| Orchid sexual deceit provokes ejaculation. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 18433329 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Sexually deceptive orchids lure pollinators by mimicking female insects. Male insects fooled into gripping or copulating with orchids unwittingly transfer the pollinia. The effect of deception on pollinators has been considered negligible, but we show that pollinators may suffer considerable costs. Insects pollinating Australian tongue orchids (Cryptostylis species) frequently ejaculate and waste copious sperm. The costs of sperm wastage could select for pollinator avoidance of orchids, thereby driving and maintaining sexual deception via antagonistic coevolution or an arms race between pollinator learning and escalating orchid mimicry. However, we also show that orchid species provoking such extreme pollinator behavior have the highest pollination success. How can deception persist, given the costs to pollinators? Sexually-deceptive-orchid pollinators are almost exclusively solitary and haplodiploid species. Therefore, female insects deprived of matings by orchid deception could still produce male offspring, which may even enhance orchid pollination. |
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Authors:
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A C Gaskett; C G Winnick; M E Herberstein |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't |
Journal Detail:
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Title: The American naturalist Volume: 171 ISSN: 1537-5323 ISO Abbreviation: Am. Nat. Publication Date: 2008 Jun |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2008-05-08 Completed Date: 2008-06-02 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 2984688R Medline TA: Am Nat Country: United States |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: E206-12 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia. agaskett@bio.mq.edu.au |
Export Citation:
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APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Animals Ecosystem* Evolution* Female Flowers / physiology Male Orchidaceae / genetics, physiology* Pollination* Sexual Behavior, Animal Wasps / genetics, physiology* |
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