Dussourd D E, Eisner T
Science. 1987 Aug 21;237(4817):898-901. doi: 10.1126/science.3616620.
Many mandibulate insects that feed on milkweeds, or other latex-producing plants, cut leaf veins before feeding distal to the cuts. Vein cutting blocks latex flow to intended feeding sites and can be viewed as an insect counteradaptation to the plant's defensive secretion. Experimental vein severance renders milkweed leaves edible to generalist herbivores that do not show vein-cutting behaviors and ordinarily ignore milkweeds in nature.
许多以马利筋或其他产乳胶植物为食的有颚昆虫，在取食切口远端之前会先切断叶脉。切断叶脉会阻止乳胶流向预期的取食部位，这可以被视为昆虫对植物防御性分泌物的一种反适应。实验性的叶脉切断使马利筋叶片对那些不表现出叶脉切断行为且在自然环境中通常忽略马利筋的广食性食草动物来说变得可食用。
