Ecological interaction at risk? A case of two threatened Brazilian butterflies

Worldwide, thousands of species are included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, which provides a global overview of the conservation status of species. However, in some cases, it is necessary to protect certain populations, even if the species is not at risk of extinction. In Brazil, thousands of species are also included in the national Red List, including 66 butterflies. Among these, two Papilionid taxa (Papilionidae) Parides ascanius (Cramer, 1775) (Troidini) and Eurytides (Mimoides) lysithous harrisianus (Swainson, 1822) (Leptocircini) are considered conservation flagships and attract attention for their popular appreciation and mimetic interactions. The wing pattern of Eurytides l. harrisianus is polymorphic with the ‘platydesma’ form being the only known mimic (presumed Batesian) of P. ascanius and only found within the distribution of the latter. In this study, we explore the distribution of both butterflies and E. lysithous harrisianus forms, which will facilitate targeted conservation efforts. A hypothesis about the origin of the ‘platydesma’ form is proposed, and the trends in the extinction risk of this unique phenotype and the ecological mimetic interaction in which it participates. This situation is worrying since there are no specific policies to preserve forms or other types of genetic diversity that are not recognized at the species or subspecies level. This study highlights the importance of having a slightly broader perspective on extinction risk, considering not only taxa, but also the consequences of losing unique phenotypes, and established ecological interactions between organisms.