Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The influence of ants on patterns of colonization and establishment within a set of coexisting lycaenid butterflies in a south-east Asian tropical rain forest

  • Community Ecology
  • Published:
Oecologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In Peninsular Malaysia ten species of lycaenid butterflies use leaf flushes or inflorescences of the legume tree Saraca thaipingensis as larval hostplant. Resource partitioning among these species is regulated by a complex mixture of patterns of interaction with ants. Females of obligately myrmecophilous species lay their eggs exclusively on trees colonized by their specific host ants. On trees colonized by weaver ants, only specialist mutualists adapted to these territorial ants are able to survive, while larvae of other species are killed. The formicine ant Cladomyrma petalae, which inhabits hollow twigs of the myrmecophytic hostplant, likewise precludes oviposition by female butterflies. Lycaenid larvae confronted with this ant species never survive, but one concealed feeding species (Jamides caeruleus) escapes removal due to the cryptic life-habits of the larvae. Two facultative myrmecophiles associate in a mutualistic way with a wide and largely overlapping range of ant genera which forage at the extrafloral nectaries of leaf flushes. One species (Cheritra freja) is not myrmecophilous, but is tolerated by all but the most territorial ants. Ant-dependent hostplant selection and egg-clustering characterize the obligate mutualists, whereas facultative myrmecophiles and the non-myrmecophile distribute their eggs singly over appropriate hostplants. Signals mediating caterpillar-ant communication are highly specialized in one obligate myrmecophile (Drupadia theda), but rather unspecific in four other species tested. Altogether our observations indicate that colonization and establishment of lycaenid butterflies on S. thaipingensis trees are governed by specializations as well as opportunistic use of resources (ants and hostplant parts). Therefore, the diversity of this species assemblage is maintained by deterministic as well as stochastic factors.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Atsatt PR (1981) Lycaenid butterflies and ants: selection for enemy-free space. Am Nat 118:638–654

    Google Scholar 

  • Beattie AJ (1985) The evolutionary ecology of ant-plant mutualisms. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Benson WW (1985) Amazon ant-plants. In: Prance G, Lovejoy T (eds) Amazonia. Pergamon Press, Elmsford, pp 239–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolton B (1994) Identification guide to the ant genera of the world. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass

    Google Scholar 

  • Corner EJH (1988) Wayside trees of Malaya, 3rd edn, vol 1. Malayan Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur

    Google Scholar 

  • Cottrell CB (1984) Aphytophagy in butterflies: its relationship to myrmecophily. Zool J Linn Soc 79:1–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Cushman JH, Rashbrook VK, Beattie AJ (1994) Assessing benefits to both participants in a lycaenid-ant association. Ecology 75:1031–1041

    Google Scholar 

  • de Vries PJ (1991a) Evolutionary and ecological patterns in myrmecophilous riodinid butterflies. In: Huxley CR, Cutler DF (eds) Ant-plant interactions. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 143–156

    Google Scholar 

  • DeVries PJ (1991b) Mutualism between Thisbe irenea larvae and ants, and the role of ant ecology in the evolution of larval-ant associations. Biol J Linn Soc 43:179–195

    Google Scholar 

  • DeVries PJ, Baker I (1989) Butterfly exploitation of a plant-ant mutualism: adding insult to herbivory. J N Y Entomol Soc 97: 332–340

    Google Scholar 

  • Eliot JN (1992) The butterflies of the Malay Peninsula, 4th edn. Malayan Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiala B, Linsenmair KE (1995) Distribution and abundance of plants with extrafloral nectaries in the woody flora of a lowland primary forest in Malaysia. Biodivers Conserv 4:165–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiala B, Linsenmair KE, Maschwitz U (1994) Diversität von Interaktionen zwischen Ameisen und Pflanzen im südostasiatischen Regenwald. Andrias 13:169–178

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiedler K (1991) Systematic, evolutionary, and ecological implications of myrmecophily within the Lycaenidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Papilionoidae). Bonner Zool Monogr 31:1–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiedler K (1992) The life-history of Surendra florimel Doherty 1889 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in West Malaysia. Nachr Entomol Ver Apollo Frankfurt NF 13:107–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiedler K, Hölldobler B (1992) Ants and Polyommatus icarus immatures (Lycaenidae) — sex-related developmental benefits and costs of ant attendance. Oecologia 91:468–473

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiedler K, Maschwitz U (1988) Functional analysis of the myrmecophilous relationships between ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and lycaenids (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). II. Lycaenid larvae as trophobiotic partners of ants — a quantitative approach. Oecologia 75:204–206

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiedler K, Maschwitz U (1989a) Functional analysis of the myrmecophilous relationships between ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and lycaenids (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). I. Release of food recruitment in ants by lycaenid larvae and pupae. Ethology 80:71–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiedler K, Maschwitz U (1989b) The symbiosis between the weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina, and Anthene emolus, an obligate myrmecophilous lycaenid butterfly. J Nat Hist 23:833–846

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiedler K, Saam C (1995) Ants benefit from attending facultatively myrmecophilous Lycaenidae larvae: evidence from a survival study. Oecologia 104:316–322

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiedler K, Seufert P (1995) The mature larva and pupa of Semanga superba (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). Nachr Entomol Ver Apollo Frankfurt NF 16:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert LE (1984) The biology of butterfly communities. Symp R Entomol Soc Lond 11:41–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert LE, Singer MC (1975) Butterfly ecology. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 6:365–397

    Google Scholar 

  • Hochberg ME, Clarke RT, Elmes GW, Thomas JA (1994) Population dynamic consequences of direct and indirect interactions involving a large blue butterfly and its plant and red ant hosts. J Anim Ecol 63:375–391

    Google Scholar 

  • Hölldobler B, Wilson EO (1990) The ants. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass

    Google Scholar 

  • Horvitz CC, Schemske DW (1984) Effects of ants and an ant-tended herbivore on seed production of a neotropical herb. Ecology 65:1369–1378

    Google Scholar 

  • Huxley CR, Cutler DF (eds) (1991) Ant-plant interactions. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Janzen DH (1966) Coevolution of mutualism between ants and acacias in Central America. Evolution 20:249–275

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitching RL (1981) Egg clustering and the southern hemisphere lycaenids: comments on a paper by NE Stamp. Am Nat 118: 423–425

    Google Scholar 

  • Koptur S (1992) Extrafloral nectary-mediated interactions between insects and plants. In: Bernays E (ed) Insect-plant interactions, vol IV. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 82–129

    Google Scholar 

  • Maschwitz U, Wüst M, Schurian K (1975) Bläulingsraupen als Zuckerlieferanten für Ameisen. Oecologia 18:17–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Maschwitz U, Schroth M, Hänel H, Tho YP (1984) Lycaenids parasitizing symbiotic plant-ant partnerships. Oecologia 64:78–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Maschwitz U, Schroth M, Hänel H, Tho YP (1985) Aspects of the larval biology of myrmecophilous lycaenids from West Malaysia (Lepidoptera). Nachr Entomol Ver Apollo Frankfurt NF 6: 181–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Maschwitz U, Fiala B, Moog A, Saw LG (1991) Two new myrmecophytic associations from the Malay Peninsula: ants of the genus Cladomyrma (Formicidae: Camponotinae) as partners of Saraca thaipingensis (Caesalpiniaceae) and Crypteronia griffithii (Crypteroniaceae). Insectes Soc 38:27–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Medway L (1972) Phenology of a tropical rainforest in Malaya. Biol J Linn Soc 4:117–146

    Google Scholar 

  • Moog J, Maschwitz U (1994) Associations of Cladomyrma (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) with plants in SE Asia. In: Lenoir A, Arnold G, Lepage M (eds) Les insects sociaux. Université Paris Nord, Paris, p 173

    Google Scholar 

  • Nash DR (1989) Cost-benefit analysis of a mutualism between lycaenid butterflies and ants. DPhil thesis, University of Oxford, Oxford

  • Peterson MA (1993) The nature of ant attendance and the survival of larval Icaricia acmon (Lycaenidae). J Lepid Soc 47:8–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierce NE (1983) The ecology and evolution of symbioses between lycaenid butterflies and ants. PhD thesis, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass

  • Pierce NE (1984) Amplified species diversity: a case study of an Australian lycaenid butterfly and its attendant ants. Symp R Entomol Soc Lond 11:197–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierec NE, Easteal S (1986) The selective advantage of attendant ants for the larvae of a lycaenid butterfly, Glaucopsyche lygdamus. J Anim Ecol 55:451–462

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierce NE, Elgar MA (1985) The influence of ants on host plant selection by Jalmenus evagoras, a myrmecophilous lycaenid butterfly. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 16:209–222

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierce NE, Kitching RL, Buckley RC, Taylor MFJ, Benbow KF (1987) The costs and benefits of cooperation between the Australian lycaenid butterfly, Jalmenus evagoras, and its attendant ants. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 21:237–248

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierce NE, Nash DR, Baylis M, Carper ER (1991) Variation in the attractiveness of lycaenid butterfly larvae to ants. In: Huxley CR, Cutler DF (eds) Ant-plant interactions. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 131–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Sachs L (1992) Angewandte Statistik, 7th edn. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Samson PR, O'Brian CF (1981) Predation on Ogyris genoveva (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) by meat ants. Austr Entomol Mag 8:21

    Google Scholar 

  • Vane-Wright RI (1978) Ecological and behavioural orgins of diversity in butterflies. Symp R Entomol Soc Lond 9:56–70

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner D (1993) Species-specific effects of tending ants on the development of lycaenid butterfly larvae. Oecologia 96:276–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner D (1994) Species-specific effects of tending ants on the life history of Hemiargus isola, a North American lycaenid butterfly. PhD thesis, Princeton University, Princeton

  • Way MJ (1963) Mutualism between ants and honeydew-producing Homoptera. Annu Rev Entomol 8:307–344

    Google Scholar 

  • Way MJ, Cammel ME, Bolton B, Kanagaratnam P (1989) Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as egg predators of coconut pests, especially in relation to biological control of the coconut caterpillar, Opisina arenosella Walker (Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae), in Sri Lanka. Bull Entomol Res 79:219–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitmore TC (1988) Forest types and forest zonation. In: Cranbrook Earl of (ed) Key environments: Malaysia. Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp 20–30

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Konrad Fiedler

    Present address: Zoologie II, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, D-97074, Würzburg, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lehrstuhl für Verhaltensphysiologie und Soziobiologie, Theodor-Boveri-Biozentrum der Universität, Am Hubland, D-97074, Wurzburg, Germany

    Peter Seufert & Konrad Fiedler

Authors
  1. Peter Seufert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Konrad Fiedler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Seufert, P., Fiedler, K. The influence of ants on patterns of colonization and establishment within a set of coexisting lycaenid butterflies in a south-east Asian tropical rain forest. Oecologia 106, 127–136 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00334414

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00334414

Key words

Search

Navigation