螞蟻與蝴蝶并非好友,，然而有些蝴蝶的幼蟲——毛毛蟲卻能在螞蟻那里得到“皇室”般的待遇，個中原因是什么呢,？意大利都靈大學(xué)和英國牛津大學(xué)等機構(gòu)的科學(xué)家在最新一期美國《科學(xué)》雜志上揭示了這一奧秘。
研究人員報告說,，寄生性的藍蝶毛毛蟲會通過模仿蟻后的聲音來哄騙工蟻給予它們“皇室”般的待遇,。
在西歐地區(qū)有一種名為Myrmica schencki的螞蟻。研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn),，在這種螞蟻的蟻群中藍蝶毛毛蟲可以生活得很舒適,，它們在蟻群中會像螞蟻幼蟲那樣乞食,，并能分泌類似螞蟻幼蟲那樣的化學(xué)物質(zhì)，工蟻們會像對待幼蟻那樣給藍蝶毛毛蟲喂食,。在蟻群遭到侵擾后進行的救援行動中或當(dāng)食物變得稀少時,，藍蝶毛毛蟲可以獲得比幼蟻更好的待遇。在極端缺乏食物的情況下,，工蟻甚至殺死幼蟻來喂養(yǎng)藍蝶毛毛蟲,，這些特殊情況無法用藍蝶毛毛蟲分泌化學(xué)物質(zhì)或者乞食來解釋。
為此,，研究人員記錄了藍蝶毛毛蟲發(fā)出的聲音,，并分析其節(jié)拍長度和頻率。他們發(fā)現(xiàn),，與工蟻發(fā)出的聲音相比,，藍蝶毛毛蟲發(fā)出的聲音與蟻后的聲音更相像。
研究人員據(jù)此推測,，藍蝶毛毛蟲的聲音模仿能力是其獲得更好待遇的主要原因,，這種模仿聲音的方式可能也是其它在蟻群中寄生的多種昆蟲所慣用的“伎倆”。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
Science 6 February 2009: DOI: 10.1126/science.1163583
Queen Ants Make Distinctive Sounds That Are Mimicked by a Butterfly Social Parasite
Francesca Barbero,1,2 Jeremy A Thomas,2,3* Simona Bonelli,1 Emilio Balletto,1 Karsten Sch?nrogge3
Ants dominate terrestrial ecosystems through living in complex societies whose organization is maintained via sophisticated communication systems. The role of acoustics in information exchange may be underestimated. We show that Myrmica schencki queens generate distinctive sounds that elicit increased benevolent responses from workers, reinforcing their supreme social status. Although fiercely defended by workers, ant societies are infiltrated by specialist insects that exploit their resources. Sounds produced by pupae and larvae of the parasitic butterfly Maculinea rebeli mimic those of queen ants more closely than those of workers, enabling them to achieve high status within ant societies. We conclude that acoustical mimicry provides another route for infiltration for 10,000 species of social parasites that cheat ant societies.
1 Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell'Uomo Laboratorio di Zoologia, Turin, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy.
2 Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK.
3 Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK.
