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Biodiversity and Conservation • Acta Amaz. 50 (3) • Jul-Sep 2020 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-4392202001801   copy

Oviposition of Minstrellus grandis (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) in a harmful ant-plant symbiosis

Oviposição de Minstrellus grandis (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) em uma perigosa simbiose formiga-planta

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

The oviposition behavior of the rare butterfly Minstrellus grandis (Callaghan, 1999) (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) is recorded for the first time. Two females laid eggs on the old leaves of an unidentified Triplaris Loefl. ex L. (Polygonaceae), a myrmecophytic plant typically known as ‘Triplaria’ or ‘novice’ tree, inhabited by aggressive ‘taxi’ ants of the genus Pseudomyrmex Lund. 1831 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). These observations suggest that M. grandis caterpillars live associated with one of the most harmful types of Amazon ant-plant symbiosis.

KEYWORDS:
Carnivory; myrmecophily; host plant selection; Pachythonina; social parasitism

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