Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Kin recognition in immatures of Heliconius erato phyllis (Lepidoptera; Nymphalidae)

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Journal of Ethology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Females of the neotropical butterfly Heliconius erato phyllis lay eggs individually, which, after hatching into caterpillars, can be cannibalistic towards neighboring eggs. Laboratory experiments were conducted to test for kin recognition between first instar caterpillars and eggs. Two experiments were performed, putting three eggs in the vertices of an equilateral triangle made of green paper with side length of 0.5 cm. In the first experiment, two of the three eggs were full siblings; in the second experiment, one group consisted of three eggs from three independent nonrelated females, and in the other group all three eggs were full siblings. The frequency of cannibalism in experiment 1 (SSN, sibling–sibling–nonsibling) was 66% for nonrelated eggs and 34% for sibling eggs (P = 0.0018). In experiment 2, in group NNN (three nonsibling eggs) it was 83%, and for group SSS (three sibling eggs), the frequency of cannibalism was 53% (P < 0.0001). These results indicate kin recognition (caterpillar–egg). This recognition may have been important in the evolution of some of the butterfly’s adaptations, and possibly as an opportunity for kin selection.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Barros-Bellanda HCH, Zucoloto FS (2001) Influence of chorion ingestion on the performance of Ascia monuste and its association with cannibalism. Ecol Entomol 26:557–561

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barros-Bellanda HCH, Zucoloto FS (2005) Egg cannibalism in Ascia monuste in the field; opportunistic, preferential and very frequent. J Ethol 23:133–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blaustein AR (1983) Kin recognition mechanisms: phenotypic matching or recognition alleles? Am Nat 121:749–754

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boots M (1998) Cannibalism and the stage-dependent transmission of a viral pathogen of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella. Ecol Entomol 23:118–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brower L (1961) Experimental analyses of egg cannibalism in the Monarch and Queen butterflies, Danaus plexippus and D. gilippus berenice. Physiol Zool 34:287–296

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown KS Jr (1981) The biology of Heliconius and related genera. Annu Rev Entomol 26:427–456

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown KS Jr, Mielke OHH (1972) The heliconians of Brazil (Lepidoptera; Nymphalidae). Part II. Introduction and general comments, with a supplementary revision of the tribe. Zoologica 57:1–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Buczkowski G, Silverman J (2005) Context-dependent nestmate discrimination and the effect of action thresholds on exogenous cue recognition in the Argentina ant. Anim Behav 69:741–749

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman JW, Williams T, Escribano A, Caballero P, Cave RD, Goulson D (1999a) Fitness consequences of cannibalism in the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. Behav Ecol 10:298–303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman JW, Williams T, Escribano A, Caballero P, Cave RD, Goulson D (1999b) Age-related cannibalism and horizontal transmission of a nuclear polyhedrosis virus in larval Spodoptera frugiperda. Ecol Entomol 24:268–275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman JW, Williams T, Martínez AM, Cisneros J, Caballero P, Cave RD, Goulson D (2000) Does cannibalism in Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) reduce the risk of predation? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 48:321–327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawkins R (1976) The selfish gene. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Dennehy JJ, Robakiewicz P, Livdahl T (2001) Larval rearing conditions affect kin-mediated cannibalism in a treehole mosquito. Oikos 95:335–339

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dethier VG (1937) Cannibalism among lepidopterous larvae. Psyche 44:110–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Di Mare RA, Araújo AM (1986) A first survey of inbreeding effects in Heliconius erato phyllis (Lepidoptera; Nymphalidae). Rev Bras Genet 9:11–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobler R, Kölliker M (2010) Kin-selected siblicide and cannibalism in the European earwig. Behav Ecol 21:257–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drummond BA III (1984) Multiple mating and sperm competition in the Lepidoptera. In: Smith RL (ed) Sperm competition and the evolution of animal mating systems. Academic, London, pp 291–370

    Google Scholar 

  • Elgar MA, Crespi BJ (1992) Cannibalism. Ecology and evolution among diverse taxa. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Flanagan NS, Tobler A, Davison A, Pybus OG, Kapan DD, Planas S, Linares M, Heckel D, McMillan WO (2004) Historical demography of Müllerian mimicry in the neotropical Heliconius butterflies. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101:9704–9709

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fox LR (1975) Cannibalism in natural populations. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 6:87–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gallucci F, Ólafsson E (2007) Cannibalistic behaviour of rock-pool copepods: an experimental approach for space, food and kinship. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 342:325–331

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garcias GL (1983) Aspectos da Biologia Populacional de Cinco Espécies de Heliconíneos do Anel Mimético “Laranja” (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae). PhD Dissertation, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre

  • Gilbert LE (1975) Ecological consequences of a coevolved mutualism between butterflies and plants. In: Gilbert LE, Raven PH (eds) Coevolution of animals and plants. University of Texas Press, Austin, pp 210–240

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert LE (1982) The coevolution of a butterfly and a vine. Sci Am 247:110–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green WW, Mirza RS, Pyle GG (2008) Kin recognition and cannibalistic behaviours by adult male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Naturwissenschaften 95:269–272

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton WD (1964) The genetic evolution of social behaviour. I. J Theor Biol 7:1–16

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hare JF, Eisner T (1995) Cannibalistic caterpillars (Utetheisa ornatrix; Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) fail to differentiate between eggs on the basis of kinship. Psyche 102:27–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joseph SB, Snyder WE, Moore AJ (1999) Cannibalizing Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) larvae use endogenous cues to avoid eating relatives. J Evol Biol 12:792–797

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joyner K, Gould F (1985) Developmental consequences of cannibalism in Heliothis zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Ann Entomol Soc Am 78:24–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Klowden MJ (2007) Physiological systems in insects, 2nd edn. Academic, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Lizé A, Carval D, Cortesero AM, Fournet S, Poinsot D (2006) Kin discrimination and altruism in the larvae of a solitary insect. Proc R Soc B 273:2381–2386

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mallet J (1986) Dispersal and gene flow in a butterfly with home range behavior: Heliconius erato (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Oecologia 68:210–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michaud JP (2003) A comparative study of larval cannibalism in three species of ladybird. Ecol Entomol 28:92–101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mugrabi-Oliveira E, Moreira GRP (1996) Size of and damage on shoots of Passiflora suberosa (Passifloraceae) influence oviposition site selection of Heliconius erato phyllis (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae). Rev Bras Zool 13:939–953

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nowak MA, Tarnita CE, Wilson EO (2010) The evolution of eusociality. Nature 466:1057–1062

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Osawa N (1989) Sibling and non-sibling cannibalism by larvae of a lady beetle Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in the field. Res Popul Ecol 31:153–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pfennig DW (1997) Kinship and cannibalism. Bioscience 47:667–675

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pierce NE (1995) Predatory and parasitic Lepidoptera: carnivores living on plants. J Lepid Soc 49:412–453

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed DJ, Begon M, Thompson DJ (1996) Differential cannibalism and population dynamics in a host-parasitoid system. Oecologia 105:189–193

    Google Scholar 

  • Schweitzer DF (1979) Predatory behaviour in Lithophane querquera and other spring caterpillars. J Lepid Soc 33:129–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Sigsgaard L, Greenstone MH, Duffield SJ (2002) Egg cannibalism in Helicoverpa armigera on sorghum and pigeonpea. Biocontrol 47:151–165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva LM, Araújo AM (1994) The genetic structure of Heliconius erato populations (Lepidoptera; Nymphalidae). Rev Bras Genet 17:19–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokal RR, Rohlf FJ (1995) Biometry, 3rd edn. W.H. Freeman, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner JRG (1981) Adaptation and evolution in Heliconius: a defense of Neodarwinism. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 12:99–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zago-Braga RC, Zucoloto FS (2004) Cannibalism studies on eggs and newly hatched caterpillars in a wild population of Ascia monuste (Godart) (Lepidoptera, Pieridae). Rev Bras Entomol 48:415–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank all who helped breed the individuals in the insectaries and with laboratory work (André Luis Klein, Gabriela Pasqualim, and Nicolás Oliveira Mega). We also thank our colleagues André Luis Klein and Rodrigo De Nardin for reading a first draft of this paper critically. Criticisms of two anonymous referees, especially from one of them, were of great importance to improve our paper. We thank Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for financial support and for granting a Scientific Initiation scholarship (PIBIC CNPq/UFRGS program) to one of the authors (J.D.N.).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Laboratório de Genética Ecológica, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Prédio 43323, sala 207, Cx. Postal 15053, CEP 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Janaína De Nardin & Aldo Mellender de Araújo

Authors
  1. Janaína De Nardin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Aldo Mellender de Araújo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aldo Mellender de Araújo.

About this article

Cite this article

De Nardin, J., de Araújo, A.M. Kin recognition in immatures of Heliconius erato phyllis (Lepidoptera; Nymphalidae). J Ethol 29, 499–503 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-011-0272-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-011-0272-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation