Lizards are ideal for studying colour polymorphism, because some species are polymorphic and the morphs often have different ecological or reproductive strategies. We studied the feeding habits of six polymorphic populations of Podarcis muralis to test whether morphs differed in their diet. Some taxa were selected in a similar way by all morphs, but selection on other taxa varied and was characteristic of each morph. Diet was most different for the red and yellow morphs. Two hypotheses could explain these differences: active segregation in the trophic niche or active segregation in space dependent on spatial heterogeneity in prey availability. The former is improbable because P. muralis is considered an opportunistic feeder, whereas the latter could occur if the morphs adopted alternative territorial strategies with consequent spatial segregation.
Primary successions of glacier forelands are unique model systems to investigate community dynamics and assembly processes. However, successional changes of plant and insect communities have been mainly analysed separately. Therefore, changes in plant-insect interactions along successional gradients on glacier forelands remain unknown, despite their relevance to ecosystem functioning. This study assessed how successional changes of the vegetation influenced the composition of the flower-visiting insect assemblages of two plant species, Leucanthemopsis alpina (L.) Heyw. and Saxifraga bryoides L., selected as the only two insect-pollinated species occurring along the whole succession. In addition, we investigated the links between reproductive output of these plants and pollinator abundance through experimental exclusion of pollinators. Plant community structure changed along the succession, affecting the distribution and the abundance of insects via idiosyncratic responses of different insect functional groups. L. alpina interacted with ubiquitously distributed pollinators, while S. bryoides pollinators were positively associated with insect-pollinated plant species density and S. bryoides abundance. With succession proceeding, insect assemblages became more functionally diverse, with the abundance of parasitoids, predators and opportunists positively related to an increase in plant cover and diversity. The reproductive output of both plant species varied among successional stages. Contrary to our expectation, the obligate insect-pollinated L. alpina showed a reproductive output rather independent from pollinator abundance, while the reproductive output of the self-fertile S. bryoides seemed linked to pollinator abundance. Observing ecological interactions and using functional traits, we provided a mechanistic understanding of community assembly processes along a successional gradient. Plant community diversity and cover likely influenced insect community assembly through bottom-up effects. In turn, pollinators regulate plant reproductive output through top-down control. We emphasise that dynamics of alpine plant and insect communities may be structured by biotic interactions and feedback processes, rather than only be influenced by harsh abiotic conditions and stochastic events. bryoides seemed linked to pollinator abundance. Observing ecological interactions and using 45 functional traits we provided a mechanistic understanding of community assembly processes 46 along a successional gradient. Plant community diversity and cover likely influenced insect 47 community assembly through bottom-up effects. In turn, pollinators regulate plant 48 3 reproductive output through top-down control. We emphasize that dynamics of alpine plant 49 and insect communities may be structured by biotic interactions and feedback processes, 50 rather than only be influenced by harsh abiotic conditions and stochastic events. 51 52
The cuckoo wasp genus Pseudochrysis Semenov, 1891 is currently treated by several authors as a junior subjective synonym of Euchroeus Latreille, 1809, due to a type species designation by O. W. Richards in 1935. In the original description of the genus Pseudochrysis, Semenov (1891) distinguished two subordinated taxa within the genus Pseudochrysis: the subgenus Pseudochrysis and the subgenus Spintharis (sensu Dahlbom 1854). Semenov included three species in the subgenus Spintharis, but failed to mention any species included in the nominal subgenus. He was the first author, however, who listed in a subsequent publication (Semenov 1892) eleven species to be included in the nominal subgenus. According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN 1999, Art. 67.2.2), these eleven species are deemed to have been listed in the original description. One of these, Chrysura humboldti Dahlbom, 1845, was explicitly designated by Semenov (1892) as type species of Pseudochrysis. We therefore consider the designation of Pseudochrysis (Spintharis) virgo Semenov, 1891 as type species of Pseudochrysis by Richards (1935) as invalid. The currently widely used genus name Pseudospinolia Linsenmaier, 1951 (type species Chrysis uniformis Dahlbom, 1854) is consequently to be regarded as a junior subjective synonym of Pseudochrysis, given the current circumscription of the genus Pseudospinolia (including both Pseudospinolia humboldti and Pseudospinolia uniformis).
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