Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Adult movements between populations in the specialist butterfly Proclossiana eunomia (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae)

1994; Wiley; Volume: 19; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1365-2311.1994.tb00382.x

1365-2311

Michel Baguette, Gabriel Nève,

Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies

Abstract. The structure of local populations of a monophagous butterfly, the bog fritillary Proclossiana eunomia , was studied in a complex of suitable habitat patches separated by spruce plantations or fertilized pasture. An unexpected high level of adult movements between habitat patches was detected by a mark—release—recapture technique. Local populations were connected by adult movements across unsuitable habitats, leading to a meta‐population structure. This evidence of the metapopulation structure of a specialist butterfly challenges the supposed relationship between habitat specialization and closed, isolated populations. Males and females of P.eunomia exhibited different spatial behaviours; females were more likely to emigrate and dispersed further than males. These differences in spatial behaviour are related to the mating system.