TARLAC STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
SCHOOL YEAR 2022-2023

Morphological variables restrict flower choice of Lycaenid

butterfly species: implication for pollination and conservation

General Ecology (Lecture)

Critical Evaluation and Critiquing a Research Article

Submitted by:

Gacusan, Maricar C.

Gagalang, Angeline D.

General Ecology (Lecture)

Checklist for Critical Evaluation and Critiquing of a Research Article
J.A. Balisi (2022)
1|Page
 TARLAC STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
SCHOOL YEAR 2022-2023

The title of the article is concise and informative. It has significant details that provide ideas

for the readers about its information. The main thought or ideas of the research are summarized in

the title as it employs few words to succinctly describe the topic. In the abstract part, it was not

stated the research approach used in the research.

The authors have appropriate academic and professional qualifications as they focused on

Biology. The author, Subha Shankar Mukherjee working on butterfly-plant interaction. He is an

expert in biodiversity, butterflies, biostatistics, multivariate analysis, and conservation biology. On

the other hand, Asif Hosain is from The University of Burdwan, Golapbag, Burdwan, 713104,

India. He is working in the Department of Zoology.

The research has a concise abstract. It clearly defined each major aspect of the study. It

contains a summary that provides details of the research The abstract includes the main problem in

the research. It gives prediction to the outcome of the study. It elaborated on the morphological

variables of butterfly species. The research interpreted and shows the data of three plants in terms

of the frequency of visits of the butterfly species. On the other hand, the abstract does not indicate

the methods used in the research. But it contains specific details about the species and proboscis of

butterflies which is the main topic discussed in the research. In concisely, the abstract contains the

major finding of the research. As a result, butterflies with shorter proboscis cannot access nectar

from a deeper flower.

In the introduction, the problem was stated, which is the flower preference of seven species

from the Lycaenidae family as these species contain very short proboscis, lower body length, lower

General Ecology (Lecture)

Checklist for Critical Evaluation and Critiquing of a Research Article
J.A. Balisi (2022)
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 TARLAC STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
SCHOOL YEAR 2022-2023

body weight, and wing span than the other species. The rationale was not clearly stated in the

study. The research has limitations and only conducted the flower preference of seven species from

the Lycaenidae family. In the framework, it was indicated the Proboscis length of the butterfly

species.

The literature review was not up to date. On the other hand, it identified the theoretical

framework. It contains significant concepts which help determine the problem in the study. It was

not presented a balanced evaluation of the material as there were different literature reviews in the

study. Yet, the important reference was not omitted as the previous studies guide the present study.

The research used an experimental approach as it include a hypothesis and variable that was

measured and compared in the study. The hypothesis was not unambiguous as it helped the

research progress and link the underlying theory of the study. In addition, all terms used in the

research problem were concisely stated.

The methodology showed that the research used an experimental approach as it provide

specific details about the process, measurement, and test of the research. And the subjects were

comprehensively defined.

Conclusively, the sample subject of the research was clearly stated because it identified that

butterflies with long proboscis can access the nectar from the deep flower. On the other hand,

butterflies from the Lycaenidae family which have shorter proboscis cannot access nectar from

deeper flowers.

The sample selection approach was congruent with the method, seven species from

General Ecology (Lecture)

Checklist for Critical Evaluation and Critiquing of a Research Article
J.A. Balisi (2022)
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 TARLAC STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
SCHOOL YEAR 2022-2023
Lycaenidae family these species contain very short proboscis, lower body length, lower body

weight and wing span than the most species belonging from Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Papilionidae,

and Hesperiidae

Morphological variables of these Lycaenid butterfly species correlate with flower selection,

which plants are preferable by the butterfly species and how these flowering plants plays a role to

conserve these species and how butterfly species helps in pollination of these plants by measuring

frequency of visits of the butterfly species because higher the frequency of visits positively related

to higher the chances of pollination because during collection of food the pollen grains are attached

to the insect body parts.

The sample size is clearly stated under the materials and methodology it states there the

sample size, species sampling as well as the study area, the measurement of morphological

variables, and floral biology for the flowers. Data collection procedure that is being used the

Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), Kruskal-Wallis’s test followed by post hoc Dunn’s

test, Pearson’s correlation analysis, Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis. There

is description of the preparation of materials like Proboscis length (PL) of the butterfly species

were measured by inserting a needle in the coiled proboscis and length of the proboscis was

determined by the distance from the labial palps to the tip of the proboscis by the use of electronic

digital Vernier calliper (Thermocare) (Kunte 2007). The distance between two wing tips considered

as the length of the wing span (WS). The body length (BL) was determined from the area between

eyes to the tip of the abdomen (Van Dyck 1997). For determination of body weight (BW) first the

General Ecology (Lecture)

Checklist for Critical Evaluation and Critiquing of a Research Article
J.A. Balisi (2022)
4|Page
 TARLAC STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
SCHOOL YEAR 2022-2023
butterfly species immobilized in a refrigerator for 30 min (Duster 2018), then fresh weight was

taken in a digital electronic balance machine. After that butterflies were acclimatized for 1 h to

regain flight ability and then they were release without noticeable harm (Mukherjee and Hossain

2020).

The validity and reliability of instruments are clearly stated where under measurement of

morphological variables, the ways how to perform or use the instruments are described .

There may not be any human participants in the study, no set of guiding principles for

research designs, no informed consent, confidentiality, or possibility for harm, and no disclosure of

the study's findings. In truth, the outcomes of this study were determined subjectively by the

research participants; as a result, there may be no confidentiality issues with the paper. In order to

improve research validity and preserve scientific integrity, this article seeks to show us that both

researchers and scientists should always abide by a specific code of conduct when it comes to

gathering data or information.

The result are clearly presented, where the Pearson’s correlation plot and PCA biplot show

body length, body weight and proboscis length maintain a strong positive correlation but wing span

maintain weak relation with proboscis length. The classical clustering based on algorithm UPGMA

for frequency of butterfly visits in three plants (groups) by using Euclidian distance and presence-

absence records in the three plants by using Jaccard index. The classical cluster analysis based on

Euclidian distance proved that Syndrella nodiflora (SNO) and Ocimum americanum (OAM) are

quite similar but Tridax procumbens (TPR) is dissimilar from both those groups in terms of

General Ecology (Lecture)

Checklist for Critical Evaluation and Critiquing of a Research Article
J.A. Balisi (2022)
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 TARLAC STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
SCHOOL YEAR 2022-2023
frequency of visits of butterflies in those plants (Fig. 7). In case of presence-absence records

wherein the apparent presence or absence of each butterfly species are recorded in the three plants

namely Tridax procumbens (TPR) and Ocimum americanum (OAM) and Syndrella nodiflora

(SNO) showed that Tridax procumbens (TPR) and Ocimum americanum (OAM) are related but

Syndrella nodiflora (SNO) is dissimilar from both these groups (Fig. 8).

There is a description arrangement of data that we can used, in a form of graphs and tables.

The discussion is balanced it shows the results of seven butterfly species from Lycaenidae family,

the reason of less frequently visit of butterfly species on Syndrella nodiflora, it is also observed the

butterfly species with high wing load capacity and the butterfly species with shorter proboscis.

The weaknesses of the study are acknowledged, when the visitor butterfly species do not

visit in these two plants because the corolla length of the flowers exceed the proboscis length of the

butterfly species (Corbet 2000; Tiple 2009). The reason of less frequently visit of butterfly species

on Syndrella nodiflora (SNO) may be less food source in that flower. There are clinical

implications, nectar robbers with longer proboscis gain more energy (Kunte 2007) because species

that containlonger proboscis access nectar from deeper flowers (May 1992), but the butterfly

species with shorter proboscis cannot access nectar from the deeper flowers and they solely

depends on the flowers having shorter or equal length of the proboscis length of the butterfly

species. It is also observed that butterfly species with high wing load capacity visits clustered

flowers but the species with low wing load capacity visit solitary, less nectar rich flowers (Corbet

2000). Heavier butterfly species require larger wings for flight (Dennis 1993) and thus require

General Ecology (Lecture)

Checklist for Critical Evaluation and Critiquing of a Research Article
J.A. Balisi (2022)
6|Page
 TARLAC STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
SCHOOL YEAR 2022-2023
richer and abundant food to fulfil their energy requirements so, they restrict their visit in clustered

flowers that are rich in nectar (Tiple 2009). But in case of butterfly species with lower body weight

with shorter wing load capacity and shorter proboscis visit solitary and flowers with shorter corolla

tube because this enables them to collect food from this particular type of flowers and fulfil their

energy requirements. The research question is all answered through the results whereas the present

study proved that butterfly species visits frequently in Tridax procumbens (TPR), Ocimum

americanum (OAM) but less frequently in Syndrella nodiflora (SNO). So, that study determined

the butterfly species helps in pollination of these herbs that in turn helps the conservation of these

butterfly species. There are explanations of the results, the seven butterfly species from Lycaenidae

family visit Tridax procumbens (TPR) and Ocimum americanum (OAM) frequently rather than

Syndrella nodiflora (SNO). It was also found that all the species visit Tridax procumbens (TPR),

three species visit Ocimum americanum (OAM) and two species visit Syndrella nodiflora (SNO),

but no butterfly visit in Lantana camara (LCA) and Catharanthus roseus (CRO) which corolla

length is 15 mm and 21 mm (measured during field survey) respectively. Tridax procumbens

(TPR) has the highest visit rate followed by Ocimum americanum (OAM) and Syndrella nodiflora

(SNO) respectively. So, the visitor butterfly species do not visit in these two plants because the

corolla length of the flowers exceeds the proboscis length of the butterfly species (Corbet 2000;

Tiple 2009). The reason of less frequently visit of butterfly species on Syndrella nodiflora (SNO)

may be less food source in those flowers. In case of nectar robbers with longer proboscis gain more

energy (Kunte 2007) because species that contain longer proboscis access nectar from deeper

General Ecology (Lecture)

Checklist for Critical Evaluation and Critiquing of a Research Article
J.A. Balisi (2022)
7|Page
 TARLAC STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
SCHOOL YEAR 2022-2023
flowers (May 1992), but the butterfly species with shorter proboscis cannot access nectar from the

deeper flowers and theysolely depends on the flowers having shorter or equal length of the

proboscis length of the butterfly species. Itis also observed that butterfly species with high wing

load capacity visit clustered flowers but the species with low wing load capacity visit solitary, less

nectar rich flowers (Corbet 2000). Heavier butterfly species require larger wings for flight (Dennis

1993) and thus require richer and abundant food to fulfil their energy requirements so they restrict

their visit in clustered flowers that are rich in nectar (Tiple 2009). But in case of butterfly species

with lower body weight with shorter wing load capacity and shorter proboscis visit solitary and

flowers with shorter corolla tube because this enables them to collect food from this particular type

of flowers and fulfil their energy requirements. During feeding on flowers butterfly also contribute

the pollination of the plants (Lewis 1989; Goulson et al. 1997; Weiss and Papaj 2003). The present

study aims to identify flowering plants those are preferred by the Lycaenidae family and comments

in their potential role in pollination, thereby conservation of the host plant species and in alteration

of conservation of butterfly species with shorter proboscis, wing span, body length, and lower body

weight in the wild (Biswas et al. 2019; Mukherjee et al. 2021).

The conclusions are all supported by the results obtain during the analysis. Tthe

implications of the study are identified, it shows the ability and potential of the study impact to

society in many ways and how will it impact in future research.

There is no recommendation on the study. It didn’t have any recommendations to identify

the weaknesses of the study design for the future use.

General Ecology (Lecture)

Checklist for Critical Evaluation and Critiquing of a Research Article
J.A. Balisi (2022)
8|Page
 TARLAC STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
SCHOOL YEAR 2022-2023
Considering that the study relates to an older topic, all sources are explicitly referenced in

the text acknowledgment, an author's efforts, accurate author information, and appropriate citation.

There are therefore no important references that are missing.

General Ecology (Lecture)

Checklist for Critical Evaluation and Critiquing of a Research Article
J.A. Balisi (2022)
9|Page
 TARLAC STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
SCHOOL YEAR 2022-2023

General Ecology (Lecture)

Checklist for Critical Evaluation and Critiquing of a Research Article
J.A. Balisi (2022)
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