Amazonian butterflies, Biology

Assignment Help:

The Amazon rainforest in South America is a biodiverse ecosystem. There are large numbers of plant and animal species making up the food web, including over 350 species of predatory insectivorous birds. In one small area of the rainforest, about 15 km2, there are 60 different species of Ithomiine butterflies.

These 60 species of butterflies have only eight different colour pattern phenotypes. Each of the different phenotypes is found within a particular habitat within this small area. Therefore the different phenotypes are rarely seen together. Scientists initially assumed that each of these phenotypes indicated that there were eight different species of butterflies. Genetic analysis has disproved this, and the resulting phylogeny is shown opposite. It shows, for example, that there are 11 species of butterfly with the ‘eurimedia' phenotype.

Evidence shows that each species of butterfly lays its eggs on only one variety of plant, which is different to other species of butterfly with the same phenotype found in their habitat. The caterpillars feed exclusively on this host plant. However, adult butterflies drink nectar from a range of different flowers which may be in common with other butterflies of the same phenotype. Butterflies sharing the same colour pattern display Mullerian and /or Batesian mimicry.


Related Discussions:- Amazonian butterflies

Collection of blood, Collection of Blood It is a procedure done rout...

Collection of Blood It is a procedure done routinely for diagnosis. It can be done in various ways. 1) Capillary Sampling  The heel is the most useful area i

Rassenkreis and speciation, According to the current concept of speciation,...

According to the current concept of speciation, a widely distributed species should break up into partially isolated rule species. The different subspecies become differentiated fu

Determine by nutritive muscular cell?, Determine by nutritive muscular cell...

Determine by nutritive muscular cell? The cells which form the gastrodermis lining the inner cavity of cnidarians. They carry out two functions: First is to absorb and digest f

Enzymology, please i want detailed explanation on the mechanism of enzyme c...

please i want detailed explanation on the mechanism of enzyme catalysis

Buffers in foods, Some foods are better able to resist changes in pH than...

Some foods are better able to resist changes in pH than others. These tend to resist changes in pH since these are buffered and the ability to resist changes in pH is known as bu

Enumerate about the halstead- reitan battery, Enumerate about the Halstead-...

Enumerate about the Halstead- Reitan battery As in the case of the Halstead- Reitan battery, one could present two theoretical bases for the Luria- Nebraska, one revolving arou

Biological adaptation, Biological Adaptation These adaptations depend ...

Biological Adaptation These adaptations depend on the geology and basic fertility of the region and some of the mechanisms that are especially well developed in tropical rain

Homework, Determine sequence weights for the sequences ACTA, ACTT, CGTT, an...

Determine sequence weights for the sequences ACTA, ACTT, CGTT, and AGAT by using Thompson, Higgins, and Gibson method

What are the limits of pest control, How could knowledge of a pest organism...

How could knowledge of a pest organism's tolerance limits be used in pest control? Pesticides could be developed that make those limits narrower, environmental conditions could

Hpv vaccine, how does hpv vaccine affect the immune system?

how does hpv vaccine affect the immune system?

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd