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 50 results of starvation DHJanzen100643.jpg high resolution
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| These are four sibling Rothschildia lebeau. The male and female above were free-ranging on a large Spondias mombin crown with much foliage and only a few caterpillars. The male and female below passed their development in a heavily defoliated crown, in heavy competition with sibling caterpillars. They got enough food to pupate before the time came, but certainly not as much as they would have liked. The starved adults weigh about half of what their well-fed sibs weigh. But notice that the wing area is not reduced by nearly that proportion. In other words, they are still good flying machines - to mate, to find places to lay eggs - but the starved ones carry less payload - about half as many eggs in the case of the females, and half as much fat and water to fuel their frantic flight in the case of the males. | ||
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