An Overview of Cycad Pollination Studies

Terry, Irene; Tang, William; Blake, A. S. Taylor; Donaldson, John S.; Singh, Rita; Vovides, Andrew P.; Jaramillo, Angélica Cibrián

doi:10.21135/893275150.024

Cited by 19 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…They are remarkable gymnosperm remnants, dominating terrestrial ecosystems during the Mesozoic and dwindling to their current diversity of approximately 330 species as angiosperms rose to dominance [2]. Cycads are dioecious gymnosperms, and most, if not all, share obligate mutualisms with specialist insect pollinators such as beetles (Coleoptera) and thrips (Thysanoptera) [3]. Understanding pollination modes of Mesozoic cycads is significant for elucidating the early diversification of cycads and insect-plant associations before angiosperm dominance.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cycads, unlike modern wind-pollinated conifers and Ginkgo, are unusual in that they are an ancient group of gymnosperms pollinated by insects [1][2][3]. Although it is well documented that cycads were diverse and abundant during the mid-Mesozoic, little is known about their biogeography and pollination before the rise of angiosperms.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Boganiidae-Encephalarteae association was probably established during the Early-Middle Jurassic, and the specific beetle-herbivore and cycad-host pairs were probably widespread on Gondwana, at least in what would become southern Africa, southwestern Australia, and Antarctica, the last then connecting the former two continents [34]. Like boganiids, the present global distribution of pollinating erotylids in Africa, Asia, Australia, and North and Central America [3] suggests an early development of an erotylid-cycad relationship before late-Mesozoic continental drift [35]. Collectively, the preliminary cycad-insect associations are probably ancient, extending to the Triassic or earlier [28], whereas insect pollination of cycads may be as early as the Early Jurassic [4,9,12], long before the origin and diversification of major groups of angiosperms and the concomitant diversification of angiosperm pollinators such as moths, flies, and bees later in the Cretaceous [5,6,36,37].…”

Section: Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…The monotypic genus Paracucujus from southwestern Australia occurs in large numbers on male cones of Macrozamia riedlei and sometimes in sticky traps on female cones [7,13]. As such, Paracucujus rostratus is probably a pollinator of Macrozamia riedlei [3,13]. Recent phylogenetic analyses indicated that the extant Metacucujus and Paracucujus are close extant sister groups [7], as are the two associated cycad host-plant genera, which belong to the same tribe, Encephalarteae (Zamiaceae).…”

Section: Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Modern cycads are principally pollinated by beetles, and rarely by thrips or moths [3]. Their beetle pollinators mainly include cucujoids (Biphyllidae, Boganiidae, Erotylidae, and Nitidulidae), weevils (Anthribidae, Belidae, Brentidae, and Curculionidae), and, unusually, tenebrionids [3]. Cycadothrips, a lineage of basal thrips, participate in the pollination of some species of Macrozamia in Australia.…”

Section: Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Beetle Pollination of Cycads in the Mesozoic

Cai

Escalona

et al. 2018

Current Biology

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Cycads, unlike modern wind-pollinated conifers and Ginkgo, are unusual in that they are an ancient group of gymnosperms pollinated by insects [1-3]. Although it is well documented that cycads were diverse and abundant during the mid-Mesozoic, little is known about their biogeography and pollination before the rise of angiosperms. Direct fossil evidence illuminating the evolutionary history of cycads is extremely rare [4, 5]. Here we report a specialized beetle-mediated pollination mode from the mid-Cretaceous of Myanmar, wherein a new boganiid beetle, Cretoparacucujus cycadophilus, with specialized pollen-feeding adaptations in its mouthparts and legs, was associated with many pollen grains of Cycadopites. Phylogenetic analyses indicate Cretoparacucujus as a sister group to the extant Australian Paracucujus, which pollinate the cycad Macrozamia riedlei. Our discovery, along with the current disjunct distribution of related beetle-herbivore (tribe Paracucujini) and cycad-host (tribe Encephalarteae) pairs in South Africa and Australia, indicate a probable ancient origin of beetle pollination of cycads at least in the Early Jurassic, long before angiosperm dominance and the radiation of flowering-plant pollinators later in the Cretaceous.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Beetle Pollination of Cycads in the Mesozoic

Cai

Escalona

et al. 2018

Current Biology

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Cycads: An Overview

Goel

Khuraijam

2015

Plant Biology and Biotechnology

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Cycads are regarded as the "Living Fossils" and belong to a specialized group of plants having ancient lineage possessing great signifi cance from the evolutionary point of view. During excavations, the cycad fossils located and accepted as related to the similar lineage as the present-day cycads have been known from the early Permian period, ca. 280-320 Myr ago. They had been popularly known as "Plant Dinosaur" and were generally known as the most dominant plant group in the Mesozoic period. The relict group of the seed plants was worldwide in their distribution and dominant in the plant world as the dinosaurs were then at the peak in the animal world. They were eaten by some herbivorous dinosaurs, such as Stegosaurs . During that period the plant group Bennettitales or cycadeoids was in abundance which had superfi cial resemblance with cycads but was more similar and closer to the angiosperms. The Jurassic period is generally called as the "Age of Cycads" because they were very common at that time. In fact the cycads represent the basal living lineage of the presentday seed-bearing angiosperms.The taxonomic isolation and extreme antiquity of cycads have attributed them intrinsic interest and conservational importance which is disproportionate to the paucity of members because of their limited and disjunct distribution. The cycads are dioecious and very slow-growing plants; as a result they are getting extremely rare in the natural habitat. Due to their rarity, very attractive foliage and beautiful cones, cycads are considered as the prized collections in private and the public gardens leading to over exploitation from natural habitats and illegal trade in the international market. Therefore, international trade and the movement of A.

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Sexual systems in gymnosperms: A review

Walas

Mandryk

Thomas

et al. 2018

Basic and Applied Ecology

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The aim of this study was to update figures for the presence of dioecy among the gymnosperms and investigate its correlation with climate, growth form, pollination and seed dispersal syndromes, and risk of extinction. Dioecy was found in almost 65% of contemporary gymnosperm species, a higher percentage than previous estimates. It dominates in 8 of the 12 2 phenomenon. The monophyly of extant gymnosperms and the relatively small number of species (about 1000) create the possibility of treating them as a model group in investigating the evolution of sexual systems.

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An Overview of Cycad Pollination Studies

Cited by 19 publications

References 40 publications

Beetle Pollination of Cycads in the Mesozoic

Beetle Pollination of Cycads in the Mesozoic

Cycads: An Overview

Sexual systems in gymnosperms: A review

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