ISSN:
1615-6110
Keywords:
Angiosperms
;
Winteraceae
;
Zygogynum
;
Lepidoptera
;
Micropterigidae
;
Sabatinca
;
Coleoptera
;
Pollination biology
;
coevolution
;
floral volatiles
;
parallel radiation
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract Flower visitors on 12 species of New CaledonianWinteraceae were studied. The visitors were two species of ancestral moths (Sabatinca; Micropterigidae), three species of weevils (Palontus; Curculionidae), and a species of thrips. Behavior observations and pollen records suggest that the beetles and occasionally the moths serve as pollinators ofZygogynum and Exospermum, andBelliolum is pollinated primarily by thrips. The floral volatiles are simple in composition, usually dominated by short esters. Preliminary experiments showed that ethyl acetate elicited alighting, and a distinctive huddling behavior was elicited by artificially mixed fragrance. The host associations of otherSabatinca andPalontus spp. do not support the hypothesis that theWinteraceae have radiated in association with their pollinators. The available evidence supports the notion of opportunistic isolated host colonizations at some point in the radiation of the pollinator groups.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00940859
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