natural history, immature stages and hostplants of morpho ...

Vol. 8 No. 2 1997 CONSTANTINO: Morpho amathonte Biology 79Morpho possess at least two secretory glands: the cervical gland,located anterior to the first set of legs, extruded when a caterpillaris molested and which emits a strong odor, and the groominggland, located between the subdorsal tufts on segment A-l, whichsecretes a liquid that is groomed into the subdorsal tufts of setae.Both secretory glands are likely to serve a defensive function(DeVries and Martinez, 1993). A new gland, termed here as theepicranial gland which has apparently never been describedpreviously, secretes a drop of a clear oily fluid from a dorsal porelocated on the epicranium (Fig. 3) which is then combed into thevarious tufts of setae along the body. The larvae is able to retainthe drop of the fluid on a groove located on the epicranium. Thegroove is bifurcated at the end in two sclerotized sharp spikesprojected backwards. These spikes or small horns are used tocomb the oily fluid into the subdorsal abdominal tufts of setae.Usually, the spikes are difficult to see in live larvae because theyare concealed by the setae on the head capsule, but can be seeneasily under the microscope in the head capsules of all instarsthat have been preserved in alcohol. When larvae are molested,they lift the head backwards, and the drop of liquid is combedinto the subdorsal setae on T-l and T-2. Then with a slow,rotating motion of the head, the drop is combed into all abdominalsubdorsal tufts and setae. This oily substance acts as an insectrepellent against parasitic wasps and ants, in addition to being awater repellent. The epicranial gland and sclerotized spikesprojected backwards have been observed also in two other speciesof Morpho caterpillars in Colombia: M. sulkowskyi and M,patroclus (M. D. Heredia, in prep.; L. M. Constantino, pers.observ.)Life cycleThe complete life cycle of M. amathonte requires about 120days (4 months) from egg to adult, with the egg lasting 14 days,the larvae about 83 days, the prepupal stage 4 days, and the pupa19 days.HostsCespedesia macrophylla and C. spathulata (Ochnaceae), inwestern Colombia.ACKNOWLEDGMENTSAll photographs in this paper were taken by GermSn Ramirez andGuillermo Guzman (CIAT, Palmira) from life history stages reared bythe author in Colombia. I wish to thank also butterfly farmers Juan deDios Ramos (COAGRITA, Tatabro), Justine Angulo and TeofiloCamacho (Tatabro), for assistance in caring for the early stages and forfield work. A special thanks to Jacob Olander (Ecuador), Juan C.Riascos, Andres Alarc6n, Emilio Constantino (Fundaci6n HerenciaVerde, Cali), Fernando Cast (Proyecto Biopacifico), and Ma. DoloresHeredia (Cali) for advice. Thanks also to Luiz S. Otero (Brazil) forproviding some important references and hostplant records of Morphospecies. This series of butterfly life history studies is part of the projecton butterfly farming by the Anchicaya River, supported by FundacionHerencia Verde (FHV) and Proyecto Biopacifico (PBP), Ministerio delMedio Ambiente, PNUD-GEF-Col/92/G31.LITERATURE CITEDAckery, P. R.1988. Host plants and classification: a review of nymphalid butterflies.Biol. J. Linn. Soc. (London), 33:95-203.Barcant, M.1970. Butterflies of Trinidad and Tobago. London: Collins. 350pp.Constantino, L.M.1992. Paradulcedo, a new genus of Satyrinae (Nymphalidae) fromwestern Colombia. J. Lepid. Soc. (Los Angeles), 46:44-53.1993. Notes on Haetera from Colombia, with descriptions of theimmature stages of Haetera piera (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae).Trap. Lepid. (Gainesville), 4:13-15.1995. Revision de la tribu Haeterini Herrich-Schaffer, 1864 enColombia (Nymphalidae, Satyrinae). SHILAP Revta. Lepid.(Madrid), 23:49-76.[in press]. Butterfly life history studies, diversity, ranching andconservation in the Choc6 rain forests of western Colombia.SHILAP Revta. Lepid.(Madrid).D'Abrera, B.1984. Butterflies of the Neotropical Region, Part II. Danaidae,Ithomiidae, Heliconidae & Morphidae. Hill House, Victoria.232pp.d'Aranjo e Silva, A. G., C. R. Conceives, D. M. Galvao, A. J. L.Conceives, J. Gomes, M. N. Silva, and L. Simoni1968. Quarto catalogo dos insectos que vivem nas plantas do Brasil;seus parasitas e predadores. Rio de Janeiro: Minist. Agric.265pp.DeVries, P. J.1987. The Butterflies of Costa Rica and their Natural History. [I]:Papilionidae, Pieridae, Nymphalidae. Princeton: PrincetonUniv Press. 327pp.DeVries, P. J., and G. E. Martinez1993. The morphology, natural history, and behavior of the earlystages of Morpho cypris (Nymphalidae: Morphinae) - 140years after formal recognition of the butterfly. J. New York.Ent. Soc., 101:515-530.Gentry, A.1993. A Field Guide to the Families and Genera of Woody Plants ofNorthwest South America. Washington: Conservation Intl. 895pp.Kruger, E.1924-25. Die Morphiden Columbiens nebst e inigen allgemeinenBemerkungen iiber Morphiden. Dtsch. Ent. Zeit. Iris (Dresden),38:23-39, 99-132, 223-268.LeMoult, E., and P. Real1963. Les Morpho d'Amerique du Sud et Centrale. Tome II. Paris:Edit. Le Moult. 296pp.Otero, L. S.1966. Biologic de sept Lepidopteres Bresiliens du genre MorphoFabricius, 1807. Ph.D. thesis, University of Paris. 306pp.1971. Instrucoes para criacao da borboleta "Capitao-do-mato"Morpho achillaena e outras especies do genera Morpho ("azulseda,""azulao-branco," "prain grandi"). Rio de Janeiro: Inst.Brasil. Desenvolv. Florestal. 27pp.Rodriguez, M.1993. Contribuci6n al conocimiento de las mariposas del generoMorpho (Nymphalidae: Morphinae) de Colombia. BSc. thesis,Univ. Nac., Bogota. 250pp.Salazar, J. A.1992. Contribuci6n al conocimiento de los Morphinae Colombianos.Localizaci6n de una poblacion de Morpho rhodopteron