封面照片:达摩凤蝶Papilio demoleus L.

本期封面为达摩凤蝶。该蝶翅表黑褐色,前、后翅外缘波状,边缘具1列淡黄色点,两性的翅基部均无尾状突。前翅背面基部有许多细碎淡黄色点,组成多条横线;亚外缘具9个成列的淡黄色斑;前缘至后缘有大小不同的淡黄色斑1 4个,其中3个在中室内的端半部。后翅亚外缘有成列的6个淡黄斑;前缘至臀缘有大形连片的淡黄色斑;近前缘中部有1个蓝黑色眼斑;臀角处有1个红色椭圆斑,该斑上部蓝色(雌蝶蓝斑较大)。前翅腹面近顶角具黄斑,基部有黄色带状纹;后翅腹面中域为棕色斑和黑点斑占据。国内分布于湖北、江西、浙江、福建、广东、广西、云南、贵州、台湾;国外…     

Population studies and conservation of Jamaica’s endangered swallowtail butterfly Papilio (Pterourus) homerus

This is an 18-year study of the endangered Papilio (Pterourus) homerus, adding substantial information to our scanty knowledge of its ecology. The contraction of a once contiguous but narrow population on a single Caribbean island carries the serious threat of extinction. There are now two populations or probably metapopulations, effectively isolated from each other. The butterfly’s larvae feed on Hernandia catalpaefolia and H. jamaicensis, both endemic to Jamaica, and development takes ～84 days from egg to the emerged adult. Adult numbers fluctuate rapidly, with peaks in July/August each year. Egg distribution was studied at three spatial levels: the food item (leaf cluster), the patch (tree) and the habitat (each valley). Major causes of developmental mortality were Chrysonotomyia, a eulophid parasitoid of the eggs, and bacterial infection of the larvae and pupae. Critically, the mortality from this wasp was lower in undisturbed forest than in the area disturbed by agriculture, this finding having important consequences for conservation. Although there was no evidence of a decline in numbers over the last century, we believe this is an artefact due to collectors working only at the periphery of its distribution. Even assuming that its population densities have not changed, the contraction of its usable habitat implies a similar reduction in average numbers and the small populations are susceptible to disaster. The efforts of researchers, NGOs, and Government agencies have greatly increased the level of awareness, making the people in some key areas the ‘protectors of the species’.     

Salicaceae detoxification abilities in Florida tiger swallowtail butterflies (Papilio glaucus maynardi Gauthier): Novel ability or Pleistocene holdover?

Abstract Florida populations of the eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly, Papilio glaucus L., have unique morphological features and ecological adaptations that have contributed to their subspecies status (P. g. maynardi Gauthier). We describe geographically unique abilities for detoxification of Carolina willow, Salix caroliniana Michx. (Salicaceae), for several Florida populations of P. g. maynardi. Of all the approximately 570 worldwide species of the Papilionidae, such Salicaceae detoxification abilities exist only in the allopatric North American western and northernmost species (P. rutulus Lucas, P. eurymedon Lucas and P. canadensis Rothschild & Jordan). Females of P. glaucus collected from populations in southeastern USA were examined for oviposition preference in 5‐choice assays, and displayed a low preference for Salicaceae (<5%), but larvae from Florida populations exhibited a high survival (>60%) on these plants. Detoxification abilities have previously shown to be autosomally inherited, and can be transferred via natural or hand‐paired interspecific hybrid introgression. However, these Florida populations are at least 700–1 500 km from the nearest hybrids or the hybrid species, P. appalachiensis Pavulaan & Wright, which possess these detoxification abilities. In any case, the Z ( = X)‐linked oviposition preferences for Salicaceae are lacking in these Florida populations, illustrating genetic independence of oviposition preference determination and larval survival/performance abilities. The origins of detoxification abilities are unlikely to be due to recent climate‐driven introgression, and may represent ancestral trait carry‐overs from interglacial refugium populations of the Pleistocene epoch.     

Segregation of F-2 interspecific hybrid growth performance and wing color patterns relative to parental species in the Papilio machaon species group （Lepidoptera： Papilionidae）

A strange Papilio female specimen with a prominent yellow wing band type very much like P. brevicauda （and also seen in P. machaon, and P. zelicaon） was captured in the forested mountains of southwest Vermont, USA. Despite its brevicauda-like appearance, it had mt-DNA of P. polyxenes. In eastern North America the P. brevicauda （Maritime Provinces of Canada） is currently believed to reflect previous （ancient） hybridization between ancestral P. machaon and P. polyxenes. It is uncertain whether the brevicauda-like wing trait features in the odd Vermont female may be a result of some introgression of P. machaon or P. brevicauda with P. polyxenes in eastern North America as seen also in the Ozark Mountains with P. joanae. Nonetheless, the significance of wing trait analyses in relation to hybrid zones with P. polyxenes remains relevant. The segregation of wing color patterns and hostplant use abilities （efficiencies and growth rates） were examined for laboratory hand-paired F-2 hybrids of P. zelicaon ~ Papilio polyxenes relative to the parental species and primary hybrids. The black adult color pattern characterizing P. polyxenes is presumed to be inherited as a simple autosomal dominant. These hybrids were examined to determine： （i） how F-1 primary hybrid offspring perform relative to the parental types in survival, growth rates, and growth efficiencies; and （ii） whether these larval traits and the adult color patterns might be linked with wing morphology in the F-2 hybrids. While the F-1 hybrids grew as well as the P. polyxenes parent （P. zelicaon was significantly less efficient and slower in growth than either of these）, we could not convincingly determine whether the growth performances of the F-2 segregants were linked with the parental wing patterns.