Population biology of three satyrine species (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) in a suburban habitat

Abstract

Abstract Decades after the publication of the first population studies on Neotropical butterflies, knowledge of their population biology remains scarce in the literature. Inconspicuous groups like the nymphalid subfamily Satyrinae are often overlooked, and studies that examine the demographics of these neglected groups are paramount for a more comprehensive understanding of insect population dynamics. The present paper addresses this dearth of information by describing the population biology of three common species of Euptychiina (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) butterflies, Hermeuptychia atalanta, Cissia eous and Malaveria affinis, in a suburban area. A 13-month mark-release-recapture study was carried out in the grass lawns of the University of Campinas, São Paulo State Southeastern Brazil. The results showed that population parameters differ among the three studied species. For example, the population of H. atalanta is about five times that of of C. eous, which is four times larger than that of M. affinis. Sex ratios were male-biased in H. atalanta and C. eous, but not in M. affinis (whose sex ratio was 1:1). Hermeuptychia atalanta and C. eous had mean adult lifespans of approximately one week, with no variation between sexes. Malaveria affinis, however, had a lifespan of approximately 11 days for males and just 5 days for females. Age structures were similar in all three species, with no recruitment peaks detected throughout the year. Sexual dimorphism, based on wing size, was not observed in H. atalanta, but a clear pattern of dimorphism with larger females was observed for the other two species. The present study is the first to describe population parameters for Euptychiina in detail, and one of the few focusing on population biology of butterflies in suburban areas. Indeed, the present results could help to define strategies of lawn management for the campus, aiming to increase local biodiversity and consequently improve ecosystem services.