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Post by lepidofrance on Jan 8, 2020 1:59:10 GMT -8
Here is what is written in the article quoted above about the food plant. This is an assumption:
"According to researchers' hypotheses, the Antimachus would get its venom from the ingestion by its caterpillar of the leaves of Strophanthus gratus, a thick liana that winds between the tops of the trees. The plan is to spot Strophanthus flowers in the canopy using a drone. Then to install a sophisticated network of ropes allowing to evolve in the heights in order to explore the vines over their entire length. Hoping to meet there, perhaps, a caterpillar whose nobody knows the exact appearance."
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Post by africaone on Jan 8, 2020 2:14:44 GMT -8
Thanks .... but how did they rely the foodplant and venom ? did they the same with zalmoxis ?
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Post by Adam Cotton on Jan 8, 2020 5:00:58 GMT -8
It seems very strange that larvae of a member of family Papilionidae would feed on Apocynaceae. As far as I know there are no species of Papilionidae that feed on those plants as larvae. Of course many species of Apocynaceae are adult nectar sources.
Presumably someone analysed the cardenolides and found that they are similar to those of Strophanthus gratus.
Adam.
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Jan 8, 2020 5:24:03 GMT -8
Here is what is written in the article quoted above about the food plant. This is an assumption: "According to researchers' hypotheses, the Antimachus would get its venom from the ingestion by its caterpillar of the leaves of Strophanthus gratus, a thick liana that winds between the tops of the trees. The plan is to spot Strophanthus flowers in the canopy using a drone. Then to install a sophisticated network of ropes allowing to evolve in the heights in order to explore the vines over their entire length. Hoping to meet there, perhaps, a caterpillar whose nobody knows the exact appearance." Although I do not collect Neotropical, nor any other tropical Lepidoptera, I enjoy the photographs and the commentary. Life is to short for this old Lepidopterist to even think about collecting in the tropics.
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Post by africaone on Jan 8, 2020 5:42:57 GMT -8
antimachus is a neighbour of Papilio rex that feeds on Vepris and Teclea that are Rutacae (as many African Papilio) far from the Apocynacae, another curiosity.
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Post by africaone on Jan 8, 2020 7:56:31 GMT -8
and how to distinct cardenolids coming inside the body of antimachus via caterpillar or foraging flowers ?
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Post by foxxdoc on Jan 8, 2020 11:34:07 GMT -8
obvious : rear it. ( if you can find it )
TOM
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Post by andresheleno on Jan 8, 2020 15:05:38 GMT -8
I think a good whay to find the female of Papilio antimachus is put a micro camera, they already use in smal bees, Papilio antimachus is a big butterflye, can suport a smal microcamera, maybe someone use this metod
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Post by africaone on Jan 9, 2020 0:27:10 GMT -8
I think a good whay to find the female of Papilio antimachus is put a micro camera, they already use in smal bees, Papilio antimachus is a big butterflye, can suport a smal microcamera, maybe someone use this metod to put a micro camera on a male ? ... If a male encounter a female, how will you find her ? Did you yet collect in deep tropical forest ? males are commonly seen on the ground road or riverside but for feeding on mud, not to mate. If the foodplant is easy to find and grows along forest paths or roads that made many years one had seen the female laying as it is quite unmistable to see a such butterfly laying. The best is to find a female (some of us have some ideas on how to do) and follow her with micro camera put on her. By chance a botanist can recognise the foodplant if the female lays eggs. It can be done with difficulty but it can be. It is a problem of mean.
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Post by andresheleno on Jan 9, 2020 1:43:05 GMT -8
Yes, find a female is better, but i think no one knows exacly were the female flies? if the male that is more easy to catch use a micro camera and if possible a smal gps device, maybe could track the female for mate. Or just get more information about the specie In not an expert, it is just an idea, i never ben in tropical florest
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Post by lepidofrance on Jan 9, 2020 16:51:25 GMT -8
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Post by andresheleno on Jan 10, 2020 1:59:44 GMT -8
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memo
Junior Member
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Post by memo on Jan 12, 2020 15:02:38 GMT -8
Mr. Safian tried this in Liberia. I would like to know, why he has not continue his project....
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memo
Junior Member
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Post by memo on Jan 12, 2020 15:21:58 GMT -8
I think a good whay to find the female of Papilio antimachus is put a micro camera, they already use in smal bees, Papilio antimachus is a big butterflye, can suport a smal microcamera, maybe someone use this metod to put a micro camera on a male ? ... If a male encounter a female, how will you find her ? Did you yet collect in deep tropical forest ? males are commonly seen on the ground road or riverside but for feeding on mud, not to mate. If the foodplant is easy to find and grows along forest paths or roads that made many years one had seen the female laying as it is quite unmistable to see a such butterfly laying. The best is to find a female (some of us have some ideas on how to do) and follow her with micro camera put on her. By chance a botanist can recognise the foodplant if the female lays eggs. It can be done with difficulty but it can be. It is a problem of mean. What is your idea? How would seem your plan to find a female? As far as I know, the most female in collections were catched while mating and the male came down for muddling with the lady on his side (like a gentleman )
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Post by Paul K on Jan 12, 2020 19:29:54 GMT -8
In butterflies, it is normally the female carrying the male during mating and not vice versa. Jan And I have never seen mud puddling male mating at the same time. Males do mud puddling to get most needed minerals in order to enriched their sperm.
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