The Neotropical genus Urbanus (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) contains around 34 described species, and is widely distributed from the extreme southern United States to Argentina. Here, we describe the larval morphology and behavior of Urbanus esmeraldus (Hübner)(Hesperiidae) in Urera baccifera (Urticaceae), a plant producing food rewards and fleshy fruits that attract ants (including predacious species) in a Brazilian forest. Larvae pass through five instars and construct two kinds of leaf shelters. Experiments with ejected fecal pellets showed that these can serve as cues to ground-dwelling ants that climb onto host plants and potentially attack the larvae. Manipulation with pellets placed at different distances suggests that ejection behavior decreases larval vulnerability to ant predation. Larval preference for mature leaves may be related with increased predation risk at ant-visited young leaves. The study shows that a combination of natural history and experimental data can help understand the life history of a butterfly using a plant with high predation risk.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3499095 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1673/031.012.5201 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Comparative plastomic analysis of cultivated Dioscorea polystachya and its close relatives provides insights on the inter- and intraspecific phylogenies and potential wild origins of domestication.
BMC Plant Biol
December 2024
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
Background: Dioscorea polystachya and its closely related species are original plants of the tuber crop "yam", which had been intensively use for medicinal and food purposes and widely cultivated in northern China and its surrounding areas with a long history. Many cultivars of these species are often confused with one another because of similar tuber morphology, however, conventional DNA barcoding faces practical limitations restricting the method to effectively identify closely related species. In addition, phylogenetic relationships among various cultivar groups of Chinese yam (D.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlatelet stimulation-regulated expression of ILK and ITGB3 contributes to intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma progression through FAK/PI3K/AKT pathway activation.
Cell Mol Life Sci
December 2024
Department of Thoracic Surgery Affiliated Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
Objective: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a highly lethal hepatobiliary malignancy with an increasing incidence annually. Extensive research has elucidated the existence of a reciprocal interaction between platelets and cancer cells, which promotes tumor proliferation and metastasis. This study aims to investigate the function and mechanism underlying iCCA progression driven by the interplay between platelets and tumor cells, aiming to provide novel therapeutic strategies for iCCA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnalysis of regulatory patterns of NLRP3 corpuscles and related genes and the role of macrophage polarization in atherosclerosis based on online database.
Mol Genet Genomics
December 2024
Department of Cardiovascular Medicne, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No.1 Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, P.R. China.
Our study examined the relationships and interactions among 30 genes related to the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. We identified 368 interconnections between these 30 genes, with NLRP3 participating in 38 interactions. The potential roles of these genes in atherosclerosis were evaluated based on protein-protein interaction networks and coexpression analysis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGenetic modeling of degenerative diseases and mechanisms of neuronal regeneration in the zebrafish cerebellum.
Cell Mol Life Sci
December 2024
Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany.
The cerebellum is a highly conserved brain compartment of vertebrates. Genetic diseases of the human cerebellum often lead to degeneration of the principal neuron, the Purkinje cell, resulting in locomotive deficits and socio-emotional impairments. Due to its relatively simple but highly conserved neuroanatomy and circuitry, these human diseases can be modeled well in vertebrates amenable for genetic manipulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF[High expression of CRTAC1 promotes proliferation, migration and immune cell infiltration of gastric cancer by regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway].
Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao
December 2024
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000, China.
Objectives: To investigate the expression of cartilage acidic protein 1 (CRTAC1) in gastric cancer (GC) and its effect on biological behaviors and immune cell infiltration of GC.
Methods: Transcriptomic, GO and KEGG analyses were conducted to investigate the association of CRTAC1 expression with prognosis of GC patients and its involvement in cell function and signaling pathways. ESTIMATE algorithm was used to analyze the effect of CRTAC1 expression on the tumor microenvironment and the tumor mutation load.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!