A species of butterfly uses its legs to taste plants to see which leaves offer its eggs the best chance of survival, Japanese scientists said Wednesday. A group of researchers say they have shown for the first time that swallowtail butterflies have an array of sensors on their forelegs that allow them to get a flavour of the leaves they land on. The team, led by scientists at Osaka-based JT Biohistory Research Hall, said the larvae of plant-eating insects need specific types of plants to feed on. They said the female's ability to select the right plant on which to lay her eggs is key to the survival of the larvae when they hatch. Scientists said they found that swallowtails lay eggs only when they detect the presence of specific chemicals in the leaf as they drum their forelegs on the surface. The study casts new light on how different species use chemical detection to boost their chances of survival, the researchers said. "Our findings open the way to identifying other receptors (used in the egg laying process) and to gaining a better understanding of the evolution of host plant selection by the butterfly," they said in the study, published in the online journal "Nature Communications".
GMT 12:31 2017 Sunday ,24 December
SpaceX launches 10 more satellites for IridiumGMT 18:48 2017 Tuesday ,12 December
Bitcoin makes muted stock exchange debut at $15,000GMT 18:19 2017 Saturday ,09 December
France to allow trading of securities via blockchainGMT 07:39 2017 Thursday ,16 November
Cygnus cargo ship arrives at space stationGMT 17:49 2017 Sunday ,12 November
Aircraft overhead forces Orbital to cancel cargo launchGMT 19:18 2017 Wednesday ,01 November
Sony revives robot pet dogGMT 10:31 2017 Saturday ,28 October
Saudi Arabia Becomes First Country to Grant Citizenship to RobotGMT 17:46 2017 Saturday ,21 October
Spacewalkers fix robotic arm in time to grab next cargo ship
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor