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Issue: Vol. 4139 No. 2: 20 Jul. 2016
Type: Article
Published: 2016-07-20
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4139.2.10
Page range: 274–284
Abstract views: 65
PDF downloaded: 1

Immature biology and morphology of an obligate myrmecophilous butterfly Catapaecilma major moltrechti (Wileman) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) from Taiwa

Department of Life Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan 116, R. O. C.
Department of Life Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan 116, R. O. C.
Butterfly Conservation Society of Taiwan, N. 19, Lane 103, Wancyuan St., Datong District, Taipei 103, Taiwan, R. O. C.
Lepidoptera food habit carnivory phyto-predacious myrmecophily India Sri Lanka

Abstract

The immature biology and morphology of Catapaecilma major moltrechti (Wileman) from Taiwan are reported. The larva of this taxon is proven to be largely predacious on a few scale insect species attended by ant Crematogester rogenhoferi in satellite nests constructed by the ants, but it also consumes plant material within or near ants’ satellite nests in elder instars. The discovery of the food habit of this taxon is interesting as the larva of C. major is known to be phytophagous in India and Sri Lanka.

 

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