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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Lauderdale, Florida » Invasive Plant Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #359522
Research Project: Identification, Evaluation, and Implementation of Biological Control Agents for Invasive Weeds of Southeastern Ecosystems

Location: Invasive Plant Research Laboratory

Title: Evaluating an alleged mimic of the monarch butterfly: Neophasia (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) butterflies are palatable to avian predators

Author
item Halbritter, Dale
item GORDON, JOHNALYN - University Of Florida
item KEACHER, KANDY - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), National Wildlife Center
item AVERY, MICHAEL - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), National Wildlife Center
item DANIELS, JARET - Florida Museum Of Natural History

Submitted to: Insects
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/22/2018
Publication Date: 10/29/2018
Citation: Halbritter, D.A., Gordon, J., Keacher, K., Avery, M., Daniels, J. 2018. Evaluating an alleged mimic of the monarch butterfly: Neophasia (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) butterflies are palatable to avian predators. Insects. 9(4):150. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects9040150.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/insects9040150

Interpretive Summary: Some animals mimic other more dangerous or toxic animals in appearance to protect themselves from predators. There are many iconic cases of mimicry within butterflies, with the monarch butterfly a well-known model. We are the first to study a potential mimic of the monarch butterfly: Neophasia terlooii, the Mexican pine white butterfly . We used captive birds to determine whether N. terlooii and its closest relative, N. menapia, are palatable. The birds consumed both species of Neophasia and a palatable control species, but refused to eat unpalatable monarch butterflies. Given some evidence for mild unpalatability of Neophasia, we discuss the results in light of a theoretical gray area between Batesian (palatable mimic, unpalatable model) and Müllerian (mimic and model unpalatable) mimicry definitions. Understanding the ecology of Neophasia with respect to its current and historical geographical overlap with monarch butterflies could help us to better understand the ecological factors impacting the monarch butterfly, whose migration event has become a conservation priority.

Technical Abstract: Some animals mimic other more dangerous or toxic animals in appearance to protect themselves from predators. There are many iconic cases of mimicry within butterflies, with the monarch butterfly a well-known model. We are the first to study a potential mimic of the monarch butterfly: Neophasia terlooii, the Mexican pine white butterfly . We used captive birds to determine whether N. terlooii and its closest relative, N. menapia, are palatable. The birds consumed both species of Neophasia and a palatable control species, but refused to eat unpalatable monarch butterflies. Given some evidence for mild unpalatability of Neophasia, we discuss the results in light of a theoretical gray area between Batesian (palatable mimic, unpalatable model) and Müllerian (mimic and model unpalatable) mimicry definitions. Understanding the ecology of Neophasia with respect to its current and historical geographical overlap with monarch butterflies could help us to better understand the ecological factors impacting the monarch butterfly, whose migration event has become a conservation priority.