Seminar Thursday 9th October 2003, at the Department of Population Ecology
Transmission, dispersal and the evolution of
Lycaenid butterfly – ant interactions
By
David Nash
Department of Population Ecology, University of Copenhagen
The family Lycaenidae (Blåfugl; the blues, coppers and hairstreaks) is one of the largest
butterfly families. A key feature of this family, which is almost certainly responsible for its
evolutionary success, is the association that many of its members have with ants. These
associations cover the entire range from facultative mutualism to parasitism. The host ant
colony in such interactions is usually large, long-lived and sedentary compared to the
butterflies with which it interacts. The dispersal strategy of the lycaenids will thus largely
determine whether subsequent generations are more likely to interact with the same host
colony (within-host transmission) or other host colonies (horizontal transmission). The
reproductive and dispersal strategy of the host colony will also influence the transmission
mode of the butterflies, with budding allowing vertical transmission while independent
colony foundation is more likely to promote horizontal transmission. In addition, the
“infection” of host ant colonies by lycaenid butterflies is likely to depend on their social
structure, since thresholds for recognition of “self” and “non-self” are expected to vary with
such features as queen mating frequency, number of queens and colony size.
In this presentation I will give a preliminary review of the association between the nature of
lycaenid-ant interactions (mutualistic or parasitic; facultative or specific) and the dispersal
strategies and social structure of both host ants and butterflies.
Place:
Thursday 9th October, at 15:00
Department of Population Ecology
Building 12, Kollokvierum 1, 1st floor
Universitetsparken 15
2100 København Ø