Primeiro registro de simuliidae (Diptera) com polinários de asclepiadoideae (Apocynaceae)

Abstract

-The presence of pollinaria of two species of Asclepiadoideae (Apocynaceae), possibly Tassadia cf. martiana Decne. and T. cf. obovata Decne., attached to the mouth parts of simulid black fl ies [Cerqueirellum amazonicum (Goeldi), C. argentiscutum (Shelley & Luna Dias), C. oyapockense (Floch & Abonnenc), and Cerqueirellum sp.] are reported for the fi rst time. The frequency and distribution of simulids recorded with pollinaria suggest that removal of pollinaria by these fl ies is not casual. Simulids probably use nectar in fl owers of Asclepiadoideae as source of sugar, being able to remove their pollinaria. This fi nding demonstrates that simulids are not only vector of pathogenic parasites, but also carry pollinaria, and thus may represent a group of pollinators for species of Asclepiadoideae with small fl owers.

Development and evolution of extreme synorganization in angiosperm flowers and diversity: a comparison of Apocynaceae and Orchidaceae

“…Among the smallest orchids are species of Oberonia with flowers 1 mm in diameter (Pridgeon et al, 2005). In Asclepiadoideae, flowers of some Tassadia species are also 1 mm in diameter (Medeiros et al, 2008). In both cases these flowers have the full set of floral organs (as described above for the two clades).…”

Bradysia sp. (Diptera: Sciaridae), a pollinator that can die in flowers of Ditassa banksii Schult. (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae)

“…Flies with pollinaria attached to the mouthparts are commonly treated as pollinators of Asclepiadoideae (Medeiros et al 2008, Nihei & Schwarz 2011.…”