Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
J Insect Sci. 2010;10:209. doi: 10.1673/031.010.20901.
Larvae of three species of hairstreak butterflies in the subfamily Theclinae (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) were found feeding on developing inflorescences, flower buds, and immature fruits of the velvet tree, Miconia calvescens DC. (Myrtales: Melastomataceae) in Costa Rica. Erora opisena (Druce), Parrhasius polibetes (Cramer), and Temecla paron (Godman and Salvin) were studied in association with M. calvescens, an uncommon tree in its natural range in the neotropics and a target for biocontrol as an invader in Pacific islands. Host plant use by the three theclines was similar, with eggs being laid on inflorescences and cryptic larvae remaining there throughout development. Feeding damage by E. opisena was most abundant in pre-flowering M. calvescens, when 23% of inflorescences showed feeding damage characteristic of this species. Feeding damage by T. paron peaked at flowering, when 30% of inflorescences were affected. At field sites, E. opisena and T. paron damaged an average of 26 and 18% of each attacked inflorescence, respectively. In cage experiments, individual third- and fourth-instar larvae of E. opisena damaged an average of 24 and 21% of an inflorescence before pupating, respectively. This study provides the first host plant record for E. opisena and T. paron, the first record of P. polibetes feeding on Melastomataceae, and the first records of E. opisena and T. paron presence in Costa Rica.
三种线蛱蝶幼虫（鳞翅目：蛱蝶科）在 Theclinae 亚科中被发现以绒桐树（Miconia calvescens DC.）的花序、花蕾和未成熟果实为食，绒桐树属于桃金娘目：桃金娘科。在哥斯达黎加，研究了 Erora opisena（Druce）、Parrhasius polibetes（Cramer）和 Temecla paron（Godman 和 Salvin）与绒桐树之间的关系，绒桐树在其天然分布的新热带地区是一种罕见的树种，也是作为入侵物种在太平洋岛屿上进行生物控制的目标。这三种线蛱蝶对寄主植物的利用相似，卵产在花序上，隐蔽的幼虫在整个发育过程中都留在花序上。E. opisena 的取食损害在绒桐树开花前最为丰富，此时 23%的花序显示出这种物种的取食损害特征。T. paron 的取食损害在开花时达到高峰，此时 30%的花序受到影响。在野外，E. opisena 和 T. paron 分别平均损坏了 26%和 18%的每个受攻击的花序。在笼养实验中，E. opisena 的三龄和四龄幼虫个体分别在化蛹前平均损坏花序的 24%和 21%。本研究首次记录了 E. opisena 和 T. paron 的寄主植物，首次记录了 P. polibetes 对线形科的取食，以及首次记录了 E. opisena 和 T. paron 在哥斯达黎加的存在。
