Maschwitz Ulrich, Schroth Martin, Hänel Heinz, Pong Tho Yow
Fachbereich Biologie an der J.W. Goethe Universität, 6000, Frankfurt, Germany.
Oecologia. 1984 Sep;64(1):78-80. doi: 10.1007/BF00377547.
Many species of the paleotropic plant genus Macaranga (Euphorbiaceae) live in symbiosis with the ant genus Cremastogaster (Myrmicinae), especially with C. borneensis. The ants protect their plants from many herbivorous enemies. The plants provide food-bodies and nesting space in the internodes. In addition the ants care for honeydew producing scale insects in these spaces. The caterpillars of several species of the genus Arhopala (Lycaenidae) parasitize on this symbiosis system. With the aid of their myrmecophilic organs the caterpillars overcome the aggressivity of the ants and feed on the Macaranga leaves without disturbance. Moreover the caterpillars and their pupae are protected against parasites and predators by the ants. As the female butterflies oviposit the eggs only in low numbers upon young leaves, the plants are not seriously affected.The larvae of the three Arhopala species; A. amphimuta, A. moolaiana, and A. zylda are adapted to their host plant species Macaranga triloba, M. hulletti, and M. hypoleuca by means of color, shape, and behavior. In addition, the different larval stages change their appearance according to the parts of the plant on which they feed and rest. These cryptic adaptations point to a distinct monophagy of these butterflies.The state of phylogenetic relationship within the three lycaenids is parallel to the relationship among the three host plants.
许多泛热带植物血桐属（大戟科）的物种与举腹蚁属（切叶蚁亚科）的蚂蚁共生，特别是与婆罗洲举腹蚁共生。蚂蚁保护它们的植物免受许多食草敌人的侵害。植物在节间提供食物体和筑巢空间。此外，蚂蚁在这些空间照料分泌蜜露的介壳虫。阿波娆灰蝶属（灰蝶科）的几种毛虫寄生于这种共生系统。借助它们的嗜蚁器官，毛虫克服了蚂蚁的攻击性，在不受干扰的情况下取食血桐属植物的叶子。此外，毛虫及其蛹受到蚂蚁的保护，免受寄生虫和捕食者的侵害。由于雌蝶只在幼叶上少量产卵，植物不会受到严重影响。阿波娆灰蝶属的三个物种：A. amphimuta、A. moolaiana和A. zylda的幼虫通过颜色、形状和行为适应它们的寄主植物物种三裂血桐、胡氏血桐和白背血桐。此外，不同的幼虫阶段会根据它们取食和休息的植物部位改变外观。这些隐蔽的适应性表明这些蝴蝶具有明显的单食性。这三种灰蝶科蝴蝶的系统发育关系状态与三种寄主植物之间的关系平行。
