Behavioral, ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying caterpillar-ant symbioses

Naomi E Pierce; Even Dankowicz

doi:10.1016/j.cois.2022.100898

Behavioral, ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying caterpillar-ant symbioses

Curr Opin Insect Sci. 2022 Aug:52:100898. doi: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100898. Epub 2022 Mar 4.

Authors

Naomi E Pierce¹, Even Dankowicz²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA. Electronic address: npierce@oeb.harvard.edu.
² Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.

PMID: 35257969
DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100898

Abstract

At least 30 different groups in seventeen butterfly and moth families (Lepidoptera) include ant-associated caterpillars. The life histories of more than 900 ant-associated species have been documented from the butterfly families Lycaenidae and Riodinidae, with relationships ranging from parasitism to mutualism. Caterpillars that appear to secrete food rewards for ants are not necessarily mutualists, and a number of species are known to manipulate ants with deceptive chemical and vibratory signals. The functional variability of different exocrine glands deployed as 'ant organs' makes them prone to convergence, and it remains unclear whether ant association originated more than once in lycaenids and riodinids. The relative costs and benefits of caterpillar integration with ants is context dependent: both top-down and bottom-up effects influence the evolution of ant associations.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Animals
Ants*
Butterflies*
Predatory Behavior
Symbiosis