aggressive ponerine ant, Neoponera villosa, was found inside the core of a nest built in the myrmecophytic bromeliad Aechmea bracteata. This is the first caterpillar found in symbiosis with a species of the subfamily Ponerinae. Tissue sample was barcoded, and an integrative approach was used to identify it as Pseudonymphidia agave, a poorly known Pachythonina member in the riodinid myrmecophilous tribe Nymphidiini. The caterpillar has a general tank-like body morphology, without projections or tubercles, and is covered dorsally by specialized flat setae that form an armor of small plates. Ant-organs potentially related to the caterpillar-ant signaling, such as perforated cupola organs and tentacle nectary organs, are present. These functional traits, together with the stable social integration, suggest that P. agave is a specialized social parasite of N. villosa. However, several knowledge gaps remain, notably the oviposition site, dependence on bromeliad association, steps to colony integration, and the larval diet through ontogeny. Carnivory has been reported in all known members of the Pachythonina subtribe (caterpillars prey on honeydew-producing hemipterans), and a shift to myrmecophagy inside the ant nests is a possible evolutionary step.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Filling the gap: a new ant-butterfly symbiosis in the forest canopy

Pérez‐Lachaud

Rocha

Pozo

et al. 2021

Preprint

Self Cite

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“…2 C; Apéndice II-A). Este hábito extendido en la tribu Nymphidiini ya habia sido reportado por De Vries (1997) en Costa Rica y ahora en Brasil con la especie Minstrellus grandis Callaghan (Kaminski et al, 2020). Especie frecuente.…”

Section: Symmachia Virgaurea Caucaensis Salazar and Constantino 2000unclassified

La fauna de Riodinidos (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) del municipio de Riosucio, Caldas, Colombia: apuntes sobre su taxonomía y distribución

Salazar-E

Villalobos-Moreno²,

Vargas

2021

Bol. cient. mus. hist. nat. univ. caldas

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Objetivo. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo primordial dar a conocer una lista sistematica de las especies de Riodinidae que habitan las cuartro formaciones vegetales presentes en el municipio de Riosucio, ubicado al noroccidente del departamento de Caldas, Colombia. Metodología yResultados. Con el uso de redes entomológicas manuales y cebos de atracción con camarón en descomposición se lograron registrar 91 especies pertenecientes a 44 géneros. Alcance. Además del registro de especies raras y poco conocidas por fotografías in situ, se describe una nueva especie: Eurybia mestiza n. sp. Salazar, Villalobos y Vargas, propia de esta región. Conclusiones. Un análisis biogeográfico preliminar evidencia que la fauna de estas mariposas pertenece al enclave seco del cañón del río Cauca, una de las cinco regiones faunísticas definidas por Callaghan (1985) en su estudio pionero sobre la distribución de la familia en Colombia, guardando afinidades con la fauna del valle del río Magdalena y en menor grado con el Chocóbiogeográfico.

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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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Oviposition of Minstrellus grandis (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) in a harmful ant-plant symbiosis

Cited by 5 publications

References 20 publications

Filling the gap: a new ant-butterfly symbiosis in the forest canopy

Filling the gap: a new ant-butterfly symbiosis in the forest canopy

La fauna de Riodinidos (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) del municipio de Riosucio, Caldas, Colombia: apuntes sobre su taxonomía y distribución

The Natural History of Caterpillar-Ant Associations

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