[LEPS-L:7995] Re: Long-lived leps

[Tony Cynor]

Check on all Heliconids, Caligo and Morpho.

Woody Woods wrote:

> Anne, Ken, Ron, muchas gracias! My reason for asking about long-lived
> butterflies, or moths for that matter, is that I am interested in the
> ecological and evolutionary significance of resting energy use, and that has
> led me to the odd task of measuring, well, insect breath, under unlikely
> circumstances (them) and remote locations (me). Long lifespan has often been
> associated, however indirectly, with lower resting metabolism, and that's why
> I am looking for long-lived leps. I found one good example, the satyrine
> Manataria maculata, where Bill Haber had found that adults of Costa Rican
> populations live for nearly a year while migrating in reproductive diapause.
> It turns out that Manataria's resting energy use is about half that of their
> nearest regional relatives, when corrected for body mass. Live slow, live
> long!
>
> H. charitonius is one I wish I had measured while working in Monteverde, Costa
> Rica, but they haven't been found at that altitude (about 1500 M) and I have
> missed out there so far. I understand their range extends to the southern
> states, and maybe I can manage that.  Arctic moths I do know about, but right
> now it's a separate (though fascinating) issue because they spend much time in
> the deep freeze, a little analogous to Monarchs overwintering in Mexico
> (thanks, Paul, for examples a few weeks back of other populations making it at
> higher temperatures...). For Anthocharis pupae, maybe the question is partly
> one of temperature and partly one of possible diapause. Pupae of the hawkmoth
> Manduca sexta can have a very low metabolism, independent of temperature, if
> they diapause, which they do in temperate regions.
>
> Thanks again, and I am grateful in advance for any further examples of
> long-lived leps.
>
> Woody Woods
> --
> *********************************************************
> William A. Woods Jr.
> Department of Biology
> University of Massachusetts Boston
> 100 Morrissey Blvd                      Lab: 617-287-6642
> Boston, MA 02125                        Fax: 617-287-6650
> *********************************************************
>
>
>  ------------------------------------------------------------
>
>    For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:
>
>    http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl
>


 
 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl