Topic
Phyciodes tharos
About: Phyciodes tharos is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 7 publications have been published within this topic receiving 46 citations.
Papers
TL;DR: Butterfly movement and edge behaviors mechanistically interact with patch quality, isolation, and the matrix permeability to determine the spatial structure of these populations in fragmented habitats.
Abstract: The spatial distribution of patchy insect populations is partly caused by behavioral patterns of insect movement that are influenced by habitat quality, isolation, and the permeability of the surrounding matrix. We recorded insect movements, abundance, and edge behaviors in two species of butterflies, the great-spangled fritillary (Speyeria cybele F., Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) and the pearl crescent (Phyciodes tharos Drury, Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), inhabiting remnant prairies surrounded by a forest matrix in south-central Ohio. We also determined the number of forest matrix types present and recorded the permeability of the different types to butterfly movement. The great-spangled fritillary exhibited a relatively high number of interpatch movements, a higher abundance at patch edges, and a propensity to cross the prairie-forest edges, and the forest matrix had a high permeability to butterfly movement. The pearl crescent, in contrast, rarely crossed edge boundaries, moved infrequently among patches, and was more abundant within the patch interior and in patches with high host-plant and flower densities. There were three structurally different forest matrix types separating habitat patches, which in previous studies would have been classified as a single deciduous forest matrix. Butterfly movement and edge behaviors mechanistically interact with patch quality, isolation, and the matrix permeability to determine the spatial structure of these populations in fragmented habitats.
34 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors found significant hybrid incompatibility involving reductions in embryonic viability and abnormal sex ratios in crosses between populations of Type A from southwestern Pennsylvania and Type B from Pennsylvania, New York State, and Vermont showed a syndrome of hybrid breakdown manifested by reduction in F1 hybrid fertility and F1 and backcross embryonic viability.
Abstract: Phyciodes “tharos” in the northeastern United States is actually composed of two entities, “Type A” and “Type B,” which differ in phenotypic appearance, geographic range, ecology, flight dates, voltinism, and development rate. Laboratory crosses between populations of Type A from southwestern Pennsylvania and Type B from Pennsylvania, New York State, and Vermont showed a syndrome of hybrid breakdown manifested by reduction in F1 hybrid fertility and F1 and backcross embryonic viability, and abnormal adult sex ratios, development times and eclosion patterns. In addition there was significant hybrid incompatibility involving reductions in embryonic viability and abnormal sex ratios in crosses between the Type B populations from New York and Vermont. This incompatibility seems to be due to parental differences in comparatively few specialized and highly critical genetic systems responsible for growth and development. Type A (typical P. tharos ) and Type B (eastern P. pascoensis ) are full species which maintain reproductive isolation in a narrow band of sympatry.
7 citations
TL;DR: At both parks, an effort should be made to develop mowed lawns into unmowed grasslands to increase their use by butterfly species by providing habitat for wildflowers (nectar sources).
Abstract: Butterfly communities were inventoried at two national parks, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site (ALPO) and Johnstown Flood National Memorial (JOFL), Pennsylvania, in 1998. Information on presence, abundance, and distribution of butterflies is important to National Park Service personnel, who are mandated to manage the biodiversity of natural resources. As large tracts of public lands, such as national parks, become more insular with increased habitat fragmentation, they will become increasingly valuable for the long-term maintenance of faunal diversity and the functional integrity of ecosystems in the eastern United States. Surveys were conducted monthly from late spring to early fall along two transects in ALPO and one in JOFL. Twenty-eight butterfly species were noted in the study. At ALPO, most species and individuals were found along open (non-wooded) sectors of the transects, including Phyciodes tharos (Drury) (Pearl Crescent), Boloria bellona (F.) (Meadow Fritillary), and Thymelicus lineola (Ochs.) (European Skipper). At JOFL, the most abundant butterfly was T. lineola. We observed 27 of 110 flowering plant species being used as nectar sources by butterflies on 200 occasions in both parks combined. At both parks, an effort should be made to develop mowed lawns into unmowed grasslands to increase their use by butterfly species by providing habitat for wildflowers (nectar sources).
5 citations
TL;DR: In 2008 and 2009, a prairie habitat corridor was created in the Green River watershed of south central Kentucky, USA to protect water quality and encourage movement of native wildlife as part of the US Environmental Protection Agency Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP).
Abstract: Habitat corridor construction is an important technique for re-establishing connections between fragmented habitats. Yet, the effectiveness of habitat corridors to increase gene flow among fragmented populations is not well studied. In 2008 and 2009, a prairie habitat corridor was created in the Green River watershed of south central Kentucky, USA to protect water quality and encourage movement of native wildlife as part of the US Environmental Protection Agency Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). In 2008, prior to the establishment of the habitat corridor, we documented the population genetic structure of 6 butterfly species (Chlosyne nycteis, Cupido comyntas, Phoebis sennae, Phyciodes tharos, Pterourus glaucus, and Pterourus troilus) with different habitat requirements and different expected responses to corridor construction using Randomly Amplified DNA Fingerprint (RAF) markers. STRUCTURE analysis of these markers subdivided each butterfly species into 2 to 8 subpopulations in the Green River watershed. By collecting data in the early stages of habitat restoration, we have established a baseline to compare with data obtained after the corridor has matured to determine the population genetic effects on previously isolated butterfly populations and to provide information about the conservation value of habitat corridors in general.
2 citations
TL;DR: Network and cladistic analyses reveal shared mtDNA lineages, indicating that limited hybridization occurs in this region between P. tharos and P. cocyta and the other two taxa, and supports the traditional phylogenetic assessment of P. phyciodes tharOS andP.
Abstract: . The number and delimitation of species in the Phyciodes tharos species complex has puzzled lepidopterists for years. Previous analysis of mtDNA sequence data has suggested that P. cocyta is more closely related to P. cocyta than to P. tharos, in contrast to inferences from morphology and ecology. We sequenced the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I for 40 individuals of Phyciodes tharos, P. cocyta, and P. cocyta from Michigan and Ohio, a region at the boundaries of the geographic ranges of these species. Network and cladistic analyses reveal shared mtDNA lineages, indicating that limited hybridization occurs in this region between P. cocyta and the other two taxa but not between P. tharos and P. cocyta. Our evidence also supports the traditional phylogenetic assessment of P. tharos and P. cocyta as the two most closely related species in this species group. Data from nuclear genes are needed to more fully resolve this intriguing group of butterflies.
2 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 1980 | 1 |
| 1978 | 1 |