Divergence in seed resource use among Neotropical milkweed bugs (Oncopeltus) [Oncopeltus fasciatus, Oncopeltus cingulifer, Asclepias curassavica, fruiting plants, non-fruiting plants, Jamaica, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Porto Rico]
1980
Blakley, N. (Colorado Univ., Boulder (USA). Inst. for Behavioral Genetics)
The colonization of seed crops on the milkweed Asclepias curassavica L. by Oncopeltus fasciatus Dallas and two subspecies of O. cingulifer Staal was studied by examining the distribution of nymphs on fruiting and non-fruiting plants. O. fasciatus was strongly associated with fruiting plants, despite their infrequent occurrence. However, O. c. cingulifer and O. c. antillensis appeared progressively less successful colonizers and were often found on plants which lacked seeds. Increasing specialization on transient A. curassavica seed crops is associated with higher mobility, less frequent ovipositing, and greater dependence on seeds for larval development. In areas of sympatry, competition among Oncopeltus species for A. curassavica seed crops may have led to divergence in the utilization of this resource.
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