scholarly journals Primer reporte de infección causada por el protozoario Ophryocystis elektroscirrha McLaughlin y Myers (Neogregarinida: Ophryocystidae) en la mariposa monarca Danaus plexippus megalippe f. portoricensis A. Clark (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) en Puerto Rico

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 521-523
Author(s):  
Ramón A. Rosario-Rodríguez ◽  
Carlos A. Acevedo-Suárez
Keyword(s):  
Puerto Rico ◽  
Danaus Plexippus ◽  
Ophryocystis Elektroscirrha

Low prevalence of the parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha at the range edge of the eastern North American monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly population

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felipe Dargent ◽  
Sydney M Gilmour ◽  
Emma A Brown ◽  
Rees Kassen ◽  
Heather M Kharouba
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Population Distribution ◽  
Danaus Plexippus ◽  
Range Limits ◽  
North American Population ◽  
Ophryocystis Elektroscirrha ◽  
Range Edge ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Northern Edge ◽  
Butterfly Population

Every year monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus Linnaeus, 1758) from the eastern North American population migrate from Mexico to Southern Canada in the spring. This northward migration has been shown to reduce monarch infection with the host-specific parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE) (McLaughlin and Myers, 1970); yet, the prevalence of OE at their range limits, and the mechanism(s) responsible, is unknown. We assessed OE infection levels of monarchs at the northern edge of the eastern population distribution around Ottawa, Canada, and found extremely low levels of infection (~1% with upper confidence intervals close to 3%). Low OE infection levels are likely due to low densities of monarchs in this region and/or migratory escape effects, where migrating individuals leave behind areas with high density of conspecifics and high potential for parasite accumulation and transmission. Future work should aim to disentangle the relative contribution of these two mechanisms for governing the decrease in parasitism at the range limits of migratory populations.

scholarly journals Lipid reserves and immune defense in healthy and diseased migrating monarchs Danaus plexippus

2013 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dara A. Satterfield ◽  
Amy E. Wright ◽  
Sonia Altizer
Keyword(s):  
Danaus Plexippus ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Parasite Load ◽  
Immune Defense ◽  
Eastern North America ◽  
Energy Reserves ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Phenoloxidase Activity ◽  
Weak Support ◽  
Ophryocystis Elektroscirrha

Abstract Recent studies suggest that the energetic demands of long-distance migration might lower the pool of resources available for costly immune defenses. Moreover, migration could amplify the costs of parasitism if animals suffering from parasite-induced damage or depleted energy reserves are less able to migrate long distances. We investigated relationships between long-distance migration, infection, and immunity in wild fall-migrating monarch butterflies Danaus plexippus. Monarchs migrate annually from eastern North America to central Mexico, accumulating lipids essential for migration and winter survival as they travel southward. Monarchs are commonly infected by the debilitating protozoan parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE). We collected data on lipid reserves, parasite loads, and two immune measures (hemocyte concentration and phenoloxidase activity) from wild monarchs migrating through north GA (USA) to ask whether (1) parasite infection negatively affects lipid reserves, and (2) greater investment in lipid reserves is associated with lower immune measures. Results showed that monarchs sampled later in the fall migration had lower but not significantly different immune measures and significantly higher lipid reserves than those sampled earlier. Lipid measures correlated negatively but only nearly significantly with one measure of immune defense (phenoloxidase activity) in both healthy and infected monarchs, but did not depend on monarch infection status or parasite load. These results provide weak support for a trade-off between energy reserves and immune defense in migrants, and suggest that previously-demonstrated costs of OE infection for monarch migration are not caused by depleted lipid reserves.

scholarly journals Further Insights on the Migration Biology of Monarch Butterflies, Danaus plexippus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) from the Pacific Northwest

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 161
Author(s):  
David G. James ◽  
Linda Kappen
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Danaus Plexippus ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Santa Barbara ◽  
Monarch Butterflies ◽  
Ophryocystis Elektroscirrha ◽  
Straight Line ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Travel Rate

The fall migration of monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus (L.), in the Pacific Northwest was studied during 2017–2019 by tagging 14,040 captive-reared and 450 wild monarchs. One hundred and twenty-two captive-reared monarchs (0.87%) were recovered at distances averaging 899.9 ± 98.6 km for Washington-released and 630.5 ± 19.9 km for Oregon-released monarchs. The greatest straight-line release to recovery distance was 1392.1 km. A mean travel rate of 20.7 ± 2.2 km/day and maximum travel of 46.1 km/day were recorded. Recovery rates were greater for Oregon-released monarchs (0.92%) than Washington-released (0.34%) or Idaho-released monarchs (0.30%). Most monarchs (106/122) were recovered SSW-S-SSE in California, with 82 at 18 coastal overwintering sites. Two migrants from Oregon were recovered just weeks after release ovipositing in Santa Barbara and Palo Alto, CA. Two migrants released in central Washington recovered up to 360.0 km to the SE, and recoveries from Idaho releases to the S and SE suggests that some Pacific Northwest migrants fly to an alternative overwintering destination. Monarchs released in southern Oregon into smoky, poor quality air appeared to be as successful at reaching overwintering sites and apparently lived just as long as monarchs released into non-smoky, good quality air. Migration and lifespan for monarchs infected with the protozoan parasite, Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (McLaughlin and Myers), appeared to be similar to the migration and survival of uninfected monarchs, although data are limited. Our data improve our understanding of western monarch migration, serving as a basis for further studies and providing information for conservation planning.

Puerto Rico: A Cultural Crossroads

ASHA Leader ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 38-40
Author(s):  
Albert Villanueva-Reyes
Keyword(s):  
Puerto Rico
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