Department of Zoology, Entomology Division, RTM Nagpur University Campus, Nagpur 440 033, India.
J Biosci. 2010 Dec;35(4):629-46. doi: 10.1007/s12038-010-0071-x.
Male mate location behaviour and encounter sites have been studied in 72 butterfly species at Nagpur, India, and related to taxonomy, morphology, habitat and population parameters. Species can be placed in three broad classes of mate location behaviour: invariant patrolling, invariant perching, and perch-patrol, the latter associated with increasing site fidelity, territorial defence and male assemblages. Significant taxonomic differences occur, closely related species tending to share mate location behaviours. Morphological differences are found with heavier and larger butterflies displaying greater site fidelity and territorial defence, and differences occur between individuals of species which both perch and patrol. Invariant patrolling is particularly associated with tracks through vegetation, host planttrack distributions, and high female to male numbers observed on transects; invariant perching is linked more to edge features than patrolling, and to lower population counts on transects. Species which perch-patrol, defend territories and establish male assemblages are associated with more complex vegetation structures, and have encounter sites at vegetation edges, landforms and predictable resource (host plant) concentrations. Attention is drawn to the importance of distinctive mate encounter sites for the conservation of butterfly species' habitats.
在印度那格浦尔的 72 种蝴蝶中，研究了雄性配偶定位行为和相遇地点，并将其与分类学、形态学、栖息地和种群参数相关联。物种可以分为三大类配偶定位行为：不变的巡逻、不变的栖息和栖息巡逻，后一种行为与越来越高的地点忠诚度、领地防御和雄性集合有关。存在显著的分类学差异，密切相关的物种往往具有相似的配偶定位行为。形态差异与较重和较大的蝴蝶有关，它们表现出更高的地点忠诚度和领地防御能力，而且在既栖息又巡逻的物种的个体之间也存在差异。不变的巡逻特别与穿过植被的痕迹、寄主植物痕迹的分布以及在横截面上观察到的雌性与雄性数量之比有关；不变的栖息与巡逻相比更多地与边缘特征有关，与横截面上的种群数量较低有关。栖息巡逻、防御领地和建立雄性集合的物种与更复杂的植被结构有关，并且在植被边缘、地貌和可预测的资源（寄主植物）集中地有相遇地点。需要注意的是，独特的配偶相遇地点对蝴蝶物种栖息地的保护具有重要意义。
