Galls on smaller leaves do not refute the Plant Vigour Hypothesis

curculionid beetle, Prospoliatabicolorata, that galls the petioles of the leaves of a pioneering shrub, Miconiaprasina, is more abundant and survives better on leaves that are shorter, lighter and smaller in area, and then argue that “ … smaller leaves should possess higher rates of resource quality essential for larval development … ”. However, they have not refuted this hypothesis, nor do they provide evidence that smaller leaves are more nutritious. The majority of herbivores feed preferentially upon the new growth of plants. They are flush-feeders (White, 2009). Therefore, the more vigorous this growth, and thus the greater the inflow of high quality sap into that growth, the greater chance such herbivoreswillhave of surviving and growing to maturity.And insects that form galls are quintessential flush-feeders. Whether the