Larval Carnivory and Myrmecoxeny, and Imaginal Myrmecophily in Miletine Lycaenids (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) on the Malay Peninsula

Abstract

The life-histories of different South East Asian Miletinae (Lycaenidae) of the genera Logania, Miletus, and Allotinus are described. Larval sternorrhyncho-phagy is likely the plesiomorphic condition in this subfamily; it still occurs in Logania malayica, where the caterpillars feed on ant-attended aphids. The imagines feed on honeydew of the same species of aphids and at night rest within the ant-attended aphid colonies. In the species-rich genera Miletus and Allotinus, different food specializations are found: Miletus biggsii feeds on several species of aphids as well as coccids. In all observed cases its prey was attended by ants of the genus Dolichoderus (Dolichoderinae), which seem to be the oviposition cue for the females. In Allotinus apries the L_1 caterpillar feeds on coccids, whereas the L_2 larva is carried by ants of the myrmicine species Myrmicaria lutea into their nests and supposedly feeds as a kleptoparasite on the ant's brood. In Allotinus subviolaceus the larvae feed on membracids (Auchenorrhyncha).