ACRONYM : EvoMac
PROJECT CODE: PN-III-P1-1.1-PD-2019-1003
PROJECT DURATION: 01.09.2020 - 30.11.2022
FUNDING: Executive Unit for Financing Higher Education of Research, Development and Innovation - UEFISCDI 
CONTRACTOR: Babeș-Bolyai University
PROJECT LEADER: Natalia Timuș
MENTOR: Markó Bálint
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ABSTRACT

​Ecological segregation of populations may lead to speciation. In the case of parasitic organisms differences in host use patterns, leading to specific adaptations, may be relevant evolutionary drivers. These factor are, generally hard to test, since syntopic occurrences of different strategies would be needed in most cases. There are two morphologically and genetically indistinguishable ecotypes of the socially parasitic Maculinea alcon butterfly, where the survival of caterpillars strictly depend on both specific food-plants and specific Myrmica ant species. The caterpillars use chemical and acoustic mimicry to infiltrate the host-ant nests. Populations of the two ecotypes inhabit contrasting biotops, due to their highly specific ecological requirements and are usually spatially well-separated. Worldwide only a single site is known where the two M. alcon ecotypes actually co-occur entirely syntopically, in Cluj County in Romania. Despite the close vicinity of the two ecotypes our previous studies detected a multi-level intraspecific variation that could indicate undergoing local ecological divergence. The main focus of my project is to explore the unique case of syntopic M. alcon ecotypes and to investigate the stability of intraspecific differences in host ant use, the ecotype-specificity of chemical mimicry (based on CHC profiles), the survival and development of caterpillars inside nests in order to identify the exact mechanisms that could contribute to the ecological separation of these ecotypes, which could, eventually, lead to complete evolutionary segregation on the long run. The intraspecific divergence in chemical signals (CHC profiles) between the two ecotypes in syntopic conditions was never examined before. Studying Maculinea–Myrmica relationship will allow me to bring new insights to the evolution of host-parasite systems in social context, but also to speciation through local ecological segregation.
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OBJECTIVES

The main focus of the project is to explore the unique case of two syntopic ecotypes of myrmecophilus butterfly species Maculinea alcon and to investigate the stability of intraspecific differences in (1) the infiltration behaviour of the two ecotypes inside host-ant nests of Myrmica sp, (2) the ecotype-specificity of chemical mimicry (based on CHC profiles), (3) the integration success and exploitation pattern of host-ant colonies in order to identify the exact mechanisms that could contribute to the ecological separation of these ecotypes, which could, eventually, lead to complete evolutionary segregation on the long run.
Articles related to the project theme

Csata E., Timuș N., Witek M., Casacci L., P.,Lucas C., Bagnères A-G., Sztencel-Jabłonka A., Barbero F., Bonelli S., Rákosy L., Markó B. (2017) Lock-picks: fungal infection facilitates the intrusion of strangers into ant colonies. Scientific Reports 7, 46323; doi: 10.1038/srep46323. IF: 4.122 WOS 000398990200001.

Timuș N., Craioveanu C., Sitaru C., Rus A., Rákosy L. (2013) Differences in adult phenology, demography, mobility and distribution in two syntopic ecotypes of Maculinea alcon (cruciata vs. pneumonanthe) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) from Transilvania (Romania). Entomologica romanica 18: 21-30.

Timuș N., Czekes Z., Rákosy L., Nowicki P. (2016) Conservation implications of source-sink dynamics within populations of endangered Maculinea butterflies. Journal of Insect Conservation, DOI 10.1007/s10841-016-9906-6. WOS 000404178700002.

​Timuș N., Constantineanu R., Rákosy L. (2013b) Ichneumon balteatus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) – a new parasitoid species of Maculinea alcon butterflies (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). Entomologica Romanica 18: 31-35.