Abstract
Insect-plant interactions involve physiological adaptations by insects to secondary metabolic compounds synthetized by host plants, which are considered essential for the determination of resources partitioning of these insects. Data on such phenomena are important to understand evolutionary and ecological processes. However, climatic factors also seem to play a key role in affecting these patterns. The present study aimed to investigate the influence of seasonal variation on patterns of host plant use (Passifloraceae) by Heliconiini butterflies (Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae) at a Neotropical site in Southeastern Brazil. A total of 12 species of Heliconiini were reported, with nine of them being resident and using five species of Passiflora (Passifloraceae) as larval host plants. Three host plant species accounted for 97% of the total use, and the use varied along the seasons highlighting the plasticity boundaries in Heliconiini and possible limiting factors.
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Acknowledgements
To Keith S. Brown Jr. for valuable suggestions during all phases of the present study. To Neil Rosser, who revised and much improved the final version. To two anonymous referees that gave valuable suggestions for improving the manuscript. To Paulo Eduardo Costa for allowing the field work at the Parque Ecológico do Voturuá.
Funding
Financial support was provided by the CNPq (process 302585/2011-7 and 421248/2017-3), and by FAPESP (grant 2012/50260-6). This publication is part of the RedeLep ‘Rede Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Lepidópteros’ SISBIOTA Brasil/CNPq (563332/2010-7), and of the BIOTA-FAPESP Program (grants 2011/50225-3 and 2013/50297-0). RRR thank the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brazil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001. The present study is registered at the SISGEN: A2641E3.
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RRR and AVLF conceived the ideas; RRR performed most of the field work, with contributions of AVLF and RBF. RRR and RBF analyzed the data. RRR and AVLF led the writing, with contributions of all authors. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Ramos, R.R., Francini, R.B., Habib, M.ED.M. et al. Seasonal Patterns of Host Plant Use in an Assemblage of Heliconiini Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in a Neotropical forest. Neotrop Entomol 50, 358–365 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-021-00855-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-021-00855-5