Early Stages and Natural History of Mimoides pausanias prasinus and M. euryleon clusoculis (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae) from Costa Rica.

An extensive search for larvae was carried out in the lowland Caribbean side of Costa Rica in 2006 and 2007 to find valuable taxonomic information concerning Mimoides swallowtails. Females of Mimoides pausanias prasinus were observed laying eggs on a tree of Annona amazonica R. E. Fr. and Mimoides euryleon clusoculis on a tree of Rollinia pittieri Saff. The live material was reared at the Insect Museum of the University of Costa Rica on their respective host-plant. Both species share very similar color patterns on larvae and pupal shape. M. pausanias lasted 48 days from egg oviposition to adult emerging while M. euryleon lasted 51 days.

APROXIMACIÓN AL ESTUDIO DE LA INTERACCIÓN ENTRE Aristolochia maxima Y LARVAS DE LAS MARIPOSAS Battus polydamas polydamas Y Parides panares erythrus MEDIADA POR ÁCIDOS ARISTOLÓQUICOS / Approach to the Interaction Studies of Aristolochia maxima and the Caterpillars of Butterflies Battus polydamas polydamas and Parides panares erythrus

Las mariposas de la tribu Troidini (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) capturan los ácidos aristolóquicos (AAs) provenientes de su alimentación larval en plantas de Aristolochiaceae para su protección. En este estudio se detectó la presencia de los ácidos aristóloquicos I y II (AAI y AAII) en hojas jóvenes de Aristolochia maxima (Aristolochiaceae) y en larvas de las mariposas Battus polydamas polydamas y Parides panares erythrus (Papilionidae, Papilioninae) por Cromatografía Líquida de Alta Eficiencia (CLAE). De acuerdo con los resultados de los perfiles cromatógraficos por CLAE, el AAI fue el ácido aristolóquico mayoritario encontrado tanto en las larvas como en las hojas jóvenes de la planta, seguido por cantidades menores del AAII. Estos resultados permiten afirmar que la interacción plantaanimal entre las mariposas de las especies B. polydamas y P. panares y las plantas de A. maxima, está mediada, por los ácidos aristóloquicos I y II.

Most butterflies of the tribe Troidini (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) sequester aristolochic acids (AA) for their protection. These acids are derived from their host plants family Aristolochiaceae upon which they feed on during their larval stages. Using analytical High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) methods we were able to detect the presence of aristolochic acids I and II both in the young leaves of Aristolochia maxima (Aristolochiaceae) and in the caterpillars of the butterflies Battus polydamas polydamas and Parides panares erythrus (Papilionidae, Papilioninae). Aristolochic acid I was the major constituent found, followed by lesser amounts of Aristoloquic acid II. These results confirm that the hostanimal interaction among butterflies of the studied species and A. maxima plants is mediated, by aristolochic acids.

Population biology of Parides anchises nephalion (Papilionidae) in a coastal site in Southeast Brazil

A population of Parides anchises nephalion was studied during seven months in SE Brazil. The population size was about 10-20 individuals (with theoretic maximum near 60 individuals), with small variations in some months. Sex ratio was male biased, with males dominating in all months. The age structure was not stable, with an increase in new individuals before the population peak in December. The residence time was 14.1 ± 8.2 days for males and 9.0 ± 3.6 to females, with the maximum registered of 30 days. Males can travel distances of up to 400 m, but most individuals were always recaptured in the same site. The mean forewing length was greater in females. The population features agree with those found in other species of Parides in other neotropical sites.

Uma população de Parides anchises nephalion foi estudada ao longo de sete meses no Sudeste do Brasil. O tamanho populacional variou em torno de 10-20 indivíduos (com um máximo teórico próximo a 60 indivíduos), com pequenas variações em alguns meses. A razão sexual foi desviada para excesso de machos, com estes sendo dominantes em todos os meses. A estrutura etária não foi estável, com um aumento dos indivíduos novos antes do pico populacional em dezembro. O tempo de residência foi de 14,1 ± 8,2 dias para machos e 9,0 ± 3,6 dias para fêmeas, com um máximo registrado de 30 dias. Os machos podem se deslocar por distâncias superiores a 400 m, entretanto, a maioria dos indivíduos foi recapturada sempre no mesmo local. O comprimento médio das asas anteriores foi maior nas fêmeas. As características da população estão de acordo com aquelas descritas para outras espécies de Parides em outros sítios Neotropicais.