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Seasonal effects of density on territory occupation by males of the satyrine butterfly Paryphthimoides phronius (Butler 1867)

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Abstract

Territorial defense in butterflies may be related to both population density and climatic conditions. If these factors change throughout the year, males are expected to adaptively adjust their behavior in order to maximize reproductive success. In this study, we analyzed the annual dynamics of territory occupation by males of the satyrine butterfly Paryphthimoides phronius at a mildly seasonal subtropical site in southeastern Brazil. We investigated the relationship between the number of defended sites, number of males disputing mating areas, proportion of males adopting alternative mate-locating tactics, and the proportion of time invested in territorial disputes with annual variations in temperature and male density. We found little support for the influence of temperature on the dynamics of territory occupation. On the other hand, the number of defended sites increased with male density, whereas the number of males inside each territory, the proportion of satellite males, and the proportion of time spent in territorial disputes were unrelated to variations in population abundance. Territory defense seems to be adopted whenever possible. We conclude that, instead of increasing the number of individuals disputing the same territory during months of high population abundance, males apparently opt to colonize and defend new and, maybe, suboptimal areas.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Marcelo O. Gonzaga, Bruno A. Buzatto, André Victor L. Freitas, Darrel J. Kemp, and two anonymous referees for their careful revision and helpful comments on the manuscript. The Fundação José Pedro de Oliveira kindly permitted field studies at the Santa Genebra Municipal Reserve. Paulo Enrique Cardoso Peixoto was supported by graduate fellowships from the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES).

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  1. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, C.P. 6109, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083-970, Brazil

    Paulo Enrique Cardoso Peixoto & Woodruff Whitman Benson

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  1. Paulo Enrique Cardoso Peixoto
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  2. Woodruff Whitman Benson
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Correspondence to Paulo Enrique Cardoso Peixoto.

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Peixoto, P.E.C., Benson, W.W. Seasonal effects of density on territory occupation by males of the satyrine butterfly Paryphthimoides phronius (Butler 1867). J Ethol 27, 489–496 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-008-0147-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-008-0147-3

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