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Oviposition Tests of Ant Preference in a Myrmecophilous Butterfly

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Oviposition Tests of Ant Preference in a Myrmecophilous Butterfly Oviposition tests of ant preference in a myrmecophilous butterfly A. M. FRASER,* T. TREGENZA,à N. WEDELL,à M. A. ELGARà &N.E.PIERCE* *Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia àDepartment of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Present address: School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK Keywords: Abstract diversification; Butterflies in the family Lycaenidae that have obligate associations with ants Formicidae; frequently exhibit ant-dependent egg laying behaviour. In a series of field geographical specialization; and laboratory choice tests, we assessed oviposition preference of the host selection; Australian lycaenid Jalmenus evagoras in response to different species and host shift; populations of ants. Females discriminated between attendant and nonat- local adaptation; tendant ant species, between attendant ant species, and to some extent, Lycaenidae; between populations of a single ant species. When preferences were found, myrmecophily; ovipositing butterflies preferred their locally predominant attendant ant oviposition preference. species and geographically proximate attendant ant populations. A reciprocal choice test using adults from a generation of butterflies reared in the absence of ants indicated a genetic component to oviposition preference. Individual females were flexible with respect to oviposition site choice, often ovipositing on more than one treatment during a trial. Preferences arose from a hierarchical ranking of ant treatments. These results are discussed in terms of local adaptation and its possible significance in the diversification of ant- associated lycaenids. The evolution of oviposition preference is seen as a Introduction driving force in the divergence of phytophagous insect Diversification within the butterfly family Lycaenidae is populations (Futuyma, 1986; Diehl & Bush, 1989; thought to have been enhanced by the tendency for the Thompson & Pellmyr, 1991). Preference, in this majority of its members to associate with ants (Pierce, context, refers to both the order in which females 1984). Associations range from mutualistic to parasitic rank different hosts and the specificity or degree to interactions, and vary in their specificity for, and which they prefer one host over another (Wiklund, dependence on, ant partners (Cottrell, 1984; Pierce, 1981; Singer, 1986). Thus, shifts in ant preference by 1987; Fiedler, 1991, 1997; Pierce et al., 2002). If ant ovipositing lycaenid butterflies may contribute to association has influenced lycaenid diversification, it divergence in ant-associated lycaenid populations. should be most evident among the obligately myrme- Ultimately, this may lead to speciation events if, for cophilous species, which account for 15–20% of lycaenid example, genetic divergence in host preference has species diversity (Fiedler, 1991, 1997). Their associations pleiotropic consequences for reproductive isolation with ants tend to be species-specific (Cottrell, 1984; (Funk, 1998). Pierce, 1989; Thomas et al., 1989; Fiedler, 1991; East- A phylogenetic study of the lycaenid genus Ogyris wood & Fraser, 1999) and adult females use their ant suggests that shifts in ant partners have been accom- partners as cues during oviposition (e.g. Atsatt, 1981a; panied by speciation events (N.E. Pierce, unpublished Pierce & Elgar, 1985; Seufert & Fiedler, 1996; van Dyck data). Association patterns between ants and at least et al., 2000). two other obligately ant-associated lycaenid genera, Maculinea (Thomas et al., 1989; Elmes et al., 1994) and Jalmenus (Pierce, 1989; Eastwood & Fraser, Correspondence: Ann Fraser, Biology Department, The University of the South, 735 University Ave., Sewanee, TN 37383, USA. 1999; Braby, 2000) further suggest that shifts in ant Tel.: +1 931 598 3354; fax: +1 931 598 1145; partners may contribute to population divergence and e-mail: [email protected] diversification. J. EVOL. BIOL. 15 (2002) 861–870 ª 2002 BLACKWELL SCIENCE LTD 861 862 A. M. FRASER ET AL. The degree to which ovipositing butterflies discrimin- commonly associated with Iridomyrmex species in the ate between different ant species, as well as the extent to anceps and rufoniger groups (Eastwood & Fraser, 1999; which oviposition behaviour has diverged among but- Pierce & Nash, 1999). The geographical distributions of terfly populations, has not been explored. We conducted these ants are not fully known, but in areas where a series of field and laboratory experiments that address several attendant ant species overlap, a given ÔcolonyÕ of these questions in the Australian lycaenid, Jalmenus J. evagoras is predominantly associated with only a single evagoras. In choice tests, we assessed oviposition prefer- ant species (Costa et al., 1996; Pierce & Nash, 1999). ence at three levels: in response to attendant and Adult butterflies tend to remain in their natal area (Elgar nonattendant ant species, in response to different species & Pierce, 1988), creating potential for the evolution of of attendant ants, and in response to different popula- specialization in ant preference. tions of a single attendant ant species. A reciprocal choice Adult females lay eggs on Acacia host plants in response test was also conducted to determine whether females to the presence of attendant ants (Pierce & Elgar, 1985). exhibited local adaptation in oviposition preference, and Typically, gravid females that land on host plants follow a whether oviposition preference had a genetic compo- sequence of behaviours leading to oviposition. These nent. include: (a) dragging, in which a female walks up and down the branches of the plant dragging the tip of her Methods and results abdomen along the substrate – a behaviour that is typical among Lepidoptera searching for suitable oviposition sites (Renwick & Chew, 1994); (b) probing, in which a Natural history dragging female stops, extrudes her ovipositor and probes Jalmenus comprises at least 10 species, distributed across a crevice and (c) oviposition, in which she remains the Australian continent (Braby, 2000). All species feed stationary with the tip of her abdomen inserted into a on the plant genus Acacia (some feed on additional plant crack or crevice and during which she pumps her genera), and all have specialized associations with one or abdomen. For the behavioural analysis in this study, more species of Iridomyrmex or Froggattella ants (subfamily we grouped dragging, probing and oviposition into a Dolichoderinae). There is little overlap in the ant species single category of oviposition-related behaviour. that Jalmenus species associate with (Eastwood & Fraser, 1999), and where Jalmenus species overlap geographi- Collection and identification of material cally, they are separated ecologically by their ant partners (Pierce, 1989; Costa et al., 1996; Braby, 2000). Butterflies and ants were collected from various localities Jalmenus evagoras inhabits coastal and inland areas of in eastern Australia (Fig. 1, Table 1). Ant identifications eastern Australia (Fig. 1). Immature stages are tended by were assigned in consultation with Dr Steve Shattuck, different ant species in different geographical regions Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC), Canberra (Costa et al., 1996; Pierce & Nash, 1999), but are most and voucher specimens have been deposited at the ANIC QUEENSLAND 2 Mt. Nebo Brisbane Paluma 1 Nathan 3 Armidale Ebor 6,7,8 4,5 NEW SOUTH WALES Distribution of Jalmenus evagoras AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL Sydney TERRITORY 9 Canberra VICTORIA 10 11,12 13 Melbourne 0200400 Fig. 1 Distribution of Jalmenus evagoras km and localities from which ant species were collected. J. EVOL. BIOL. 15 (2002) 861–870 ª 2002 BLACKWELL SCIENCE LTD Ant preference in a myrmecophilous butterfly 863 Table 1 Summary of material collected to assess levels of oviposition discrimination exhibited by Jalmenus evagoras butterflies in response to ants. The outcome of each experiment is summarized in the far righthand column. Geographical distance refers to the approximate geographical distance separating each test ant collection locality from the butterfly population used in the experiment. All ant species except I. purpureus and F. kirbii naturally attend J. evagoras. Butterfly locality Treatment Ant locality Geographical Experiment (site no.)* offered (site no.)* distance (km) Outcome Experiment I: Mt. Nebo I. anceps Mt. Nebo (2) 0 Butterflies discriminate Choice of (2) I. rufoniger Mt. Nebo (2) 1 between ant species; prefer attendant and I. purpureus Mt. Nebo (2) 1 attendant I. anceps over nonattendant F. kirbii Paluma (1) 1200 I. rufoniger and nonattendant ant species ant species (Table 2) Experiment II: Nathan I. anceps Nathan (3) 0 Butterflies discriminate Choice of local (3) I. rufoniger Armidale (7) 350 between treatments; prefer and foreign (two trials) I. anceps Canberra (9) 950 local I. anceps over attendant ant No ant – – I. rufoniger and foreign species I. anceps (Fig. 2) Experiment III: Nathan I. anceps Nathan (3) 0 Butterflies do not show Choice of (3) I. anceps Mt. Nebo (2) 30 clear or consistent local and (three trials) I. anceps Ebor (4) 350 preference; when foreign No ant – – preference shown, local attendant ant ant always among populations Ebor I. anceps Ebor (4) 0 preferred populations (4) I. anceps Nathan (3) 350 (Fig. 3) (two trials) I. anceps Mt. Nebo (2) 350 No ant – – Experiment IV: Armidale/Ebor I. rufoniger Armidale/Ebor (5–8) 0 Naı¨ve butterflies prefer
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