![]() Consequences include decreased fecundity, egg size, and survival rate. Toxin excretion, from previous studies, results in changes in wing pattern and body size. erato species with more mechanisms to detoxify and secrete ingested toxins are the result of genetic differences among H. Survived butterflies were capable of excreting higher levels of cyanides, suggesting a defense mechanism in H. erato larvae which fed on cyanide-releasing Passiflora. One recent study showed that mortality increased among H. Increasing exposure to parasitoids due to longer time spent on the host plant also contributes to the high mortality rate. Accumulation of toxins such as cyanogenic glycosides leads to a low survival rate among H. erato species that feed on specific Passiflora species tend to spend more time on the host plant and are thus exposed to the toxins for a longer period. Toxin variation among Passiflora is one of the reasons for host specificity among Heliconius butterflies. Studies have identified cyanogenic glycosides and alkaloids as potential chemicals that drive distasteful reactions among Heliconius. Chemical composition of toxins in such plants have not been studied widely. This leads to a lower chance of herbivore damage for individual Passiflora species and thus helps protect Passiflora plants. Passiflora species produce different toxins, leading to different preferences for oviposition among Heliconius species. ![]() To increase chances of survival and cross-pollination, Passiflora plants synthesize toxins in leaves to deter Heliconius. Passiflora plants are usually found in low densities with even less plants in fruiting or flower conditions due to caterpillar feeding. ![]() Previous studies have shown that host plants, such as Passiflora, have coevolved with Heliconius butterflies. Co-evolution between Heliconius erato and host plants Females typically carry larger loads of pollen than males as females require more amino acids for egg production. erato is then able to extract nitrogenous compounds in a clear liquid, including amino acids like arginine, leucine, lysine, valine, proline, histidine, isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, and tryptophan. They then agitate the pollen by coiling and uncoiling their proboscis in order to release its nutrients. Instead, they collect pollen in a mass on the ventral side of their proboscis. They do not spend much time or energy collecting nectar (only remaining for a few seconds). erato is a pollen-feeding species, collecting from the Lantana camara flower. After they have exhausted the resources of the plant they have hatched on, later instars may move to another plant. Larvae feed on the host plant, first consuming the terminal bud. erato collecting pollen from Lantana camara Caterpillars erato rarely travels to neighboring home ranges. In areas of dense population in Trinidad, some home ranges are only separated by 30 yards, but H. It is philopatric, having a particularly restricted home range. erato is a neotropical species, found from southern Texas to northern Argentina and Paraguay, and resides on the edges of tropical rainforests. Recent field work has confirmed the relative abundance of this butterfly. It also has a unique mating ritual involving the transfer of anti-aphrodisiacs from males to females. erato exhibits Müllerian mimicry with other Heliconius butterflies such as Heliconius melpomene in order to warn common predators against attacking, which contributes to its surprising longevity. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is also commonly known as the small postman, the red passion flower butterfly, or the crimson-patched longwing. ![]() Heliconius erato, or the red postman, is one of about 40 neotropical species of butterfly belonging to the genus Heliconius.
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