Abstract
This research will study life history evolution of African butterflies in the genus Lepidochrysops. Unlike 99% of Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies), the species in this genus are phyto-predaceous: caterpillars initially feed on flowers, but eventually drop to the ground where they are carried by ants into the brood chamber of the nest. Here they either eat the brood directly, or are fed mouth-to-mouth like cuckoos for the remainder of their development. The some 120 species of Lepidochrysops are all thought to be phyto-predaceous. Preliminary results using stable isotope analyses to measure trophic status suggest that this may not be true, and we propose to expand our sampling to analyze feeding behavior throughout the genus. We will investigate the evolution of phyto-predation in a phylogenetic framework by inferring the evolutionary history of all the main lineages using molecular characters, and then applying comparative methods to assess life history evolution and diversification patterns in the group. In making collections, we will also assess distribution patterns of different taxa, and use this information to examine the effects of anthropogenic and climate change. The life histories of African Lepidochrysops are very similar to those of Palearctic Maculinea species, many of which are the focus of considerable conservation attention. Probably as a consequence of their complex life histories, the butterflies are amongst the first to be threatened when habitat is destroyed as a result of human interference; one species of Lepidochrysops is already recorded as extinct. However, Lepidochrysops species parasitize ants in the subfamily Formicinae, whereas Maculinea species parasitize Myrmicinae, and this difference is likely to shape their population dynamics. Our results will therefore be of great interest in a comparative framework, and will assist in establishing guidelines for conservation and management of these specialized insects, their hosts and habitats.
Norway