[leps-talk] Monarch question

[Woody Woods]

Regarding heritability of migratory strategies, it might be worth mentioning
that there are Monarchs in Costa Rica that are considered a separate
subspecies, Danaus plexippus megalippe, thought by Vane-Wright and Ackery not
to interbreed with D. plexippus plexippus. I must say that they are
indistinguishable to me even with the subtle markers these authors mention,
though I am no expert there. No molecular work done as far as I know. Anyway,
Costa Rican Monarchs undertake an annual altitudinal migration, leaving
Pacific lowlands during dry season for cloud forest regions during dry season,
but unlike the North American populations do not spend part of the year in
reproductive diapause-- see Bill Haber's 1993 paper on migrations of Monarchs
and other Costa Rican butterflies.

Woody Woods

Johnson, Kurt wrote:
> 
> I don't know if the below was meant in jest or not.  Historically, the w N.
> American flyway to S. Calif., and the e. N. American flyway to Mexico have
> been considered "imprinted" and exclusive; however, evidence has surfaced in
> recent years (still requiring more robust research) of intermixing somewhat,
> either somewhat randomly along wider geographic margins along the Rocky
> Mountain region or more dramatically along thinner margins (see Bob Pyle's
> book).  The idea that the Yucatan could be another option of course is not
> possible.  However, in case any one is laughing thinking this is all foolish
> and I "took the bait" remember that in the high mountains of Hispaniola
> there is a endemic landlocked Monarch (Danaus cleophile)(a pinkish-hued
> Monarch) which flies sympatrically with the D. plexippus that wander through
> the same biomes.  D. cleophile appears to have gotten landlocked there
> during the colder eras of the Quaternary when Hispaniola was a warmer refuge
> (compared to the freeze-out in Cuba and the too-limited habitats of smaller
> Puerto Rico).  Working on site, it's amazing to see the pink-colored
> cleophile flying lazily about the high cordilleran meadows of Hispaniola
> while D. plexippus comes bombing through with its much faster gate.  So,
> there HAVE been exchanges of micro-faunas from time to time.
> 
> Dr. Kurt Johnson
>
-- 
*********************************************************
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
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