Tamaño corporal de cuatro especies de mariposas del género Heliconius (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) producidas en zoocriaderos del Caribe de Costa Rica

Abstract

Body size of four species of butterflies of the genus Heliconius (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) produced in Costa Rica Caribbean butterfly farms". Introduction: The production of butterflies is an important socioeconomic activity and has become an option to generate income for rural microenterprises. Objective: To see how farming affects the body size of Heliconius butteflies in Costa Rican farms. Methods: We measured adults and pupae of Heliconius cydno, H. erato, H. hecale and H. melpomene in 10 butterfly farms, in the Huetar Atlantic Region of Costa Rica. Results: In some farms, adult Heliconius erato and H. hecale are heavier (p≤ 0.05), and have a longer abdomen and larger forewings. The weight did not differ among farms, and the sex ratio is close to 1:1. Conclusion: All farms sampled produce butterflies of fit for commercialization.