The adaptive significance of alpine melanism in the butterfly Parnassius phoebus F. (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)

Summary The adaptive significance of alpine melanism, the tendancy for insects to become darker with increased elevation and latitude, was investigated using the butterfly Parnassius phoebus. The effects on temperature dependent activity of five components of overall wing melanism, as well as size, were examined. The components of wing melanism examined were the transparency of the basal hindwing and distal fore-wing areas, the width of the black patch in the basal hind-wing area and the proportion of black to white scales in that area, and the proportion of the distal fore-wing covered by predominantly black scaling.The body temperature of dead specimens was correlated with air temperature, solar radiation, the width of the black patch at the base of the wings, and the proportion of black to white scales at the base of the wings. The minimum air temperatures and solar radiation levels required for initiation of flight did not vary with wing melanism of P. phoebus, in contrast to the results found for Colias butterflies by Roland (1982). However, under environmental conditions suitable for flight initiation, males with a higher proportion of black to white scales in the basal area of the hind-wing, and wider basal black patches, spent a greater proportion of time in flight at low air temperatures and low insolation. Increased basal wing melanism was also associated with increased movement of males within a population. In contrast, melanism in the distal area of the wings has no effect on activities which are dependant on body temperature. The amount of time spent feeding did not vary with differences in wing melanism. I suggest that in dorsal basking, slow-flying butterflies (Parnassius) basal wing color affects body temperature primarily during flight (rather than while basking), such that butterflies with darker wing bases cool down less rapidly because they absorb more solar radiation during flight.