'Geriatric' butterfly species lives nearly three times as long as their relatives
Researchers found pollen-eating Heliconius butterflies lived far longer, with average maximum lifespans of about 177 days versus 58 days for non-pollen eaters.
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Some specimens live almost a year, a milestone considering that the average life expectancy of these insects is six weeks.
'Geriatric' butterfly species lives nearly three times as long as their relatives
A tropical butterfly has evolved an ingenious anti-aging strategy by delaying the aging process, enabling it to live far longer than its closest relatives, according to a new University of Bristol-led study published in Nature Communications. Found throughout the tropical rainforests of South and Central America, butterflies of the Heliconius tribe are among the longest-lived species ever recorded and could provide a new model for studying the biology of longevity.
Research on tropical butterflies of the genus Heliconius suggests that their pollen diet and unique physiology could explain exceptional longevity, making them an unexpected model to study aging. The species lives 25 times more than others of its relatives.
Butterflies of the genus Heliconius, which feed on pollen in adulthood, live significantly longer than their close relatives. The study showed that the life expectancy of related species can vary by 25 times, and individual members are able to live for almost a year.
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