Food dependent changes of the life history traits of Catopsilia pyranthe (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)

ABSTRACT

The effect of larval feeding on the life history traits of the mottled emigrant butterfly Catopsilia pyranthe (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) was assessed to link life history variations as a function of food availability. The 0-day-old larvae of C. pyranthe were reared with varying quantity of food (100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 and 3200 mg/day) against a control set with ad libitum food availability. Significant differences in instar duration and body weight of the larva and therefore fitness were found in relation to the amount of food available. In urban regions like Kolkata, India, disparity in food availability may induce variations in life history traits and thus fitness and survival in C. pyranthe.

KEYWORDS:

• Butterfly
• life history trait
• phenotypic plasticity
• age at pupation
• wing length

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the comments of eight anonymous reviewers and editors Prof. M.G. Bentley and Prof. A.N. Hodgson that facilitated improvement of the manuscript to its present form. The authors are thankful to the Head of the Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India for the facilities provided including DST-FIST and UGC-SAP (DRS I & II). GKS and SM acknowledge the partial support of West Bengal Biodiversity Board, West Bengal, India in executing the research work. SM acknowledges the financial assistance of University of Calcutta through University Research Fellowship (Sanction No. UGC/1143/Fellow (univ) 25.09.2014). The partial financial assistance to GA and GKS through UGC-UPE II is thankfully acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

There is no conflict of interest.

Supplementary material

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Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University of Calcutta through University Research Fellowship [Sanction No. UGC/1143/Fellow (univ) 25.09.2014].