Long Elizabeth C, Hahn Thomas P, Shapiro Arthur M
Center for Population Biology, University of California Davis Davis, California ; Entomology Section, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Los Angeles, California ; UCLA La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California Los Angeles, California.
Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California Davis Davis, California.
Ecol Evol. 2014 Dec;4(23):4543-52. doi: 10.1002/ece3.1308. Epub 2014 Nov 20.
Checkerspot butterflies in the genera Euphydryas and Chlosyne exhibit phenotypic polymorphisms along a well-defined latitudinal and elevational gradient in California. The patterns of phenotypic variation in Euphydryas chalcedona, Chlosyne palla, and Chlosyne hoffmanni suggest a mimetic relationship; in addition, the specific patterns of variation in C. palla suggest a female-limited polymorphic mimicry system (FPM). However, the existence of polymorphic models runs counter to predictions of mimicry theory. Palatability trials were undertaken to assess whether or not the different color morphs of each species were distasteful or toxic to a generalized avian predator, the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). Results indicate that the black morph of E. chalcedona is distasteful, but not toxic, to predators, while the red morph is palatable. C . hoffmanni and both color morphs of C. palla are palatable to predators. Predators that learn to reject black E. chalcedona also reject black C. palla, suggesting that the latter is a FPM of the former. C. hoffmanni does not appear to be involved in this mimetic relationship.
优蚬蝶属（Euphydryas）和金堇蛱蝶属（Chlosyne）的花斑蝶在加利福尼亚州呈现出沿明确的纬度和海拔梯度的表型多态性。金堇蛱蝶（Euphydryas chalcedona）、苍白金堇蛱蝶（Chlosyne palla）和霍夫曼金堇蛱蝶（Chlosyne hoffmanni）的表型变异模式表明存在拟态关系；此外，苍白金堇蛱蝶的特定变异模式表明存在雌性受限的多态拟态系统（FPM）。然而，多态模型的存在与拟态理论的预测相悖。进行了适口性试验，以评估每个物种的不同颜色形态对一种常见的鸟类捕食者——欧洲椋鸟（Sturnus vulgaris）是否难吃或有毒。结果表明，金堇蛱蝶的黑色形态对捕食者来说难吃但无毒，而红色形态则可口。霍夫曼金堇蛱蝶以及苍白金堇蛱蝶的两种颜色形态对捕食者来说都是可口的。学会拒绝黑色金堇蛱蝶的捕食者也会拒绝黑色苍白金堇蛱蝶，这表明后者是前者的一种雌性受限多态拟态。霍夫曼金堇蛱蝶似乎未参与这种拟态关系。
