DOI: 10.13102/sociobiology.v64i1.1206Sociobiology 64(1): 122-124 (March, 2017) Open access journal: http://periodicos.uefs.br/ojs/index.php/sociobiology ISSN: 0361-6525 First Data on the Host Ant Usage of Large Blue from the Carpathian Basin Maculinea van Eecke (1915) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) species are endangered and protected in Europe (Gimenez Dixon, 1996; Munguira & Martín, 1999; Settele et al., 2005). They have an extraordinary life cycle, where larvae start their development on specific host plants. After feeding on the developing seeds of these plants, the fourth instar caterpillars then complete their development in Myrmica Latreille (1804) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) ant nests (Thomas et al., 1989). Different Maculinea populations are adopted to different Myrmica species (Als et al., 2002; Tartally, 2008), which means that their protection can only be successfully managed with knowledge of the local host ant species (Munguira & Martín, 1999; Settele et al., 2005). Furthermore, such knowledge is interesting both biogeographically and evolutionarily (Nash et al., 2008). The Large Blue butterfly, Maculinea arion (Linnaeus, 1758), is a well-studied Maculinea species, especially from its conservation aspect (Thomas, 1995). However, our knowledge Abstract The protected Maculinea arion is an obligate myrmecophilous butterfly (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae). Fourth instar larvae and pupae develop in Myrmica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) ant nests. Host ant specificity varies geographically, and knowledge of the local host ant species is important to understand the biogeography and evolution of this species, and vital for its conservation. Here we report the first data on the host ant usage of M. arion in the Carpathian Basin, one prepupal caterpillar from a Myrmica specioides and one pupa from a M. scabrinodis nest. Myrmica specioides is a new host ant species of M. arion. It is important to collect further data on the host ant usage of M. arion, despite the difficulties of data collection. Sociobiology An international journal on social insects A Tartally1, JP Tóth2, A Váradi1, J Bereczki1,2 Article History Edited by Jean C. Santos, UFU, Brazil Received 10 October 2016 Initial acceptance 07 December 2016 Final acceptance 16 January 2017 Publication date 29 May 2017 Keywords Social parasitism, Maculinea arion, Phengaris, Myrmica specioides, Myrmica scabrinodis, Hungary. Corresponding author András Tartally Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 - Debrecen, Hungary E-Mail: tartally.andras@science.unideb.hu about its host ant specificity is lower than is the case for the other European species (Settele et al., 2005; Hayes, 2015), because it is very difficult to find M. arion caterpillars in Myrmica nests (Sielezniew et al., 2010a). Hence, every observation of its host ant usage is important, and especially from the areas where M. arion exists in two phenological forms (’spring’ and ‘summer’ types, based on their flight periods, see Bereczki et al. 2011, 2014, 2015 for more details). The Carpathian Basin is such a region, where data have not been available about the host ant specificity of M. arion. To get such data, Myrmica nests were carefully opened and the presence of M. arion caterpillars was checked at 12 M. arion sites (Table 1 of Supplementary File) since the spring of 2000. After excavation the ground and vegetation were restored as close to the original conditions as possible. Only Myrmica nests found ~2 m within around the initial host plants (Thymus spp. and Origanum vulgare: Munguira 1 - Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Hungary 2 - MTA-DE “Lendület” Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Dept. of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Hungary SHORT NOTE Sociobiology 64(1): 122-124 (March, 2017) 123 & Martín, 1999) of the butterfly were checked, as this is the approximate foraging range of Myrmica workers (Elmes et al., 1998). Excavations were carried out just before, or at the beginning of, the usual flying periods of the different populations. Search periods earlier in the life cycle are less suitable because ant colonies adopting young fourth-instar caterpillars may later kill them (typically around winter because of starving: Elmes et al., 2004). Five to ten workers were collected from each Myrmica nest and preserved in ethanol for identification in the laboratory (according to: Seifert, 1988; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010). Altogether 289 nests of nine Myrmica species [M. lobicornis Nylander, 1846; M. lonae Finzi, 1926; M. rubra (Linnaeus, 1758); M. ruginodis Nylander, 1846; M. sabuleti Meinert, 1861; M. scabrinodis Nylander, 1846; M. schencki Viereck, 1903; M. specioides Bondroit, 1918; M. vandeli Bondroit, 1920] were opened and only two (i.e. less than 1%) were infected with M. arion, at two different sites. One spring arion pupa was recorded in a M. scabrinodis nest, and a summer arion prepupa with Myrmica specioides (see Table 1 and Fig 1 of Supplementary File). The identification of phenological forms was carried out based on collection date (see Table 1 of Supplementary File for details). The specific identification of these pre-adult stages was confirmed using the COI genetic barcoding gene (see Table 1 of Supplementary File for the accession numbers). Myrmica scabrinodis has already been recorded as a host of M. arion from Western Europe, although just in a few cases (Thomas et al., 1989; Elmes et al., 1998). However, as far as we know, this is the first record of M. specioides as a host ant of M. arion. The known host ant species of M. arion are: (I) Myrmica sulcinodis Nylander (1846) and M. lonae from Italy (Sielezniew et al., 2010b; Casacci et al., 2011); (II) M. hellenica Finzi (1926); M. lobicornis; M. lonae; M. rugulosa Nylander (1849); M. sabuleti; M. scabrinodis and M. schencki from Poland (Sielezniew & Stankiewicz, 2008; Sielezniew et al., 2010b; Sielezniew et al., 2010c; Sielezniew et al., 2010a) (III); M. scabrinodis and a M. specioides from the Carpathian Basin (this paper); and (IV) M. sabuleti, as the well-proved main host, from Western Europe (England, France and Sweden: Thomas et al., 1989; Elmes et al., 1998; Nielsen, 2012) where M. arion is also recorded from M. scabrinodis and M. lonae nests, but only in a few cases. According to these observations, it seems that M. arion shows less host ant specificity in Central than in Western European regions (similarly to the other European Maculinea species: Tartally, 2008). However, this does not exclude local adaptations to some host ant species in Central Europe, such as the M. schencki using Polish populations (Sielezniew et al., 2010c). This phenomenon could be explained by the geographic mosaic of coevolution between the butterflies and their host ants (Nash et al., 2008). Because M. arion can sometimes be found with Myrmica species, which are not suitable to maintain populations (Thomas, 1980), we should be cautious not to place too much emphasis on single host ant records. On the other hand, it is very important to publish all host ant records, including single observations, because the greater the available data about host ant usage, the greater is our understanding of the biology and conservation potential of this endangered butterfly. At the same time, it is important to emphasize that finding Myrmica nests infected with M. arion is extremely difficult, and requires dedicated and systematic surveys (Sielezniew et al., 2010a). 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