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Talking Caterpillars: Summary
Let's summarize what we've covered:
- Interactions between different species are categorized by whether
they are beneficial, harmful, or neutral
to each of the species. For example, if both species benefit, the interaction
is a "mutualism."
- The outcome of interactions (beneficial, harmful, or neutral) can
change depending on the circumstances under which the two species interact.
Thus, interactions are "context-dependent."
- Interactions are also categorized according to whether they are...
- specialized or generalized
(does a partner interact with many other species, or only a few?)
- obligate or facultative (does
a species have to participate in the interaction to survive, or
can they take it or leave it?)
- Ants participate in many mutualisms, and they often provide protection
in exchange for food (example: ants and aphids).
- Many members of the butterfly family Lycaenidae
form associations with ants. Most of these interactions are mutualistic,
but some are parasitic, predatory, or commensal.
- These caterpillars communicate with ants using sound,
and three organs: the pore cupolas,
the dorsal nectary gland, and the
tentacular organs (TOs).
- There are many hypotheses for the function
and mechanism of the TOs. In the case of the lycaenid Hemiargus
isola, the research of Dr. Jen Weeks provides support for the
following hypotheses:
- The TOs provide indirect defense for the caterpillar by making
attendant ants more aggressive.
- The TOs produce a non-volatile or low-volatile stimulus.
End of talking caterpillars module.
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