The Host Genera of Ant-Parasitic Lycaenidae Butterflies: A Review

Table 1

Classification of ant genera known to associate with Lycaenidae caterpillars into prevalence groups. Ant genera are classified into that group which corresponds to the dominance status of its most dominant component species involved in butterfly-ant associations. For example, Formica is scored as “top dominant” since many (but not all) Formica species are territorial key-stone ant species in their respective habitats and communities, adapted from [24].

Class	Score	Criteria	Genera
Top dominant	5	Dominant ants in habitat; defend territories and resources intra- as well as interspecifically; monopolize resources against all heterospecific competitors	Myrmicinae: Pheidole; Formicinae: Formica, Oecophylla; Dolichoderinae: Anonychomyrma, Azteca, Forelius, Froggattella, Iridomyrmex, Papyrius
Second-order dominant	4	Subordinate relative to top dominants, but may become dominant in the absence of these; monopolize resources^†	Myrmicinae: Crematogaster, Meranoplus, Monomorium, Myrmicaria, Solenopsis, Tetramorium; Formicinae: Anoplolepis, Camponotus, Polyrhachis, Lasius, Lepisiota, Myrmecocystus; Dolichoderinae: Dolichoderus, Linepithema, Liometopum, Ochetellus, Philidris;
Submissive	3	Subordinate to both classes of dominants; usually opportunistic species with generalized feeding habits; rarely defend and monopolize resources against heterospecific ants	Myrmicinae: Acanthomyrmex, Aphaenogaster, Myrmica, Rhoptromyrmex; Formicinae: Echinopla, Notoncus, Paratrechina, Prolasius; Dolichoderinae: Dorymyrmex, Tapinoma, Technomyrmex; Ponerinae: Ectatomma
Solitary	2	Foraging individually; rarely monopolize resources	Myrmeciinae: Myrmecia; Myrmicinae: Cataulacus; Ponerinae: Gnamptogenys, Odontomachus, Rhytidoponera; Pseudomyrmecinae: Tetraponera, Pseudomyrmex
Cryptic	1	Minute species foraging on the ground or in leaf litter; inferior to all other ants in direct confrontation	Myrmicinae: Leptothorax; Formicinae: Brachymyrmex, Plagiolepis; Dolichoderinae: Bothriomyrmex

^†Includes many species that become dominant in disturbed habitats or when introduced as alien species into non-adapted ant communities.