Performance of Danaini larvae is affected by both exotic host plants and abiotic conditions.

ABSTRACT: The consequences of the introduction of invasive plants for the diet of herbivorous insects have been little explored in nature where, potentially, abiotic and biotic factors operate. In this study, we examined the larval performance of two Neotropical Danaini butterflies when using either a native or an exotic Apocynaceae species as host plant in both field and laboratory experiments. Hosts greatly differ in their amount of latex exudation and other physicochemical traits, as well as in the amount of evolutionary time they have interacted with herbivores. First, herbivore performance on the hosts was investigated under laboratory conditions. Larvae of both Danaini species took more time to develop on the exotic host; larval survivorship did not vary between hosts. Second, first instar sur

SUBMITTER: Ferreira PPDS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8293738 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature