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Science 24 April 1981:
Vol. 212. no. 4493, pp. 467 - 469
DOI: 10.1126/science.212.4493.467
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Articles

Insects as Selective Agents on Plant Vegetative Morphology: Egg Mimicry Reduces Egg Laying by Butterflies

KATHY S. WILLIAMS 1 and LAWRENCE E. GILBERT 1

1 Department of Zoology, University of Texas, Austin 78712

Experiments show that Heliconius butterflies are less likely to oviposit on host plants that possess eggs or egglike plant structures. These egg mimics are an unambiguous example of a plant trait evolved in response to a host-restricted group of insect herbivores.

Submitted on July 10, 1980
Revised on November 26, 1980

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)