Dejean Alain, Azémar Frédéric, Libert Michel, Compin Arthur, Hérault Bruno, Orivel Jérôme, Bouyer Thierry, Corbara Bruno
Ecolab, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, UPS-ECOLAB, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse, France.
CNRS, UMR EcoFoG, AgroParisTech, Cirad, INRA, Université des Antilles, Université de Guyane, 97310, Kourou, France.
Naturwissenschaften. 2017 Feb;104(1-2):7. doi: 10.1007/s00114-016-1424-6. Epub 2016 Dec 29.
Working along forest edges, we aimed to determine how some caterpillars can co-exist with territorially dominant arboreal ants (TDAAs) in tropical Africa. We recorded caterpillars from 22 lepidopteran species living in the presence of five TDAA species. Among the defoliator and/or nectarivorous caterpillars that live on tree foliage, the Pyralidae and Nymphalidae use their silk to protect themselves from ant attacks. The Notodontidae and lycaenid Polyommatinae and Theclinae live in direct contact with ants; the Theclinae even reward ants with abundant secretions from their Newcomer gland. Lichen feeders (lycaenid; Poritiinae), protected by long bristles, also live among ants. Some lycaenid Miletinae caterpillars feed on ant-attended membracids, including in the shelters where the ants attend them; Lachnocnema caterpillars use their forelegs to obtain trophallaxis from their host ants. Caterpillars from other species live inside weaver ant nests. Those of the genus Euliphyra (Miletinae) feed on ant prey and brood and can obtain trophallaxis, while those from an Eberidae species only prey on host ant eggs. Eublemma albifascia (Erebidae) caterpillars use their thoracic legs to obtain trophallaxis and trophic eggs from ants. Through transfer bioassays of last instars, we noted that herbivorous caterpillars living in contact with ants were always accepted by alien conspecific ants; this is likely due to an intrinsic appeasing odor. Yet, caterpillars living in ant shelters or ant nests probably acquire cues from their host colonies because they were considered aliens and killed. We conclude that co-evolution with ants occurred similarly in the Heterocera and Rhopalocera.
在森林边缘开展研究时，我们旨在确定一些毛虫如何在热带非洲与具有领地优势的树栖蚂蚁（TDAAs）共存。我们记录了生活在5种TDAA物种存在情况下的22种鳞翅目毛虫。在以树叶为食的食叶毛虫和/或食蜜毛虫中，螟蛾科和蛱蝶科毛虫利用它们的丝来保护自己免受蚂蚁攻击。舟蛾科以及灰蝶科眼灰蝶亚科和锯灰蝶亚科毛虫与蚂蚁直接接触；锯灰蝶亚科毛虫甚至会用新客腺分泌的大量分泌物来回报蚂蚁。以地衣为食的毛虫（灰蝶科；孔弄蝶亚科）受到长刚毛的保护，也生活在蚂蚁中间。一些灰蝶科长腹灰蝶亚科毛虫以蚂蚁照料的角蝉为食，包括在蚂蚁照料它们的庇护所中；刺胫弄蝶属毛虫用前腿从寄主蚂蚁那里获取交哺。其他物种的毛虫生活在织叶蚁巢内。优弄蝶属（长腹灰蝶亚科）毛虫以蚂蚁的猎物和幼虫为食，并能获得交哺，而埃螟蛾科一个物种的毛虫只捕食寄主蚂蚁的卵。白斑优夜蛾（埃螟蛾科）毛虫用胸足从蚂蚁那里获取交哺和营养卵。通过对末龄幼虫进行转移生物测定，我们注意到与蚂蚁接触生活的食草毛虫总是能被同种的外来蚂蚁接受；这可能是由于一种内在的安抚气味。然而，生活在蚂蚁庇护所或蚁巢中的毛虫可能从它们的寄主蚁群那里获得了线索，因为它们被视为外来者并被杀死。我们得出结论，异角亚目和锤角亚目与蚂蚁的协同进化方式相似。
