Elucidation of chemical adaptation of lycaenid butterfly larvae that have facultative mutualistic relationships with several species of ants

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25450487
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Insect science
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: OMURA Hisashi 広島大学, 生物圏科学研究科, 准教授 (60335635)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): WATANABE MICHIHITO 都留文科大学, 文学部, 非常勤講師 (20405088)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 任意的共生 / シジミチョウ幼虫 / アリ / 随伴行動 / 体表脂質 / 蜜腺分泌物 / 伸縮突起分泌物 / 化学分析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

For larvae of facultative myrmecophilous lycaenid butterflies, the mechanisms of chemical adaptation to circumvent ant predation and induce ant attending were investigated. Cuticular lipids of these larvae mainly consisted of linear alkanes and lacked mono-alkenes that strongly stimulated biting and attacking behavior from Formica japonica ants. Such cuticular lipid profiles would decrease the apparency of larvae toward ants and the predation risk by ants. Squalene secreted from tentacle organs of larvae was found to serve as a weak deterrent against ants. Lycaeides argyrognomom larvae have a dorsal nectar organ which secretes specific nectar containing 30 times higher sugar concentration than the nectar of Zizeeria maha larvae and including trisaccharides considered to be rare as natural resources. Since ants more preferentially tend L. argyrognomon than Z. maha, such sugar properties of larval nectar would contribute to attract ants and induce their long-time attending.

Free Research Field

化学生態学