Full text in pdf format

Studies on the genetics and ecology of Heliconius erato (Lepidoptera ; Nymphalidae). IV. effective size and variability of the rea raylets in natural populations

Daisy Lara de Oliveira^I; Aldo M. de Araújo^II

^IDepartamento de Ensino e Currículo, Faculdade de Educação, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
^IIDepartamento de Genética, Caixa Postal 15053, UFRGS, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Send correspondence to A.M.A

ABSTRACT

Natural populations of the butterfly Heliconius era to Phyllis from southern Brazil were investigated for effective size and variability of a quantitative trait (the number of red raylets in the hindwings). Three localities were studied, with an effective size of 48, 84, and 56, averaging over all seasons of the year. As for the mean number of red raylets, lower values were found in spring, and higher ones in summer. The frequency distributions of this trait also showed seasonal variation; for one locality the mean and the distribution of raylets were significantly different, according to season. The low effective number and the seasonal variation in the red raylets suggests the possibility of both random genetic drift and natural selection acting on these populations.

Keywords: Heliconius erato; Lepidoptera; Effective size; Red raylets.

REFERENCES

Begon, M. (1977). The effective size of a natural Drosophila subobscura population. Heredity 38: 13-18.

Begon, M. (1979). Investigating Animal Abundance: Capture-recapture for biologists. Arnold, London. pp. 97.

Begon, M., Krimbas, C.B. and Loukas, M. (1980). The genetics of Drosophila subobscura populations. XV. Effective size of a natural population estimated by three independent methods. Heredity 45: 335-350.

Brown Jr., K.S. (1979). Ecologia Geogrifica e Evolução nas Florestas Neotropicais. Thesis (Professorship). UNICAMP, São Paulo.

Crow, J. and Kimura, M. (1970). An Introduction to Population Genetic Theory. Harper and Row, pp. 591. Gardas, G.L. (1983). Aspectos da Biologia Populacional de Cinco Espécies de Helicoríneos do Anel Mimético "Laranja" (Lepidoptera; Nymphalidae). Masters Thesis, UFRGS, Porto Alegre.

Li, C.C. (1976). First Course in Population Genetics. Boxwood Press, California, pp. 631.

Lima, F.A.M. and Araújo, A.M. (1982). Studies on the genetics and ecology of Heliconius erato (Lepid.; Numph.). II. Inheritance of esterases and genotypic distribution in a natural population. Rev. Bras. Genet. 5: 679-686.

Mallet, J. (1986). Dispersal and gene flow in a butterfly with home range behavior: Heliconius erato (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Oecologia 68: 210-217.

Merrell, D.J. (1968). A comparison of the estimated size and the "effective size" of breeding populations of the leopard frog Rana pipiers. Evolution 22: 274-283.

Pansera, M.C.G. and Araújo, A.M. (1983). Distribution and heritability of the red raylets in Heliconius erato phyllis (Lepid.; Nymph.). Heredity 51: 643-652.

Saalfeld, K. and Araújo, A.M. (1981). Studies on the genetics and ecology of Heliconius erato (Lepid.; Nymph.). I. Demography of a natural population. Rev. Bras. Biol. 41: 855-860.

Silva, L.M. (1989). Estrutura genética de populações naturais de Heliconius erato do Rio Grande do Sul (Lepidoptera; Nymphalidae). Masters Thesis, UFRGS, Porto Alegre.

Steel, R.G.D. and Torrie, J.H. (1960). Principles and Procedures of Statistics. McGray-Hill, New York, pp. 481.

Steel, R.G.D. and Torde, J.H. (1980). Principles and Procedures of Statistics - A Biometrical Approach. McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 633.

Wright, S. (1931). Evolution in mendelian populations. Genetics 16: 97-159.