Phengaris rebeli

Phengaris rebeli
Phengaris rebeli
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Phengaris
Species: P. rebeli
Binomial name
Phengaris rebeli
(Hirschke, 1904)
Synonyms
  • Glaucopsyche rebeli
  • Maculinea rebeli (Hirschke, 1904)

Phengaris rebeli (formerly Maculinea rebeli), common name Mountain Alcon Blue,[1] is a species of butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Switzerland. Its natural habitat is temperate grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.[2]

Brood parasitism

Phengaris rebeli engage in reproduction through brood parasitism. Larval P. rebeli are capable of reproducing the scent emitted by red ant larvae, among which they are raised and fed.[3] Research has shown they also imitate the noises emitted by queen ants, which can command additional attention and favor, such as being rescued first if the nest is attacked.[4] In one experiment, queen ants attacked the impostor larvae, only for the workers to intervene on the behalf of the larvae, removing them to safety while fighting off the queens.[5][6]

Vestigial mutualism

P. rebeli pupae prey upon their broodmates, while producing sugar-rich secretions which worker ants imbibe. In one experiment, P. rebeli specimens which consumed ant larvae developed more quickly than those who did not. However, despite their nourishing offering to the community, they invariably imposed a net loss in the survival rates of workers and broodmates, demonstrating that the species is parasitic (rather than mutualistic) at all stages in its host colony.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Maculinea rebeli". UniProt Consortium. http://www.uniprot.org/taxonomy/203775. Retrieved 2009-02-09. 
  2. ^ Van Swaay, C.A.M.; Warren, M.S. (2008). "IUCN 2008 Red List - Maculinea rebeli". IUCN. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/39487/0/full. Retrieved 2009-02-09. 
  3. ^ Callaway, Ewen (February 5, 2009). "Parasitic butterflies dupe hosts with ant music". NewScientist. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16543-parasitic-butterflies-dupe-hosts-with-ant-music.html. Retrieved 2009-02-09. 
  4. ^ Derbyshire, David (February 7, 2009). "Getting it off their chest: Study reveals how ants talk to each other". U.K. Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1137267/Getting-chest-Study-reveals-ants-talk-other.html. Retrieved 2009-02-09. 
  5. ^ "Parasitic Butterfly Fools Ants Into Servitude". February 6, 2009. http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1635221/parasitic_butterfly_fools_ants_into_servitude/index.html. Retrieved 2009-02-09. 
  6. ^ "Associated Press". February 5, 2009. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gxCdv0Ni1xUHBJZXWYJgky9TxevQD965JRUO1. Retrieved 2009-02-09. 


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