Lepidoptera Science

Genetic analysis of female Argynnis (Fabriciana) adippe pallescens specimens (n=8) collected in Nagano Prefecture revealed two distinct haplotypes. Adult butterflies obtained from the fertilized eggs deposited by the females of both haplotypes were used in cage pairing experiments. While the morphological differentiation is small between two haplotypes, the shape of the dorsal lines of the mature larvae, the background color and mottled markings on the underside of the hindwings of the adults can be used for species identification. No copulation was observed between individuals of the two haplotypes in the cage pairing experiment, suggesting the existence of premating isolation between the two haplotypes.

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Lyonetia (Lyonetiola) castaneella Kuroko, 1964 was described and has been recorded based on only a small number of specimens from Fukuoka and Osaka Prefectures, Japan. Although the two hostplants, Castanea crenata and Quercus acutissima, are dominant in Japanese coppice, the biological data of the immature stages has been poorly known. This species is newly recorded from Nara and Mie Prefectures and Carpinus tschonoskii is newly recorded as the hostplant. Biological notes on the immature stages of the species are given with photographs for the first time.

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Oviposition of Panchala ganesa loomisi took place on clear days in late April-early May and included three kinds of behavior: 1) visiting new buds of the host tree by flight or on foot, 2) walking around a new bud in a horizontal stance, and 3) laying eggs inside bud scales with a downward stance. The female has ossified hook-shaped papillae anales.

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I performed field observations on the lycaenid butterfly, Chrysozephyrus smaragdinus Bremer (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) to estimate the payoff of their territorial activity. The owners defended their territories through several contests per day. During their territorial activity, owners did not visit flowers or tree saps and they did not mudpuddle, which is congruent with the previous finding that territory-owners among C. smaragdinus had less fat than intruders. They seem not to recover energy during their territorial activity. I also reexamined the relationship between male arrival order and their territorial status, which was shown by a previous study. Males arriving early at territory sites in the adult season tended to subsequently hold these sites irrespective of their body size. Thus the reproducibility of the previous study was confirmed. The present study revealed that residency effects are the basic characteristics of the territoriality of this species.

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