Blue-winged Eurybia (Eurybia lycisca)

Blue-winged Eurybia (Eurybia lycisca), Atenas, Costa Rica

Interesting facts:
Arthropod Struct Dev. 2010 Dec 13. [Epub ahead of print]
The extremely long-tongued Neotropical butterfly Eurybia lycisca (Riodinidae): Proboscis morphology and flower handling.
Bauder JA, Lieskonig NR, Krenn HW.

Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
Abstract
Few species of true butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) have evolved a proboscis that greatly exceeds the length of the body. This study is the first to examine the morphology of an extremely long butterfly proboscis and to describe how it is used to obtain nectar from flowers with very deep corolla tubes. The proboscis of Eurybia lycisca (Riodinidae) is approximately twice as long as the body. It has a maximal length of 45.6 mm (mean length 36.5 mm ± 4.1 S.D., N = 20) and is extremely thin, measuring only about 0.26 mm at its maximum diameter. The proboscis has a unique arrangement of short sensilla at the tip, and its musculature arrangement is derived. The flower handling times on the preferred nectar plant, Calathea crotalifera (Marantaceae), were exceptionally long (mean 54.5 sec ± 28.5 S.D., N = 26). When feeding on the deep flowers remarkably few proboscis movements occur. The relationship between Eurybia lycisca and its preferred nectar plant and larval host plant, Calathea crotalifera, is not mutualistic since the butterfly exploits the flowers without contributing to their pollination. We hypothesize that the extraordinarily long proboscis of Eurybia lycisca is an adaptation for capitalizing on the pre-existing mutualistic interaction of the host plant with its pollinating long-tongued nectar feeding insects.

Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PMID: 21115131 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3062012/

Taken in: Costa Rica / Alajuela / Atenas (show map)

Taken on: February 11, 2009

Tags:

Costa Rica

Lepidoptera

insects

insectas

Eurybia lycisca

butterfly

Schmetterling

NaturesFinest

NaturesElegantShots

MotherNaturesGreenEarth

physis

SpecInsect

Life-TNC10

Blue-winged Eurybia

PhotoContest-TNC11

PhotoContest-TNC12

Proboscis

extremely long proboscis

long proboscis « less

Sets appears in: • Favorites: Mines are Yours • Neotropical Butterflies and Moths more » • Butterflies and Moths of Costa Rica « less

Groups appears in: • Butterflies • Lepidoptera more » • Super Macro • INSECTS • Butterfly • Macro Photography • Nature and Wildlife Best • Insect Macro Photography • Insect Photography • Animal Planet • The World Up-Close (Nature Macro) • The Nature Conservancy • TROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY • Wild Life on Earth • Butterfly Gallery • Butterfly Color • Spectacular Insects • Natures Finest (Invited Images Only) • Butterfly Beauty • Macro! Macro!! Macro!!! • SJohnson's Fauna PLEASE READ: surgery complete doing well • Lepidopteros • Butterflies with Flowers • Natural Excellence • NATURE'S BEST • Flowers and Insects • Macro! Closeup Shots! • Art of Nature • Butterflies' Elegance (invite only)...Please comment. • Beautiful Bugs • Nature's Call. • Ultimate Wildlife Photography-NO SCENICS OR BOTANY PICS PLEASE • Natural Costa Rica • WONDERFUL WORLD OF MACRO (P1 / A2) • FLOWERS_INSECTS_AND_BUTTERFLIES // FLORES_INSECTOS_Y_MARIPOSAS • Macros de Naturaleza - Macros of Nature (Post 1, comment 3) • GREAT BUTTERFLY Photos • En armonía con la Naturaleza • Neotropical Butterflies and Moths • Amazing Macros ***No Rules, No Banning, No Sweepers*** • Insekten-Makro + Insekten-Nahaufnahmen • Butterflies & Moths of The World • MARIPOSAS&BIRDS&FLORA&FAUNA&BUTTERFLY • Centro America/Central America • Monsters and beauties in the world of insects • Costa Rica Cover Photo Contest • NATURE IS LIFE - Natura è vita - Post 1 AWARD 4**SWEEPER ** • Wildlife Award - Post 1, Award 2 • "BEST OF" Post only with 5 Wildlife Awards !!! • Biodiversity of Central America / Biodiversidad de Centroamerica • Nature is (second) life..only photo with 6 awards Sweeper C/3 • Nature is ..(Eternity)life COMMENT 3..Invited Photo Only Sweeper • PHYSIS ***ADMIN INVITE ONLY*** -post1/comment2 • Capturing the Butterfly Beauty (New Contest!) • Butterflies of the world • Nature and General Animal Photography-Showcase and Discussion « less

Stats: 2,459 views / 73 comments

go back

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: