The Temporal Dynamics of Two Morpho Fabricius, 1807 Species (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) are Affected Differently by Fire in the Brazilian Savanna

Abstract

Fire is one of the main disturbance agents globally and one of the main threats on the Brazilian cerrado (Neotropical savanna), acting as environmental filter for species selection. Individuals of Morpho helenor achillides (C. Felder and R. Felder, 1867) and M. menelaus coeruleus (Perry, 1810) were captured weekly using entomological nets and fruit-baited traps over a 36-mo period (from May 2005 to April 2008). The present study analyzed the impact of a fire event in both the above species, showing that they present different responses to this disturbance. Morpho helenor was persistent as adults during the dry season, which could fly away from the flames to neighbor unburned areas and return after dry-season bushfires. Conversely, Morpho menelaus persists only as caterpillars during the dry season, which are unable to escape from the flames resulting in high impacts on local population (the species was not captured up to the end of this study). In addition, based on host plant species reported in the literature, we assigned a broader host plant range to M. helenor, suggesting that a generalist diet could help in the maintenance of individuals during the dry season, as they have more options to breed all year round. A better understanding of the temporal dynamics of adult and immature stages could help predict the amplitude of the impacts of dry season fire events on insects, especially when preventive fires are strategically used inside protected areas.

Butterfly community (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in a transition area of Atlantic Forest and Cerrado in Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…Hemiargus hanno hanno and Hamadryas epinome, two of the most abundant species, are common in open, anthropized areas, forest edges, and gallery forests (BROWN JR., 1992;SOUZA et al, 2007;RIBEIRO et al, 2012;SAMPAIO et al, 2014). Morpho helenor achillides, a frugivorous and low-flying species (BROWN JR., 1992), has a behavior that favors its survival in areas that suffer fires (NASCIMENTO et al, 2020). Aeria olena olena, on the other hand, is a species found in Cerrado vegetation and near dewy soils (BROWN JR., 1992;BROWN JR., FREITAS, 2000), where its population tends to grow during the wet seasons (FONSECA et al, 2006).…”

“…The Atlantic Forest is one of the biomes that suffers the most from deforestation in Brazil, with less than 8 % of its original cover remaining (WWF BRASIL, 2023), which forms fragments smaller than 50 ha (about 85 %), resulting in a large edge effect, which can be harmful to the functioning of its ecosystems (SANTOS et al, 2018). The Cerrado is also subject to different anthropogenic pressures, such as wildfires and extraction of ornamental species (NEGREIROS et al, 2011;RODRIGUES et al, 2022) and habitat loss due to the expansion of agricultural areas (RAUSCH et al, 2019).…”

In Case of Fire, Escape or Die: A Trait-Based Approach for Identifying Animal Species Threatened by Fire

“…Increased sensitivity: Species with synchronous reproduction at the end of the dry season, exposing pregnant, lactating, nesting, and brooding females to high-intensity fire (e.g., holometabolous insects whose larvae are restricted to dry-season) [98]. In species with a higher allocation of parental care, females may be burned in an attempt to protect the offspring or by delaying their decision to flee the fire [99].…”

Fostering biodiversity in Neotropical savannahs: fire as a diversity driver for fruit-feeding butterfly assemblages in the Brazilian Cerrado

“…Despite being closely related, Morpho helenor was persistent as adults during the dry season, which could y away from the ames to neighbor unburned areas and return after dry-season bush res. Conversely, Morpho menelaus persists only as caterpillars during the dry season, which are unable to escape from the ames resulting in high impacts on local population (Nascimento et al 2020). These studies illustrate the gaps that still remain in our understanding of how animal communities respond to re, including fruit-feeding butter y assemblages within re-prone environments such as the Brazilian Cerrado.…”