The Role of Beetle Marks and Flower Colour on Visitation by Monkey Beetles (Hopliini) in the Greater Cape Floral Region, South Africa

Kleunen, Mark van; Nänni, Ingrid; Donaldson, John S.; Manning, John C.

doi:10.1093/aob/mcm256

Cited by 59 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Experiments have established the functional significance of convergent floral traits in several specialized pollination systems in southern Africa. Floral advertising traits, which have been shown by means of manipulative experiments to be functionally important for pollinator attraction, include convergent yellow or orange coloration and dark central markings of flowers pollinated by hopliine beetles (Van Kleunen et al 2007), dark raised spots typically found on flowers pollinated by Megapalpus bee-flies (Johnson & Midgley 1997), the size and red colour of flowers pollinated by Aeropetes butterflies (Johnson & Bond 1994) and the scent of flowers pollinated by spider-hunting wasps (Shuttleworth & Johnson 2009). …”

Section: Pollination Systems As Nichesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The pollination niche and its role in the diversification and maintenance of the southern African flora

Johnson

2010

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

244

232

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The flora of southern Africa has exceptional species richness and endemism, making it an ideal system for studying the patterns and processes of evolutionary diversification. Using a wealth of recent case studies, I examine the evidence for pollinator-driven diversification in this flora. Pollination systems, which represent available niches for ecological diversification, are characterized in southern Africa by a high level of ecological and evolutionary specialization on the part of plants, and, in some cases, by pollinators as well. These systems are asymmetric, with entire plant guilds commonly specialized for a particular pollinator species or functional type, resulting in obvious convergent floral evolution among guild members. Identified modes of plant lineage diversification involving adaptation to pollinators in these guilds include (i) shifts between pollination systems, (ii) divergent use of the same pollinator, (iii) coevolution, (iv) trait tracking, and (v) floral mimicry of different model species. Microevolutionary studies confirm that pollinator shifts can be precipitated when a plant species encounters a novel pollinator fauna on its range margin, and macroevolutionary studies confirm frequent pollinator shifts associated with lineage diversification. As Darwin first noted, evolutionary specialization for particular pollinators, when resulting in ecological dependency, may increase the risk of plant extinction. I thus also consider the evidence that disturbance provokes pollination failure in some southern African plants with specialized pollination systems.Keywords: adaptive radiation; coevolution; mutualism; pollination ecotypes; pollination syndrome; speciationResearch in these fields [pollination and dispersal biology] is going to be the most fruitful approach to understanding evolutionary trends in higher plants. (Stebbins 1970)

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Section: Pollination Systems As Nichesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The pollination niche and its role in the diversification and maintenance of the southern African flora

Johnson

2010

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

244

232

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“…Colour preferences affecting pan trapping for anthophiles have been investigated particularly for bees, (Toler et al 2005;Laubertie et al 2006;Wells and Decker 2006;Campbell and Hanula 2007;Wilson et al 2008;Tuell and Isaacs 2009;Missa et al 2009). For the CFR, Picker and Midgley (1996) describe distinct colour guilds in monkey beetles (Scarabaeidae: Hopliini), while Johnson and Midgley (2001) and Van Kleunen et al (2007) describe the effects of colour affecting alighting behaviour of monkey beetles on model flowers. Similarly, we also found that there were marked differences in the abundance and diversity of anthophiles caught in different coloured pan traps.…”

Section: Pan Trap Limitations and The Effects Of Colourmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimising coloured pan traps to survey flower visiting insects

2011

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Colour is an important attractant for many flower-visiting insects (anthophiles). Consequently, coloured pan trapping is an efficient technique that can be easily and cost-effectively used to quantitatively sample assemblages of anthophiles. However, colour preferences of anthophiles is an important source of bias that needs to be considered in pan trap surveys. By drawing sub samples comprised of different colour combinations from a database of pan trap surveys in the lowlands of the Cape Floristic Region, we examine the effects of colour on pan trap catches and determine which combinations of colours might provide better estimates of diversity when sampling with multi-colour sets of pan traps. Pan trap catches included the major groups of anthophiles in the region (Coleoptera, Diptera and Hymenoptera), but butterflies (Lepidoptera) were strongly under-represented. Colour played an important role in determining the species richness and composition of pan trap catches, with colour sets that included high reflectance yellow and white generally having catches with the highest species richness. While all colour combinations provided reasonable estimates of proportional species richness, proportional abundance of taxa varied among different colour sets, and did not accurately reflect actual proportions of different taxa in the entire dataset. For comparative biodiversity surveys and assessments we recommend the use of high reflectance colours such as white and yellow traps, while for full inventory surveys, it may be necessary to include other colours to catch rarer species that are excluded by the high reflectance colours alone.

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“…Although many beetle taxa do appear to depend on odor to reach flowers (Pellmyr and Patt 1986;Young 1986;Eriksson 1994), several reports indicate that beetles also rely on color cues (Dafni et al 1990;Steiner 1998;van Kleunen et al 2007). Within this context, a very well-documented case of flower-beetle interaction is the association in the southeast Mediterranean region between red bowl-shaped flowers and beetles from the family Glaphyridae (Scarabaeoidea: Coleoptera) (Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence of red sensitive photoreceptors in Pygopleurus israelitus (Glaphyridae: Coleoptera) and its implications for beetle pollination in the southeast Mediterranean

et al. 2012

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A very well-documented case of flower-beetle interaction is the association in the Mediterranean region between red bowl-shaped flowers and beetles of the family Glaphyridae. The present study examines the visual mechanisms by which Pygopleurus israelitus (Glaphyridae: Scarabaeoidea: Coleoptera) would perceive the colors of flowers they visit by characterizing the spectral sensitivity of its photoreceptors. Our measurements revealed the presence of three types of photoreceptors, maximally sensitive in the UV, green and red areas of the spectrum. Using color vision space diagrams, we calculated the distribution of beetle-visited flower colors in the glaphyrid and honeybee color space and evaluated whether chromatic discrimination differs between the two types of pollinators. Respective color loci in the beetle color space are located on one side of the locus for green foliage background, whereas in the honeybee the flower color loci surround the locus occupied by green foliage. Our results represent the first evidence of a red sensitive photoreceptor in a flower-visiting coleopteran species, highlighting Glaphyridae as an interesting model group to study the role of pollinators in flower color evolution.

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The Role of Beetle Marks and Flower Colour on Visitation by Monkey Beetles (Hopliini) in the Greater Cape Floral Region, South Africa

Cited by 59 publications

References 17 publications

The pollination niche and its role in the diversification and maintenance of the southern African flora

The pollination niche and its role in the diversification and maintenance of the southern African flora

Optimising coloured pan traps to survey flower visiting insects

Evidence of red sensitive photoreceptors in Pygopleurus israelitus (Glaphyridae: Coleoptera) and its implications for beetle pollination in the southeast Mediterranean

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