editha host plants

[Ron Gatrelle]

Niklas Wahlberg wrote:

snip
> and there are many more, and more in the works. Here is a reference about
> Plantago lanceolata being incorporated into editha's diet:
>
> Singer MC, Thomas CD, Parmesan C (1993) Rapid human-induced evolution of
> insect-host associations. Nature 366:681-683
>

One thing to remember is that evolution is both divergent and convergent.
The following is not necessarily the case with editha above, but I suspect
that some of these "switches" or "adaptations" are not new at all.  Rather
it may be a reversion to a former type of host, which is why is looks to be
happening so easily/quickly - latent host acceptability.   Been there done
that, says the digestive system.  Just "food" for thought.

Ron Gatrelle



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

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

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