ABSTRACT

The natural history and morphology of two sympatric species of Rubiaceae-feeding metalmark butterflies, Mesosemia m. machaera and Mesosemia philocles jeziela, are described and illustrated using both light and scanning electron microscopy. These species use the same Rubiaceae host plant species and have similar life cycles. Single eggs are laid on old leaves, caterpillars are solitary, and pupation occurs off the host plant. Differences occur during ontogeny with caterpillars using different host plant parts, M. m. machaera feeds on the abaxial leaf surface and M. philocles jeziela on the new leaves and adaxial surface. There is also variation in the number of instars, size and number of setae and details in larval and pupal color patterns. Caterpillars are non-myrmecophilous and have defense-related tentacle nectary organs (TNOs), the functionality of this organ in pupae is recorded for the first time. These results show that although similar, subtle differences exist in the Mesosemia life cycles.

摘要

茜草科取食金属斑蝶的两种同域物种的自然历史和形态，Mesosemia m。machaera和Mesosemia philocles jeziela，使用光学和扫描电子显微镜进行描述和说明。这些物种使用相同的茜草科寄主植物物种并且具有相似的生命周期。单个卵产在老叶上，毛虫是孤独的，化蛹发生在寄主植物之外。使用不同寄主植物部分的毛毛虫在个体发育过程中会出现差异，M. m. machaera以叶背面和M. philocles jeziela为食在新叶和近轴表面。星数、刚毛的大小和数量以及幼虫和蛹颜色图案的细节也存在差异。毛虫是非 myrmecophilous 并具有与防御相关的触手蜜腺器官 (TNO)，该器官在蛹中的功能首次被记录。这些结果表明，虽然相似，但在Mesosemia生命周期中存在细微差异。