抄録
Adults of the South-East Asian lycaenid butterfly Allotinus unicolor search for trophobiotic homopterans associated with a particular ant species, Ano-plolepis longipes. The butterflies settle down for feeding in such associations after a characteristic pre-alighting ("examination flight") and appeasement ("proboscis palpation") behaviour. Preimaginal instars of A. unicolor were always related with the same ant species as well. A. unicolor uses a wide range of homopterans for oviposition. The orientation mechanisms for specific ant recognition (probably visual and olfactory), the selective value of specific ant-associations for Miletinae butter-flies, the consequences of such strategies for the larval food range, and the evolution of adult myrmecophily within the genus Allotinus are discussed.
